The iconic south London house where music legend David Bowie spent his formative years is set to become a permanent museum, opening its doors to the public for the very first time at the end of 2027. The announcement comes ahead of the tenth anniversary of the star's death, marking a significant new chapter in preserving his legacy for future generations.
Step Inside the Bedroom That Shaped a Starman
The Heritage of London Trust has acquired the modest two-up, two-down terraced house at 4 Plaistow Grove in Bromley, where Bowie – then known as David Jones – lived from 1955 until 1968. The centrepiece of the visitor experience will be the recreation of his tiny teenage bedroom, a space measuring roughly 9ft by 10ft that he once described as his "entire world."
Curator Geoffrey Marsh, who co-curated the V&A's landmark David Bowie Is exhibition, emphasised the room's significance. "You think, someone who didn’t have any big advantages, who came from an ordinary family, went to an ordinary school – what was it that went on there which created this driving ambition?" he said. The restoration aims to answer that question by returning the house to its precise 1963 appearance, when Bowie was 16.
Rare Artefacts and Personal History
The museum will feature a treasure trove of never-before-seen items from Bowie's youth. These include his personal copies of the Observer's books on music and architecture, in which he scribbled his exam results and, in a phase of loving Americana, wrote his name as "David Jones Jr." A defining artefact will be a photograph of his hero, Little Richard, which he cut out aged around 10 or 11 and kept on his wall throughout his entire life; it will be returned to its original spot in the bedroom.
Friends from Bowie's past have contributed memories to help shape the project. Artist George Underwood – who famously punched Bowie at school, resulting in his permanently mismatched pupils – and actor Dana Gillespie have shared recollections of visits to the house. Gillespie recalled being served tuna sandwiches, a contrast to her more "posh" upbringing.
Restoration, Funding, and a Legacy for the Future
The meticulous restoration will be handled by conservation architects Julian Harrap, known for work on Sir John Soane’s Museum. The process will involve stripping back modern layers to uncover original wallpaper and paint colours. Later alterations, such as the merging of two bedrooms after his brother Terry left and a 1970s extension, will be reversed to achieve historical accuracy.
Funding has begun with a £500,000 grant from the Jones Day Foundation, with a public fundraising campaign launching imminently. Beyond being a memorial, the house will host creative workshops for young people through the Trust's Proud Places scheme, inspired by Bowie's own Beckenham Arts Lab. "It's a platform for the future," Marsh stated, aiming to demystify the creative industries for teenagers.
The house's journey to becoming a museum also highlights London's property history. Recently sold by owners who lived there from 1970, its value has soared from an estimated £80,000 in 1997 to over half a million pounds today for neighbouring properties. The Heritage of London Trust is now appealing to the public for any original items or matching wallpaper that may help perfect the restoration, ensuring that by late 2027, fans can finally walk the floorboards where a star was born.
