Marx Memorial Library
Marx Memorial Library
4
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
The area
Address
Neighborhood: Clerkenwell
Owing to its proximity to Smithfield Market – the site of an ancient meat market which remains in operation today – Clerkenwell boasts a plethora of globally renowned restaurants, fabulous local eateries, and some of London's favorite pubs. This isn't merely a focal point for all things foodie though. Spend enough time wondering through the area's maze of streets and you might become accustomed to the litany of slinky models passing between Clerkenwell's handful of fashion houses. Far outnumbering the models are craftspeople and designers, many of them are more than happy to welcome visitors into their studios and showrooms.
How to get there
- Farringdon • 4 min walk
- Barbican • 8 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
10,000 within 3 miles
Attractions
2,412 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
9 reviews
Excellent
4
Very good
3
Average
0
Poor
2
Terrible
0
David
Richmond, TX8 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
My wife and I thoughly enjoyed the tour (given by Malcolm). The amazing books, newsprint pages, artifacts, paintings, photographs and murals were all so very awe-inspiring. If you are are at all interested in left-wing politics and are near London, it is very worth booking a ticket online for the tour.
Written December 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael A
Buenos Aires, Argentina1,962 contributions
Jul 2019 • Solo
The Marx Memorial Library and Workers' School is a treasure of London's rich Marxist history. However, be sure to take the tour offered at 13:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays or will will most certainly miss out. The was my second visit to the Marx Memorial Library and Workers' School. Last year I was unable to make the guided tour and thought that the library was nothing more than a collection of Marxist literature. During the tour this year, I saw the office where Comrade Lenin wrote Iskra, the spark that help ignite the glorious Bolshevik Revolution! The interesting facts that I learned about the building from the guided tour are too numerous to mention.
Written August 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sheila S
Pasadena, CA4 contributions
Sep 2015 • Couples
This library is a tribute, in Karl Marx's name, to not only his works but the works and activism of many other radical, progressive thinkers and highlights the importance of worker revolutions, muckraking journalism and political dissent against facism throughout several centuries.
Written September 7, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MrAndrewHaynes
London, UK400 contributions
Nov 2018 • Friends
Three of us recently had a day out in Clerkenwell, visiting the Museum of the Order of St John in the morning and the Marx Memorial Library in the afternoon, with lunch in between at the Crown Tavern. If you wish to follow our example, note that Tuesday is the only day of the week on which there are guided tours at both the museum and the library.
Sadly, after a delightful morning at the St John museum and a pleasant pub lunch, our afternoon visit to Marx House was disheartening. The library is open to anyone (free) between noon and 4pm from Monday to Thursday, but unless you wish to study left-wing literature, there is no point visiting without paying for the 45-minute guided tour, available only on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1pm. The tour takes you into parts of the early Georgian building that are not otherwise open to visitors. For instance, it allows you to see the small room where Lenin worked in exile in 1902–03, and which now seems to be preserved almost as a shrine to the revolutionary leader, and to visit the so-called “historic” vaults, which were only rediscovered fairly recently and are of little interest, being mainly now cluttered with archived papers. You will also see various artefacts of socialist interest such as posters, banners and mineworkers’ plates, but few of these items are on display and most are piled up in cluttered storerooms.
Overall we were disappointed by this ramshackle, disorganised place — especially as the volunteer who led our small tour group was ill-informed, rude and antisemitic.
Sadly, after a delightful morning at the St John museum and a pleasant pub lunch, our afternoon visit to Marx House was disheartening. The library is open to anyone (free) between noon and 4pm from Monday to Thursday, but unless you wish to study left-wing literature, there is no point visiting without paying for the 45-minute guided tour, available only on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1pm. The tour takes you into parts of the early Georgian building that are not otherwise open to visitors. For instance, it allows you to see the small room where Lenin worked in exile in 1902–03, and which now seems to be preserved almost as a shrine to the revolutionary leader, and to visit the so-called “historic” vaults, which were only rediscovered fairly recently and are of little interest, being mainly now cluttered with archived papers. You will also see various artefacts of socialist interest such as posters, banners and mineworkers’ plates, but few of these items are on display and most are piled up in cluttered storerooms.
Overall we were disappointed by this ramshackle, disorganised place — especially as the volunteer who led our small tour group was ill-informed, rude and antisemitic.
Written November 22, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liz D
Trefriw36 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
Another place I had always wanted to go but never did. Finally remedied that and spent a good few hours there. Learned so much! Passionate volunteers run it and it's full of info on working class rights and socialist movers and shakers. The tour is only a couple times a week so check before you go. The tour is £5 each.
Written April 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MA061250
London4 contributions
Oct 2015 • Solo
The Marx Memorial Library is located in Clerkenwell Green and houses archives from the labour and socialist movements. It provides ideal research opportunities for students from around the world of politics, history or related subjects in a very pleasant building. Tours are organised as Lenin had an office here from where he published ISKRA.It was a unique opportunity to research pamphlets on May Day which was my interest at the time, but it also has unique archive material on the Spanish Civil War for example.
Written October 7, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
leilei00009
Greece463 contributions
Mar 2023
I was not sure this was the place and I was not sure of opening hours. I would have liked some sign outside other than the book sale being advertised. Nothing to tell you about this place nor opening times. Unless of course it is only for members.
Written March 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ivor M
London, UK525 contributions
May 2018 • Friends
I visited here for the first time in about a half century. The building is historic and interesting. The building is important in the history of socialism in Britain and in the time that Lenin and others spent in London in the early years of the last century. It also now contains archive and display material of the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. The tour takes you all over the building with all the atmosphere of an archive.
Written May 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingScroll back to Marx Memorial Library information