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The Cuming Museum is home to the rich and unusual collection of the Cuming family and the museum of Southwark's history. The gallery contains a variety of hands-on activities for younger visitors as well as a lively temporary exhibition programme. Henry Syer Cuming left the collection amassed by himself and his father Richard to the Metropolitan Borough of Southwark when he died in 1902. His will stated that "My Museum illustrative of Natural History, Archaeology and Ethnology with my coins and medals and along with all other curios..." be exhibited in "...a suitable and spacious gallery or apartments... in connection with Newington Public Library." The museum was to be known as the Cuming Museum and he left a sum of money to employ a curator. The museum was opened in 1906 by Lord Rothschild and remains in the same gallery today. Although it was closed for a period during the Second World War, the museum has remained a popular local attraction. It has continued to collect from the local area throughout the last 100 years. Donations have ranged from Dickensian relics and collections of charms and superstitions, to local archaeology. Our remit today is to collect material that relates to Southwark and represents all of Southwark's communities. Our collecting procedures follow national standards and we are a Registered Museum under the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) Museum Registration Scheme. We are happy to accept donations, but are unable to accept long term loans. Loans are only accepted for the purposes of temporary exhibition or very occasionally for other reasons. Bequests can be accepted, but must fit within our collecting policy. Currently, we are very interested in adding to our Southwark history collection and are especially short of material relating to Southwark's industries in the 20th century.