Culture And Memory

Hidden Stories – Decolonising the Heritage of the Great Exhibition of 1851

The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, 1851, was created to showcase Britain as a superior industrial leader. Colonies were depicted as underdeveloped, valuable only for resource extraction. Launching during its 175th anniversary (2026), our aim is to decolonise aspects of its heritage, by unlocking the hidden stories of innovators from global majority communities who contributed to British ingenuity but were misrepresented at the landmark event. Collaborating with local participants, we will research, capture and share these hidden stories, co-producing creative engagement outputs for the Great Exhibition Road Festival 2027 as well as digital outputs to preserve this heritage, and inspire plans for the 180th anniversary (2031). Furthermore, we will collaborate with partners across South Kensington Cultural District to build capacity around decolonising heritage. This way, we will celebrate and recognise the stories, culture and heritage of the area’s global majority, springboarding an ongoing approach.