The National Building Museum is a private museum. It is a good example of the limitations of what a private organization not backed by a large commercial sector can do versus what a publicly financed museum or one backed by commercial donors can do. The subject matter is rich and the building they are housed in is historic and spectacular, but I got the sense from the lack of overall sense of a story being told and the relatively small number of exhibits presented that these people are struggling.
The best things about this museum:
- The Building itself is spectacular
- The history and previous uses of the building are fascinating
- Museum store is an excellent place for people interested in architecture to browse, and, if you have the resources, buy interesting things.
- The exhibit "House & Home" is a history of house building and furnishing.