Spotlight on UCL200 Exhibition: bringing to life UCL’s past, present and future

What is the UCL200 Exhibition? 

An engaging and immersive exhibition, across multiple central spaces, bringing to life UCL’s past, present and future in celebration of UCL’s bicentenary in 2026. The UCL200 Exhibition presents an exciting opportunity to celebrate UCL’s origins and founding values, our groundbreaking innovations and positive impact on the world, and our diverse, ever-expanding community of staff, students, alumni and partners. The displays will aim to instil a sense of pride, belonging and confidence in the future among current staff and students, while simultaneously engaging external audiences and enhancing public understanding of UCL’s rich history, influence and future potential. 

What to expect 

Engaging displays and interactive installations which showcase content across three categories: 

• Objects and artefacts which showcase UCL’s history, positive impact on society, or ability to shape the future 
• Stories of individuals who have played an important role in shaping the university, with a particular emphasis on those who may hitherto have been under-celebrated  
• Case studies illustrating how UCL has shaped society for the better, whether through research, education or outreach, whether locally, nationally or globally 

These will reflect the following four, interlinked themes: 

• UCL Origins: bringing to life UCL’s founding story and values, and tracing UCL’s evolution into London’s leading multidisciplinary university, with over 16,000 staff and 51,000 students
• UCL Impact: articulating UCL’s positive impact on individuals and society, through groundbreaking research, educating the workforce of tomorrow, and co-creating solutions with partners across London and the world   
• UCL Community: highlighting the diversity of the UCL community, from staff and students to alumni and collaborators, and what brings us together   
• UCL Futures: illustrating how UCL is central in shaping a better tomorrow, and inspiring hope for the coming 200 years 

When and where is the UCL200 Exhibition taking place? 

The core exhibition will run from February 2026 throughout the bicentennial year, across the North and South Cloisters, the Octagon and the Student Centre with additional UCL200 content developed for the Main Library, Grant Museum and Petrie Museum. There will also be opportunities for those not on campus to engage with aspects of the exhibition online.   

As noted in the wider UCL200 Academic Framework, where suitable spaces exist across the UCL Estate, faculties and departments are also encouraged to consider curating their own displays, linked to the UCL200 celebrations.  These displays offer a chance to highlight the people, stories, and objects that showcase your unique contributions to UCL's remarkable legacy, bringing the UCL200 celebrations to life in dynamic and meaningful ways. 

Meet the team involved in delivering the UCL200 Exhibition Programme

Lucy Shackleton, UCL200 Exhibition Project Director  

Who are you, what do you do and what is your involvement in the UCL200 programme?  

My name is Lucy Shackleton. In my day job, I’m Head of Policy and Partnerships at UCL European Institute, helping to put UCL ideas and expertise to work in the world and build our profile on European issues. I’m also Project Director for the UCL200 Exhibition one day per week. 

What is at the top of your 'to do’ list in relation to the UCL200 Exhibition? 

I have two main priorities at present. First, I’m working to develop and nuance the story we want to tell about ourselves through the UCL200 exhibition, in conjunction with the UCL200 Exhibition Academic Advisory Group. Second, I’m consulting colleagues from a wide range of teams, and have a call-out to Faculties via UCL200 Faculty Champions, to gather suggestions on the objects, artefacts, material and stories we might draw on to bring this story to life. There’s so much out there that selecting content will be the toughest part of the job! I had fantastic research support from UCL History alumnus Joshua Jones over the summer in laying the groundwork.

What are you most looking forward to during the bicentennial year at UCL?   

I’m looking forward to the chance to celebrate something as a community. It can be challenging in such a large, decentralised place to feel connected, but the bicentennial offers a wonderful opportunity to learn more about what goes on at UCL, to create new connections and to reflect on what makes the university distinctive. 

What 3 words would you use to describe UCL200?  

Exciting, momentous, complex.

LCCOS Museums and Cultural Programmes

Meet the Museums and Cultural Programmes team

The Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science (LCCOS) Museums and Cultural Programmes team connect the world with UCL through innovative programming and engagement activities. They use their assets in the form of collections, museums, exhibition spaces and theatre to mobilise the UCL community, inspiring them to engage people with their research and their research with people. They will oversee the coordination and development of all exhibition content and its interpretation and will manage all technical aspects related to the design, production and installation of the UCL200 exhibition. In addition, they will focus on the conservation of valuable objects, ensuring their preservation for future generations. 

• Helen Carney, LCCOS Marketing and Communications, Museums and Cultural Programmes
• Emilia Kingham, Conservator, Museums and Cultural Programmes
• Samantha Manton, Exhibitions Manager, Museums and Cultural Programmes
• Christina McGregor, Head of Museum Services, Museums and Cultural Programmes
• Rachel Weatherall, Conservator, Museums and Cultural Programmes
• UCL Museum Curators and Curatorial and Collections Assistants, Museums and Cultural Programmes 

LCCOS Special Collections

Meet the Special Collections team

The Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science (LCCOS) Special Collections team will play a pivotal role in curating and bringing to life the unique Special Collection objects showcased in the UCL200 Exhibition. Their work will involve engaging with subject specialists in UCL's history and managing an extraordinary collection of historical records dating back to the university's foundation. Alongside these efforts, the team will drive the exhibition's digitisation, ensuring these treasures are accessible to a wider audience, while conducting in-depth research to provide engaging and insightful content about the collection's remarkable objects.  

• Sarah Aitchison, Director, UCL Special Collections 
• Katy Makin, UCL Archivist, UCL Special Collections
• Colin Penman, Head of Records, UCL Special Collections
• Sarah Pipkin, Outreach and Exhibitions Coordinator
• Angela Warren-Thomas, Senior Conservator, UCL Special Collections
• Steve Wright, Digitisation Manager, UCL Special Collections
• UCL Special Collections Collection Managers 

The Academic Advisory group

Meet the Academic Advisory group

An Academic Advisory Group has been constituted to guide UCL200 exhibition development and delivery, ensuring a nuanced approach to narrative, advising on content decisions, and helping to galvanise other members of the community in support of the vision, alongside UCL200 Faculty champions:      

• Sarah Aitchison, Director (UCL Special Collections)
• Dr Paul Ayris, Pro-Vice-Provost (UCL Library Services)
• Dr Tim Beasley-Murray, Associate Professor of European Thought and Culture
• Dr Sam Blaxland, Lecturer in Education
• Professor Iain Borden, Professor of Architecture and Urban Culture
• Professor Georgina Brewis, Professor of Social History
• Lucy Briggs, Programme Director Bicentennial (UCL200 core team)
• Professor Joe Cain, Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology
• Karen Campbell-White, Director of Strategic Communications
• Professor Helen Chatterjee, Professor of Human and Ecological Health
• Professor Clare Elwell, Professor of Medical Physics
• Professor Haidy Geismar, Professor of Anthropology
• Professor Dame Hazel Genn, Pro-Provost Bicentennial (UCL200 core team)
• Emma Hallet, Director of Alumni and Supporter Experience
• Dr Charles Inskip, Head of Department of Information Studies
• Dr Anna Maguire, Lecturer in Public History
• Professor Kieren Reed, Professor of Fine Art / Slade Professor
• Professor Alice Stevenson, Professor of Museum Archaeology 

How can I become involved?  

If you have any ideas or interest lists to contribute to the UCL200 Exhibition, please get in touch with your Faculty Champion or contact Lucy Shackleton, UCL200 Exhibition Project Director (l.shackleton@ucl.ac.uk) and Samantha Manton, LCCOS Exhibitions Manager (s.manton@ucl.ac.uk) directly. Your insights will help to ensure that the UCL200 exhibition is interesting, engaging, informative and highlights the wider range of research and impacts across UCL that are important to you.   

Keep up to date with what is going on with the UCL Exhibition by following the UCL200 community SharePoint.