Kingston Heritage Service

This page is run by Kingston Heritage Service, managing Kingston Museum and Kingston History Centre. View our events and opening information on our website.

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

Join Julian McCarthy this evening at Kingston History Centre ( entrance at the rear of the Guildhall) at 6:30pm for a talk on 'The Bloomer Case of Kingston'! This event is free, just book your tickets here: https://t.co/A6GgGPYZpj

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

It's happening! Delighted to announce that after months of repairs our Art Gallery is restored. Knits Wits Install is underway! Curated by Kingston Uni Fashion Students (@ku_fpc) in collab with @communitybrain. Come check out our fabulous new look when Museum opens at 10.00AM tomorrow. #kingstonuponthames #KingstonFashion #inKingston

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

Kingston has a long history of cinema and film, from Muybridge’s contributions to early moving picture technology to the bustling cinemas that operated in Kingston throughout the 20th century. Pictured in this photograph from the 1920s, the Elite was one of the first cinemas in Kingston, opening on the 17th March 1921. The building was designed by Adamson and Kinns, and had the capacity to seat over 1000 people, as well as an orchestra pit, organ, and coffee bar. It was eventually demolished after the cinema closed in 1955 (Image reference: K1-2287) #kingstonheritage #KIFF2026 #cinema

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

FREE Creative Workshops!! A snapshot taken during our free art workshop with artist Jaixia Blue as part of KREC's Decolonising Kingston project.

Come and join us at our next creative writing workshops.
Walk-ins are welcome or BOOK a free place via our Library events page!

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

https://t.co/0IYV3kvCUq
⭐️Saturday Snappity - Father's Day Fun! - 13th June - 10:15 am to 11am
❤️Join us to make cards, read a story and have fun for Father's Day! All materials are provided. These workshops are for children under 5, adult supervision is required.
The workshop will be held in the Kids Activity Area - Ground Floor.

£2 per child - to book, please click the link in our bio or scan the QR code. To avoid disappointment, please book in advance as these workshops can get busy. Thank you!

See you there!🐊
Snap snap

Location:
kingston Museum
Wheatfield Way, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2PS

#kingstonuponthames #saturdaysnappity #fathersday #rbkheritage #under5s

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

Do you know a local artist called Alan Harlow who was painting in the 1970s? We were recently given this wonderful bird's eye view painted by Harlow in 1972. It was originally purchased from a local art gallery, but that's all we know! #kingstonuponthames #PicturingKingston

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

Pictured here in the front row is famous philanthropist and industrialist Andrew Carnegie on a visit to Kingston for the opening of Kingston Library on the 11th May 1904. When asked to contribute to funding part of the construction of the library, Carnegie funded the whole amount, allowing for the original money to be spent on the construction of a museum as well (Image reference: K1-0876) #kingstonheritage

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

FREE WORKSHOP: As part of the Kingston Race and Equalities Council (KREC) 50th Anniversary celebration, we are hosting a series of FREE creative writing workshops with award-winning writer Jacqueline Crooks author of "Fire Rush", for Kingston residents who have diverse stories to tell about their time in Kingston. No writing experience is needed - just the willingness to create together and share stories. Refreshments provided! See images for dates, locations and a QR code to book your FREE slot. You can also book via the Kingston Library events page. Hope to see you there!
https://t.co/m6bbxJV2PP

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

On the 19th May 1902, Kingston celebrated the millenary of the coronation of Edward the Elder with a parade through the town streets 👑 This illustration was created to depict the ‘Father Time’ float that took part in the parade - and remarkably, we can also see what this float actually looked like on the day in this photograph from our collections (Image references: K1-7307, K1-5513) #kingstonheritage

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

The new Capture Kingston photography competition has launched! This year the theme is 'Kingston By Night' 🌜️ Enter your photos to contribute to the historic collection and you could also win a prize! More info here: https://t.co/K6QkkfXAwz (photo below by N Vasin, Capture Kingston 2020)

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

Many Congratulations to Daeun Kim from KSA winner of this year's Brill Award, with her lyrical view of the Warren Street Car Park, seen here being awarded her prize last night at Kingston Museum by the Mayor. Soon to be displayed in our Stairwell Gallery. #BrillAward #DocumentaryArt #InKingston #kingstonschoolofart

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

For this month’s #ExploreyourArchive theme #EYAHandwriting, here is a photograph of Kingston’s 1256 charter, in which you can see some interesting features of medieval handwriting ✒️ For example, the word ‘Kingeston’ on the third line features a ‘long s’, which can often be confused with an ‘f’ by modern readers (Image reference: K1-1117) #kingstonheritage

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

Join Julian McCarthy for a series of local history talks around Kingston.
Tickets are free, but please reserve a spot by scanning the QR code or visit the Kingston Heritage website.
👉https://t.co/2lvH1K4QEG

#kingstonuponthames #KingstonHeritage #rbkheritage #kingston #localhistorytalk

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

📍For local and Community History Month, there will be immersive exhibitions across our libraries. Discover exciting local history, communities and artists! All events are free and open to everyone. The exhibitions are drop in, but please note that the guest speaker talks require a booking online.

👉Find out more on the Kingston Library website.
https://t.co/cVnUppSSrj

#kingstonuponthames #kingston #kingstonlibrary #exhibition #localandcommunityhistorymonth #localandcommunityhistorymonth2026

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

This photograph shows Kingston residents lining up for ‘Potato Day’ on the 4th May 1917. Food shortages during the First World War meant that potatoes were extremely expensive. In 1917 Bentalls bought potatoes directly from farmers and sold them at ordinary prices, resulting in great demand and lengthy queues that lasted for hours. (Image reference: K1-5848) #kingstonheritage

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

🦜Saturday Snappity - Parrot Party! - 30th May - 10:15 am to 11am
https://t.co/Q6vpOWka6U

Join us for making a parrot craft, reading a story and a fun activity! All materials are provided. These workshops are for children under 5, adult supervision is required.

The workshop will be held in the Kids Activity Area - Ground Floor.

To book, please click the link in our bio or scan the QR code. To avoid disappointment, please book in advance as these workshops can get busy. Thank you!

See you there!🐊
Snap snap

Location
kingston Museum
Wheatfield Way, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2PS

#saturdaysnappity #kingston #rbkheritage #kingstonuponthames

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

🦋Saturday Snappity - May Day - 2nd May - 10:15 am to 11am

Join us for making stained glass inspired butterflies, reading a story and learning about the Maypole stained glass window in the museum. All materials are provided. These workshops are for children under 5, adult supervision is required.

The workshop will be held in the Kids Activity Area - Ground Floor.

To book, please click the link in our bio or scan the QR code. To avoid disappointment, please book in advance as these workshops can get fully booked. Thank you!

See you there!🐊
Snap snap

Location
kingston Museum
Wheatfield Way, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2PS

https://t.co/9G321mt0PT

#rbkheritage #saturdaysnappity #kingstonmuseums #kingstonmuseum #kingston #under5s

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

Happy #NationalShakespeareDay! Did you know that the Hogsmill river was the inspiration for John Everett Millais’s famous 1852 painting of Shakespeare’s character Ophelia? This photograph was taken about 40 years later in the 1890s, but depicts the bank of the Hogsmill close to the area Millais used as inspiration (Image reference: K1-3206) #kingstonheritage

[Kingston Heritage Service @RBKheritage]

Mudlarking Exhibition is happening at Fulham Pier Sunday 19th April!

One of the mudlarkers participating has very kindly donated some of her mudlarking finds for our new 'Fragment and Shard' display which will be at Kingston Museum in the coming months - more details to follow.

@Fulham_Pier #mudlarking #fulhampier #exhibition #mudlarkingexhibition