Modern slavery collection

The International Slavery Museum is the only museum in the UK with a developing modern slavery collection.

Today, despite being outlawed across the world, slavery still exists. Although modern slavery takes many diverse and sometimes disparate forms, the exploitation, control, dehumanisation and abuse are still the same.

Our aim is to develop a collection of materials which relate to all forms of modern slavery such as bonded labour, slavery by descent, trafficking and child labour, as defined by Anti-Slavery International. The collection is used to create displays and exhibitions to help raise awareness and to develop educational programmes about modern slavery.

Since 2007 the museum has worked with a number of charities, organisations, activists and artists to help develop a small but growing collection of oral histories, objects and artistic works which highlight various forms of modern slavery. Most recently, the museum was able to expand this collection with help from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, through its Collecting Cultures programme.