Demise of Museum of National Manufactures

Extract from "The Shows of London", by Richard D Altick, 1978

The National Repository was, however, an almost instant failure. When the brief initial expression of public curiosity subsided, the indifference or outright opposition of many influential manufacturers, who were reluctant to expose their newest machinery or products to competitive eyes, made itself felt, and each of the few succeeding shows was more meager than its predecessor. In 1831 the demolition of the King's Mews to make way for the National Gallery provided an excuse, if any were needed, to move the National Repository to a small room at the familiar address of 28 Leicester Square, formerly John Hunter's museum, where it was known as the Museum of National Manufactures and of the Mechanical Arts and derided as a mere "toy shop." Among its sponsors was Charles Wheatstone, then still identified as a "Musical Instrument Maker." But success continued to elude it.