The Museum of Youth Culture (MOYC) in Camden, London, is the world’s first permanent archive dedicated to teenage life. Opening on June 20, it celebrates the messy, hedonistic, and rebellious spirit of youth, countering negative stereotypes. Founded by photographer Jon Swinstead in 1997, the museum began as a grassroots digital archive and now occupies a brick-and-mortar space at St Pancras Campus, near Camden Road station. The free, interactive museum features a bar, café, and merch shop with neon illustrations by Mark Wigan and a foosball table by Katie Town. Subterranean galleries house a permanent collection spanning over a century of youth culture, including subcultures like emos, Teddy Boys, goths, mods, rockers, and K-pop stans. Highlights include a custom soundsystem by Linett Kamala, the first woman to DJ at Notting Hill Carnival in 1985, and a temporary exhibition titled “Things I lied to my parents about,” curated by a youth collective. The exhibition explores teenage deception through handwritten stories, a recreation of a teenager’s bedroom, and a nostalgic soundtrack featuring Charli XCX, Kesha, and LMFAO. Visitors can share their own memories in a realistic phone booth recording booth. The museum aims to unlock core memories and celebrate the importance of teenage identity formation. It is located at 100 Royal College Street, NW1 0TH, and is open from June 20, free of charge.
