The Cartoon Museum facts for kids
The Cartoon Museum
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| Established | 2006 Reopened 1 July 2019 |
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| Location | 63 Wells St London, W1A 3AE United Kingdom |
| Type | the art of comics and cartoons |
| Collection size | 4,000 plus original cartoons and prints |
| Public transit access |  Oxford Circus |
The Cartoon Museum in London is a super cool place! It's all about British cartoons, funny drawings called caricatures, and comic strips. This museum is run by a group called the Cartoon Art Trust.
Inside, you'll find a huge library with over 5,000 books and 4,000 comics. The museum also shows off more than 250 amazing pieces from its collection of over 4,000 original cartoons and prints. Their main goal is to save the best British cartoons and comics. They want to make this awesome art available for everyone to learn from and enjoy!
Contents
Discovering the Cartoon Museum's Story
How the Museum Started
The idea for a cartoon museum is quite old! Back in 1949, a cartoonist named H. M. Bateman first suggested it. Later, in 1988, a group of cartoonists and collectors formed the Cartoon Art Trust. One of them was the cartoonist Mel Calman. Their dream was to create a museum to collect, show, and protect the best British cartoon art.
The First Home: Little Russell Street (2006-2018)
The Cartoon Museum first opened its doors on February 23, 2006. This was in a part of Central London called Little Russell Street. They raised £750,000 to make it happen! The Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the museum. He had been a supporter of the Cartoon Art Trust for over 20 years.
At the time, the museum's director, Anita O'Brien, said there had never been a cartoon museum in Britain before. She noted that even though Britain had a long history of comic art, it wasn't always seen as important. Oliver Preston, the chairman of the Cartoon Art Trust, explained that "Cartoons are art." He felt it was time these artists had a special place to show their work.
The museum held many cool exhibitions. For example, in 2014, they celebrated 30 years of the TV show Spitting Image. About 26,000 people visited the museum each year. However, it had to close its doors at Little Russell Street in late 2018. This was because the rent became too expensive.
A New Chapter: Wells Street (Since 2019)
After another big fundraising effort, collecting £1 million, the Cartoon Museum found a new home! It reopened on July 1, 2019, at 63 Wells Street. This new spot is bigger and has a long-term lease with very low rent.
The new museum was designed by Sam Jacob Studio. One of the first exhibitions was called "Comic Creators: The Famous and the Forgotten". It featured classic comic characters like Billy Bunter, Jonah, Desperate Dan, Dennis the Menace, and Judge Dredd.
The new museum also has a special learning studio and a shop. The main gallery tells the story of cartoons through history. Cartoonist Steve Bell helped put this collection together. It shows 300 years of cartoons! This includes the "Golden Age of Caricature" from the Georgian period. Artists like James Gillray and George Cruikshank are featured.
The collection also includes drawings by wartime cartoonists like David Low. Modern artists like Gerald Scarfe and Ralph Steadman are also part of the collection.
In January 2020, Joe Sullivan became the new museum director. Emma Stirling-Middleton was appointed as the new curator. The museum received a grant of £98,700 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2020.
The museum reopened in June 2021 after the COVID-19 lockdown. They had an exhibition about the art of V for Vendetta called "Behind the Mask". In September 2021, they showed "Hidden Treasures". These were three drawings by Ralph Steadman that no one had seen before! The Cartoon Museum was also praised for its fundraising efforts in 2021. In November 2021, the museum opened "The Laughter Lab". This exhibition explored the science behind why we laugh.
Amazing Exhibitions to Explore
The Cartoon Museum has hosted many exciting exhibitions. These have included shows about famous artists like Ronald Searle and Pont. They've also featured popular comics like The Beano and The Dandy. Other exhibitions have focused on artists like Mike Williams and Mel Calman. Even cartoons from private London clubs have been displayed!
Some exhibitions have explored specific topics or people. These include Viz magazine and the graphic novel Alice in Sunderland by Bryan Talbot. There have also been shows about Robert Dighton, Tony Blair, and Margaret Thatcher. The TV show Spitting Image has also been featured.
Many exhibitions come with special books called catalogues. For example, Ronald Searle: Graphic Master included essays about Searle's work. Famous cartoonists and filmmakers even created art to honor Searle. These included Steve Bell, Roger Law, Mike Leigh, and Gerald Scarfe. In September 2023, the museum celebrated the 30th Anniversary of Aardman Animation's short film The Wrong Trousers.
Learn and Create at the Museum
The museum offers cool learning programs for schools. These cover subjects like art, media, history, English, and animation. During school holidays, there are workshops for children. Adults can also take courses to learn about cartooning and graphic novels.
Celebrating Cartoon Talent
Every year, the Cartoon Art Trust gives out awards. These are called the Cartoon Art Trust Awards. One special award is for Lifetime Achievement. It honors an artist who has made a huge impact on British cartooning. Past winners include Ronald Searle, David Levine, and Gerald Scarfe.
They also give the "Pont Award." This award goes to a cartoonist whose drawings show "The British Character." Winners have included Norman Thelwell and Michael Heath. The museum also hosts the Young Cartoonist of the Year Award. About 1,000 young artists send in their drawings for this award every year!
Where to Find the Museum
- The museum is located at 63 Wells Street, London W1A 3AE.
- The closest London Underground stations are:
- Oxford Circus (on the Central and Victoria lines)
- Tottenham Court Road (on the Central and Northern lines)
More Fun to Explore
- British Cartoonists' Association
- Cartoon Art Trust
- Cartoon Art Trust Awards
- Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
- Young Cartoonist of the Year Award
