London Sewing Machine Museum

38 reviews

Balham High Rd, Tooting Bec, London SW17 7AA, United Kingdom

www.craftysewer.com

+442087674724

About

London Sewing Machine Museum is a Museum located at Balham High Rd, Tooting Bec, London SW17 7AA, United Kingdom. It has received 38 reviews with an average rating of 4.6 stars.

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F.A.Q

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The address of London Sewing Machine Museum: Balham High Rd, Tooting Bec, London SW17 7AA, United Kingdom

  • London Sewing Machine Museum has 4.6 stars from 38 reviews

  • Museum

  • "Travelled to Balham on the first Saturday of the month and found the museum closed, because it is not open in January or December! Sigh"

    "Quirky but brilliant place - the guide was engaging and gave a brilliant talk"

    "A great hidden gem of London! Museum is free but only open for 3 hours once a month, so check the opening dates and times online before visiting"

    "I mean this really deserves more stars but personally I was just less interested than I expected to be"

    "My partner is into sewing so we decided to visit the Sewing Machine Museum after reading about it on the Londonist website"

Reviews

  • Laura Carolina

Travelled to Balham on the first Saturday of the month and found the museum closed, because it is not open in January or December! Sigh. It may be several months before I can try again on the first Saturday of the month; then I will update this review. Is that a typo or an "olde" spelling on the sign? (Mueseum)

  • Damon Ma

Quirky but brilliant place - the guide was engaging and gave a brilliant talk. It's not your average museum so don't expect detail description on every piece of exhibit. But if you are into sewing machines or just fancy something different

  • Corinna Chan

A great hidden gem of London! Museum is free but only open for 3 hours once a month, so check the opening dates and times online before visiting. Highlight of the visit is definitely the member of staff who led the hourly talk - she has a

  • Ash Knight

I mean this really deserves more stars but personally I was just less interested than I expected to be... Not enough inspiration for me to quite go from 'it's ok' to 'I liked it'. Subjectively, I don't think it's lacking in anything that

  • James Frew

My partner is into sewing so we decided to visit the Sewing Machine Museum after reading about it on the Londonist website. The Museum itself is attached to the Sewing Machine factory on the site. It is only open on the first Saturday of

  • Geoff Higginbottom

What an amazing place! Wife and I taken as a "surprise" treat. Even for someone like me, 70+ year old man with no sewing interest, it was fascinating. Our guide, Lauren, very enthusiastic and knowledgeable in the entertaining talk she

  • Mohah Sharaf

The carft store is fantastic but I've just had a terrible experience getting my sewing machine serviced. I was charged £66 which is steep but I was told it would be ready in 2 days so I didn't mind. 16 days later I had to call myself

  • Ellen G

The woman who runs the tour, Lauren, really makes this place worth a visit. She knows so much about the history and is clearly passionate about it. The museum is cool by itself; I don't even really sew and still found the old sewing

  • Christopher Allen

A very interesting museum for anyone interested in sewing machines or mechanical devices generally, with an amazing collection of many hundreds of sewing machines from the very earliest up to the early 1960s, many ornately decorated.

  • Tapio Kantola

A very extensive exhibition of sewing machines from the 19th and 20th centuries. Including e.g. the world's first sewing machine from 1829 and Queen Victoria's daughter's sewing machine from 1865. Interesting tour, I recommend it.

  • Dr. Kim Smith

This is the only one of its kind in London. Sewing machines of all different shapes and sizes dating as far back as the 1840s. It is only open on the first Saturday of each month but it's worth going to see this dazzling private

  • Josy B-D

I love these small niche museums. We came for my husband's birthday, and while it was a challenge getting up the stairs (there is no lift and the whole museum is on the first floor), we made it and had a fantastic time.

  • David Brown

Odd museum only open one day a month. More sewing machines than I've ever seen before including the first model ever sold. There is a fun guided tour. Free (although donations to a charity welcome) Quirky and enjoyable.

  • Zoe Vatter

A really neat place! The lady who hosts the talks has a great sense of humour and is very knowledgeable. I'm not much into sewing myself but it was well worth taking the time to walk through a piece of everyday history.

  • Chris A

A fab quirky museum. Only open one afternoon a month normally the first Saturday afternoon. Amazing collection of sewing machines. Get there just after 2pm so you get the introductory talk.... that is great. More

  • Isobel Stewart

very interesting museum. wealth of models from throughout the centuries. absolutely fascinating. very informative and lively talk a must. lots of photo opportunities. great afternoon out.

  • Kay Dawes

Truly amazing A great way to spend an afternoon with an enthusiastic and friendly guide. If you like sewing or the odd and eccentric you'll love this

  • Neil Baldwin

A gem of a museum, one of a kind. You would not believe there are so many different types. Only open on Saturday a month so check before you visit.

  • Richard Goodwin

I had low expectations but how wrong I was. A charismatic guide and lots of human interest stories as well as detail for the sewing machine geeks.

  • Monika Iskra

Sewing machine museum. Small but very interesting. Open on the first Saturday of the month from 2-5 p.m. and admission is free

  • P.A.B. that's all

Open the 1st Saturday of the month 2-5, this museum is well worth visiting.
Visited on…
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  • Sid Rodrigues

Amazing history coupled with the guide make this a highlight of SW london.

  • Victoria Harris

Really interesting talk and place. Had to queue a bit to get in though.

  • jesse malm

Authentic sewing shop, very good variety of working models to look at

  • Steven Williams

Most excellent window displays. They always make me laugh.

  • St Johns Carpenters

i would have given 5 star but the staff had a bad attitude

  • Angela G

More interesting than you would think!

  • Margaret Bartolo

Worth a visit if you like sewing.

  • Karl Williams

Cute, quirky little museum

  • Silviya Boncheva

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