Lara Maiklem will kickstart this series by giving her unique insights about mudlarking: the practice of scouring riverbeds to search for objects from the past.

Lara Maiklem was one of the first persons to share in detail on social media the art of ‘mudlarking’ through her London Mudlark accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Mudlarking involves scavenging in river mud to search for valuable objects, a common practice in the 19th century that is still done today. The River Thames in London – as other cities’ rivers – has always been one of the final places where different kinds of rubbish end up.

By looking where others do not normally look, Lara Maiklem finds thrown away objects that tell tales of the past, bring forgotten people to life and uncover hidden stories. In this online and in-person expert talk, she will share with the audience the wonders she has found on the banks of the River Thames. From historical objects, such as disposable clay pipes – the equivalent of modern cigarette butts ! – to modern waste, what does rubbish tell us about societies’ past, present and future?

The talk takes place from 19:00 - 20:00, including a Q&A session and will be be livestreamed here. Preceded by a free guided tour in the exhibition “Throwaway – The history of a modern crisis” at 18:15.

A selection of the author’s books are also available for purchase at the museum bookshop.