The Cartoon Museum

Welcome to The Cartoon Museum, a vibrant and essential cultural institution tucked away in the heart of London, near Oxford Circus. As we descend into this basement gallery on a nondescript side street, we are entering what…

To understand the British cartoon, we must start with James Gillray, widely considered one of the great fathers of the medium. While 'funny pictures' have existed for millennia, Gillray introduced a level of 'satirical intent'…

Moving into the twentieth century, we encounter a different kind of cultural icon: the British comic book. Central to this story is the 'legendary Beano,' a publication that has delighted and occasionally horrified parents since…

In the mid-1980s, British satire took a radical leap into three dimensions with the television show 'Spitting Image.' This program brought satirical cartoons into the nation’s living rooms every Sunday night at 10 o'clock, using…

As we move into the more contemporary sections of the museum, we see how cartoons continue to provide a unique record of history. There is a story mentioned by Steve Marchant about a cartoon depicting a couple who won the…

In recent decades, the boundary between 'cartoons' and 'fine art' has become increasingly blurred with the rise of the graphic novel. The Cartoon Museum pays significant attention to this evolution, showcasing long-form narrative…

The final stop on our interior tour is the museum’s archive and learning center. This is where the 'scholarly' part of our persona really feels at home. …

As we emerge from the basement of The Cartoon Museum back into the bustle of central London, we carry with us a different perspective on the world around us. We have seen how cartoons are not just entertainment, but a 'satirical…