London History Day | |
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Genre | Cultural events, special activities and exhibitions. |
Frequency | Annually |
Location(s) | London, United Kingdom |
Website | historicengland |
London History Day is an annual celebration in London that takes place on 31 May, the day that Big Ben first started keeping time.[1]
In May 2016 Historic England launched an online poll through YouGov asking the public to choose the most relevant date to celebrate London's history. 24% of people chose the day that Big Ben first kept time in 1859.[2] The first London History Day took place on 31 May 2017.[3] Over 40 historic and cultural institutions hosted special events or highlighted rare objects in their collection.[4]
The fourth London History Day took place during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Historic England and the Museum of London created a booklet to help families celebrate the day without leaving their homes. London residents were encouraged to celebrate from home by dressing up as a well-known person in London history using items they could find in their homes.[5]