London Transport Museum Celebrates a Century of Art Deco with Blockbuster Exhibition and Events
Hearing the riches of London, by Frederick Charles Herrick, 1927 © TfL London Transport Museum collection, General joy, by Vera Willoughby, 1928 © TfL London Transport Museum collection & By tram from Hammersmith, Wimbledon or Shepherd's Bush, by Fred Taylor, 1922 © TfL London Transport Museum collection
London Transport Museum is marking the centenary of art deco’s origins and its profound impact on London’s transport design and visual identity with a major new exhibition opening on 21 November 2025 at the Covent Garden Museum.
The blockbuster exhibition will explore how this revolutionary style shaped the capital’s transport network over the last 100 years, featuring an extraordinary display of original posters, photographs, artworks, short films and ceramics. The launch coincides with the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Paris Exhibition, where the art deco movement first emerged.
Alongside the exhibition, visitors can enjoy a jam-packed season of themed events, including an art deco-inspired Museum Late, design-focused Depot Open Days, a roaring twenties-themed October half-term family programme, and even the chance to step aboard a 1938 art deco train.
More than 100 original posters and artworks will go on display, featuring celebrated designers such as Edward McKnight Kauffer, Dora Batty, and Jean Dupas. Rarely seen posters and objects will be showcased, offering a unique opportunity to explore the golden age of design.
Entry to the Global Poster Gallery is included with standard museum admission. Adult tickets are £25, and kids go free. Tickets for the exhibition and special events are available via the Museum’s website.
Art Deco: The Golden Age of Poster Design
Visitors to the new exhibition and its associated public events will explore how art deco—a bold and revolutionary artistic movement—transformed London Transport’s publicity posters, train design, and overall visual identity.
Housed in the Global Poster Gallery, sponsored by Global, the Media & Entertainment Group, the exhibition will open on 21 November 2025 in the heart of Covent Garden and is set to run until spring 2027.
A rich programme of talks, events and activities will accompany the exhibition, taking place at Covent Garden, the Museum Depot in Acton, west London, and other locations, delving deeper into art deco’s enduring influence on London’s transport art and design heritage.
A Journey Through Art Deco Design
The exhibition will take visitors on a visual journey, beginning with the origins of the art deco movement before showcasing posters celebrating leisure and pleasure. It then explores the architecture of the era, highlighting the work of architect Charles Holden, whose innovative designs transformed the face of the London Underground.
Design enthusiasts will be captivated by a stunning collection of vintage posters depicting gleaming ocean liners, stylish 1930s bathers, and period photography, alongside Clarice Cliff pottery and exclusive loans from the V&A, including a striking Japanese Government Railway poster by renowned graphic designer Munetsugu Satomi.
Leisure, Pleasure and the Jazz Age
Art deco posters of the era invited Londoners to ‘take a trip’—celebrating destinations rather than the journey itself. Posters promoted visits to the zoo, countryside, seaside, sporting events, and more, reflecting the effortless accessibility of leisure through London’s transport network.
The glamour of the jazz age shines through these designs, which feature elegant clothing and fashions to promote shopping trips and evening entertainment. The style’s bold movement, colour, and sophistication made it a perfect fit for an era defined by leisure, luxury, and modernity.
Rarely seen posters
A number of posters that have never been on public display will feature in the exhibition, from left to right below:
Underground; Quickest way out of London, by Aldo Cosomati, 1928, Southend-on-Sea, Surfing by Charles Pears, 1932, and, Tasting the riches of London, part of a series by Frederick Charles Herrick commissioned in 1927.
All three posters are copyright TfL London Transport Museum collection.
Art deco design and architecture
Visitors will be able to see artefacts and historic photography exploring how art deco style made its mark on design beyond posters, including trains, Tube stations and London’s first skyscraper – 55 Broadway, London Underground’s former head office. The streamlined curves of an experimental 1930s Tube train and architect Charles Holden’s bold and simple modernist building designs exemplified this new elegant style.
Streamlined Tube train by GEC, 1935 © TfL London Transport Museum collection, Poster of 55 Broadway, London’s Underground always at your service by Maurice Beck, 1932 © TfL London Transport Museum collection Tooting Bec station, 1934, © TfL London Transport Museum collection
Art Deco and Design-Inspired Events at London Transport Museum in 2025 and 2026
London Transport Museum is celebrating the centenary of the art deco movement with a season of exciting events and experiences running throughout 2025 and 2026, accompanying its major new exhibition Art Deco: The Golden Age of Poster Design, opening 21 November 2025.
From heritage train journeys and behind-the-scenes open days to a roaring twenties half-term celebration and an exclusive Museum Late, visitors can immerse themselves in the bold, glamorous style that transformed London’s transport design.
Heritage Train Journeys: Metropolitan Line Special
Step back in time aboard London Transport Museum’s beautifully restored 1938 art deco-style Tube train on special trips departing from Amersham station. Passengers will ride in authentic retro carriages, complete with original art deco light fittings, and meet costumed character Charles Holden, the visionary architect behind many iconic London Underground stations.
🔗 Tickets must be booked in advance: ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/heritage-vehicle-outings
📅 Dates: Friday 5 September – Saturday 6 September 2025
Museum Depot Open Days: A Journey of Art and Design
Go behind the scenes at London Transport Museum’s Depot in Acton for the final open days of the year and explore the city’s rich art and design heritage. Visitors will discover treasures from the Museum’s extraordinary collection of over 320,000 objects, including poster art, iconic design pieces, artist commissions, the world-famous Tube map, and stunning examples of vehicle design.
This family-friendly event includes:
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Expert talks from Dr Emma Bastin of the Art Deco Society UK on how art deco transformed the Underground, and Fiona Orisini, curator at the Royal Institute of British Architects at the V&A, on architect Charles Holden.
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Hands-on activities for families, including demos, quizzes, object handling, crafts, a miniature railway, and more.
🔗 Tickets and information: ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/depot-open-days/depot-open-days-journey-art-design
📅 Dates: Thursday 18 September – Sunday 21 September 2025
October Half Term: Roaring Twenties
This October half term, families are invited to step back into the roaring twenties at London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. Celebrate this iconic decade with arts and crafts, dance workshops, and family-friendly tours. Learn about vehicles from the 1920s, hear the stories of the people who rode them, and discover the influence of the art deco movement on London Transport.
🔗 More information: ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/family-events/october-half-term-roaring-twenties
📅 Dates: Saturday 25 October – Sunday 2 November 2025
Museum Late: Art Deco
Experience London Transport Museum after dark at a special Museum Late celebrating the opening of the art deco poster exhibition on 21 November 2025. This exclusive adults-only event will offer relaxed after-hours access, themed activities, and the chance to explore restored heritage vehicles, including a 1938 Tube stock carriage with original art deco fittings.
🔗 More information: ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/art-deco
📅 Date: Friday 20 March 2026
Tickets coming soon.
What They’re Saying
Matt Brosnan, Head Curator at London Transport Museum, said:
“Art deco style had a huge influence on transport design, from its striking posters to station architecture and the look of trains. The posters commissioned in the 1930s weren’t just about getting from A to B—they captured the excitement of a new age where speed, style and sophistication became part of everyday life. Our season of events celebrates that spirit.”
Elizabeth McKay, Director and CEO at London Transport Museum, added:
“I know our visitors will love our art deco season—from the blockbuster exhibition to our Museum Depot open days and the 1920s-inspired Museum Late. Frank Pick, London Transport’s visionary publicity manager, understood the power of great design to enrich daily life and inspire people to explore everything London had to offer.”
Dr Emma Bastin, historian and Treasurer of the Art Deco Society UK, said:
“In the 1920s and 1930s, London Underground became a public art gallery, displaying extraordinary posters by leading designers. These works encouraged people to explore the city while introducing modern art to everyday life. It’s fantastic that a century later, London Transport Museum is sharing these timeless images with new audiences.”
London Transport Museum would like to thank the many museums, individuals, and institutions whose generous loans have helped bring this season to life, including: Dr Emma Bastin, the Art Deco Society UK, Shoemakers Museum, Brighton & Hove Museum, the V&A, Sainsbury Centre, Northampton Museums & Art Gallery, the Fitzwilliam Museum, the National Motor Museum, and TfL’s Corporate Archives.
🔗 Find out more about London Transport Museum’s art deco-inspired season and blockbuster exhibition here:
www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/art-deco