London Sewing Machine Museum - Monthly Open Day

The London Sewing Machine Museum is open for its monthly afternoon on Saturday 7 November, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. It's one of the city's more eccentric spots, devoted entirely to the history of the sewing machine, and it only opens its doors for a few hours on the first Saturday of every month.

Inside you'll find more than 600 machines on display, a collection built up over 50 years by Ray Rushton, Managing Director of the Wimbledon Sewing Machine Co Ltd. That company is an offshoot of a business that still sells and maintains sewing machines today, mostly large industrial models. Rushton first opened the collection to the public in the Millennium year, and it's stayed open for just those few hours on the first Saturday of every month ever since.

When you arrive, you're handed a voluminous free booklet about the museum's history to carry you through the collection. It's worth keeping in mind that the museum is on the first floor, up about 40 steps with no lift, so access for disabled and some elderly visitors is restricted.

Entry is free, though a donation is appreciated. You'll find it at 308 Balham High Road, London, SW17 7AA, right next to Tooting Bec tube station, open from 2:00pm to 5:00pm on Saturday 7 November.