Museum of the Moving Image, London
The Museum of the Moving Image (MOMI) was a special museum in London. It taught visitors all about the history of movies, TV, and how they were made. It was located under Waterloo Bridge on the South Bank of the River Thames.
MOMI opened on September 15, 1988. Prince Charles officially opened it. At that time, it was the biggest museum in the world just for cinema and television. The British Film Institute ran MOMI. It closed in 1999, and its permanent closure was announced in 2002.
Contents
How the Museum Started
The idea for MOMI came from Leslie Hardcastle. He was in charge of the National Film Theatre. He dreamed of a museum that would show how movies and TV came to life.
Anthony Smith, who was the Director of the BFI, helped make this dream real. He raised £15 million for the museum. This money came from private donations, not from the government. Other important people like David Francis and David Robinson also helped design and build the museum.
Exploring the World of Moving Images
.jpg)
MOMI had many exciting areas to explore. Visitors could learn about how people first tried to "trick the eye" with moving pictures. There were exhibits on shadow puppets and early optical devices. You could see how Magic lanterns worked and how Photography led to movies.
From Early Films to Hollywood
The museum showed how cinema began with pioneers like the Lumiere Brothers. It also featured British pioneers such as Birt Acres. You could learn about famous early filmmakers like Méliès, who created amazing special effects. There were sections on the rise of Hollywood and the magic of silent movies. A special area celebrated the legendary Charlie Chaplin.
Animation, TV, and Special Effects
MOMI also had sections on Animation, showing how cartoons are made. It covered the arrival and growth of television. There were exhibits on how cinema tried to compete with TV. A popular exhibit was dedicated to the early years of the TV show Doctor Who.
Special Exhibitions for Visitors
The museum often hosted temporary exhibitions. These special shows brought new and exciting topics to MOMI. Some popular ones included:
- The World of Jim Henson (creator of the Muppets)
- Magical Lanterns
- Charlie Chaplin's Centenary (celebrating 100 years since his birth)
- Ray Harryhausen: Creatures of Fantasy (about a famous stop-motion animator)
- Behind the Sofa: Doctor Who at MoMI
- Special Effects in the Cinema
The Museum Building
The MOMI building itself was quite modern. It was designed by Bryan Avery and his team. The building had glass sides, a steel frame, and red roofs. It stretched along both sides of Waterloo Bridge.
What Happened After MOMI Closed?
MOMI closed its doors for good in 2002. An exhibition called Moving Pictures tried to recreate a smaller version of MOMI. It ran in Sheffield in 2002 but did not continue touring.
The site where MOMI once stood was later reopened as BFI Southbank in 2007. This new center offers cinemas, a library, and a bookshop. It continues to celebrate film and television.
In 2018, one of the original MOMI team members, David Francis, opened a new museum. It's called the Kent Museum of the Moving Image and is located in Deal, Kent. London still does not have a large public museum dedicated to film.
See also
Find Out More
- Animation At The Museum Of The Moving Image
- Promotional film from 1997
- Dismay at film museum 'tragedy', BBC News, October 7, 2002
