Thousands of Roman artefacts found during building work given to London Museum
The finds were uncovered at the site of a 3rd century AD temple to the Roman god Mithras, in the modern-day City of London.
The London Museum has been gifted a collection of more than 14,000 Roman artefacts found during building work in the city, as well as a £20 million donation towards its new premises.
The collection of ancient artefacts, which includes Britain’s largest collection of Roman tablets and the first written reference to London, was discovered by archaeologists during the construction of Bloomberg’s European headquarters between 2012 and 2014.
The finds were uncovered at the site of a 3rd century AD temple to the Roman god Mithras, in the modern-day City of London.
Michael R Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, said: “These remarkable artefacts offer a unique window into the past, connecting us directly to the voices of its ancient inhabitants.”
The donation comes alongside £20 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the museum’s largest private contribution to date, to support the creation of new premises in Smithfield market which are set to open in 2026.
The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, said the new museum will be a “significant addition” to the capital.
He said: “The generous donation of these wonderful Roman artefacts will be a great addition to the London Museum’s collections and the investment provides a major boost to what is one of the biggest cultural projects in Europe.
“Bloomberg has been a huge cultural champion for London, and this is a great example of public and private sectors working together to help realise bold plans for our capital’s future.
“The London Museum will be a significant addition to our capital, transforming the Smithfield area and using the power of culture to drive economic improvement, as we build a better London for everyone.”
Sharon Ament, director of the London Museum, said the donation would create a “lasting legacy for London”.
She went on: “We are hugely ambitious for this project – from setting high standards in sustainability, to creating new apprenticeships for young people; moving the dial on digital opportunities to involving a record number of Londoners in the making of the museum.
“This will be a place truly of and for the city that we hope Londoners will be proud of.”
Chris Hayward, chairman of the City of London Corporation’s policy and resources committee, said: “This generous donation is a significant investment in both preserving the rich history of the City of London and ensuring the swift transformation of the new London Museum.
“It will also add to the range of first class exhibits the new London Museum will offer visitors, cementing it as a cultural and economic cornerstone of Destination City.”
The new museum will be housed within the historic Smithfield market buildings in central London and is expected to draw over two million visitors annually.
