University College London (UCL) kicks off the bicentennial celebrations with a new exhibition, Two Centuries Here and is also running guided tours for groups.
Located on campus at The Octagon Gallery, Two Centuries Here, will run between 17th September 2026 until 21st July 2027. This multi-space exhibition will showcase objects, paintings, photography and drawings from UCL’s archives, covering more than 200 years of research, education and impact.
Founded in 1826, University College London is one of the oldest universities in the city, and one that prides itself on educational inclusivity for all. UCL is said to have been the first university in England to admit students regardless of race, religion, class or gender.
Exhibition highlights
Two Centuries Here will feature a variety of rare items, not usually available to the public from UCL’s museums: The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL Art Museum as well as the UCL Grant Museum of Zoology.
From science and art to nature and archaeology, the collections are some of the largest in the world. Eclectic objects will be on show throughout the experience, including:
- The Grant’s Museum’s iconic Jar of Moles, showcasing moles preserved in glass jars, intended for animal dissection.
- The Crookes tube that led to the UK’s first clinical X-ray.
- A rocket nose cone linked to UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory.
- The original test tubes used by Britain’s first Nobel Prize winner, William Ramsay, in his discovery of noble gasses.
- Paintings and sketches from London’s first contemporary female artists, Winifred Knights and Amy Nimir.
- The Rudolph Martin Eye Colour Scale used to categorise the eye-colour and assumed racial origins of Jewish migrant children in 1920s London.
- The Tarkhan Dress, named the “world’s oldest dress” dating back to 2800 BCE and a carved wooden cosmetic spoon, featuring a dancing girl used for cosmetics and perfume.
Visitors are also invited to explore The Grant Museum of Zoology and The Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology.
Egyptian archaeology
The Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology holds one of the largest collections of Egyptian heritage in the world, with more than 80,000 objects of which 4,000 are from Sudan.
From prehistoric life in the Nile Valley, to the Pharaonic and Roman periods, the impressive collections feature clothing, jewellery, portraits and grooming accessories, dating back to 3,000 BCE.
Zoological collections
Home to more than 100,000 specimens from every continent, UCL’s Grant Museum has used its collection in teaching since 1828, to research the impact of the natural world.
Specimens are still being used to teach comparative anatomy and evolution today.
Dates, times and booking information
Two Centuries Here spans across UCL’s historic campus in Bloomsbury. Entry to the exhibit is free and there is no need to book.
UCL is also running a 90-minute, walking tour for groups. These are available to book on selected dates until December 2026 and includes discounted drinks and refreshments at selected outlets across campus.
Find out more information here.
