Victorian London in Photographs

This free temporary outdoor exhibition showcases The London Archives' extraordinary range of photographs from the reign of Queen Victoria which record the city and its people in stunning detail.

The arrival of photography in London in 1839 changed the way people saw their city and each other. It was possible to see life captured as it appeared, rather than through an artist’s sketch or painting. This new medium was embraced enthusiastically to record Victorian engineering projects and technological achievements. It was also used by campaigners to highlight social issues such as poor housing and poverty and to capture London’s vivid street life.

Whether in carefully posed studio portraits or images of people gathered in the street, it seems that almost everyone wanted to be recorded on camera. This exhibition delves into our collections to present some of most striking images of the era; from one of the first known photographs of London to the opening of Blackwall Tunnel at the end of the century, taking in the Crystal Palace and the first Tube line and showing Londoners at work and play.

The exhibition will be at two locations in the City of London during the summer:

St Paul's Cathedral

• St Paul's Churchyard, London, EC4M 8AD
• From Friday 2nd August 2024 – Thursday 29 August 2024

Aldgate Square

• Aldgate High Street, London, EC3N 1AF
• From Friday 30 August 2024 – Sunday 29 September