A short talk and tour of the General UCL exhibition led by one of the curators

Students are foundational to the story of UCL. Established in 1826 as the first university in London, then the largest city in the world, and the first in England outside Oxford and Cambridge, UCL opened up higher education to those who had previously been denied access. This included religious minorities, the middle classes, and later, women. Since the beginning, students have been free to invent their own traditions and forge a distinctive student culture in London.

This free exhibition places students at the heart of this 200-year history. On display are items from UCL Special Collections, Students’ Union UCL and UCL Museums, each of which sheds light on an aspect of student life. The exhibition spotlights individual stories whilst exploring themes of community, student identity and belonging.