Museum of Comedy

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London's brand new Museum of Comedy can be found at The Undercroft, St George's Church, Bloomsbury Way (near the British Museum).

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The museum offers a very friendly welcome and an extremely relaxed atmosphere. The main room is absolutely packed with comedy memorabilia stretching back many decades.

A side room - The Cooper Room - is dedicated to all things Tommy Cooper. A big screen replays scenes from his shows and there are many photographs and authentic props to be seen.

In the Cooper Room

Authentic Cooper prop.

Back in the main room, there's a large amount of printed matter, including scripts from Goon shows and  several folders crammed full of Hancockiana, such as the comic strips from Film Fun. One can pull up a chair and spend hours just reading through the contents of the museum's library.

Film Fun with Hancock and James

A special display celebrates the life and times of Max Miller, the finest stand up comedian the world has ever seen.

Max Miller's hat and jacket

It's essential to look in every corner of the museum as no space is wasted and there are some fine items tucked away. Other artifacts are harder to miss, such as this beauty.

The bear from Steptoe and Son

''There'll never be another, lady''

The Museum of Comedy fills a significant gap. It is set to expand as more items are added to the collection (donations are welcome!).

Part of comedy's rich heritage, from more innocent times

There's a lot to see and I'll certainly be back for more in the near future.

Planning a visit? Head for the museum's website for further details.