Printed matter | 125 years of Museums Journal

This article was first published by the Museums Association.

The death of Queen Victoria on 22 January 1901 ended the reign of Britain’s longest-serving monarch, a period when the country had undergone massive industrial, political, scientific and social changes at home and the huge expansion of its empire overseas. 

The 20th century was to bring even more upheaval – the first world war was just 13 years away, and would be followed by the Great Depression, another global conflict and the collapse of British colonialism. 

It was into this tumultuous period that the first issue of Museums Journal was published by the Museums Association (MA) in July 1901. This year marks the magazine’s 125th anniversary. 

The first monthly journal, edited by E Howarth from the Museum & Art Gallery, Sheffield, was grandly described as “The Organ of the Museums Association”.