East End Women’s Museum abandons plan for permanent home

A plan to create a permanent home for the East End Women’s Museum in Barking town centre has been scrapped.

The trustees of the museum said that problems finalising the lease for the new building meant it was not able to accept some of the funding it had been awarded, making the project unviable.

“Despite exploring multiple avenues, it was not possible to agree a way of working that was acceptable to all stakeholders,” the museum said in statement.

The museum, which claims to be the only dedicated women’s museum in England, currently operates on a ‘pop-up’ basis, presenting temporary exhibitions at different venues.

It describes its mission as to "record, research, share and celebrate the stories of East London women past and present".

A spokesperson for the museum said they had not given up looking for a permanent space in the future.

They added: “We are beyond disappointed that we won’t be moving into the building in Barking.

"The board, our volunteers, supporters, and the project team have worked so hard to make this a reality. We are sad and frustrated we have got to this point.

“The support we have received and the work that has been completed to date means we know that more than ever, a museum like ours is needed to tell the stories of the great women in history.”