We're delighted to announce a new outdoor exhibition celebrating 75 years since the Festival of Britain and the lasting impact it has had on shaping today's South Bank.
Installed across three locations along the riverside as part of this year's London Festival of Architecture, the exhibition marks the 75th anniversary of the landmark 1951 Festival of Britain and tells the story of how a once-industrial and bomb-damaged stretch of riverside was transformed into one of London's most celebrated neighbourhoods, renowned for its cultural offer, iconic architecture, and vibrancy and dynamism. The exhibition explores the Festival's enduring legacy, from the creation of the Royal Festival Hall – the only surviving building from the Festival – to the development of the cultural institutions that continue to define South Bank today.
Through a series of illustrated panels, visitors can discover the people, plans and pivotal moments that helped define South Bank's evolution. From the ambitious County of London Plan of 1943, which set out a bold vision for post-war London, to the success of the Festival of Britain's pioneering Telecinema – the precursor to what would later become the British Film Institute – the exhibition reveals how ideas born more than seven decades ago continue to shape the area today.
The project has been developed in partnership with local historian and tour guide David Sweetland, creator of A London Inheritance, whose extensive knowledge of London's history has helped bring these stories to life.
One of the exhibition's most remarkable features is its collection of rare photographs taken by David's father during the build-up to the Festival of Britain. Armed with a Leica camera purchased from a soldier returning from Germany after the Second World War, he began documenting the area when he was just 18 years old. His photographs capture a South Bank on the cusp of transformation, recording the demolition, construction and anticipation surrounding a project that would leave a lasting mark on this part of London.
Together, these unique images and stories offer a fascinating glimpse into a defining chapter of South Bank's history, while highlighting how generations of planners, architects, artists, communities and cultural organisations have contributed to the area's ongoing evolution.
The exhibition forms part of a wider programme of activity commemorating the Festival of Britain's 75th anniversary and celebrating the enduring legacy of an event that helped establish South Bank as a place of culture, creativity and innovation.
Visitors can explore the exhibition at three locations across South Bank:
The South Bank Lion, Westminster Bridge Road
Queen's Walk, adjacent to the London Eye and Jubilee Gardens
Queen's Walk, near Waterloo Bridge
The exhibition is free to visit and, while launched as part of the London Festival of Architecture, will remain on display throughout the summer.
As an organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting South Bank, we're proud to have helped bring this exhibition to life. The Festival of Britain played a pivotal role in shaping the neighbourhood we know today, and its legacy continues to be reflected in South Bank's culture, creativity and sense of place. By sharing these stories, we hope to give visitors, workers and local communities a deeper understanding of the people, ideas and ambition that helped create one of London's most distinctive neighbourhoods.
