The postwar generation led London's multicultural revolution, followed by the punk movement in the 1970s. By the 1980s many of London’s traditional industries had closed down, even as new technologies transformed everyday life. Now 21st century London is known for its diversity and modern industry.

The Capital Concerns Gallery is closed from 18 April 2017. The City Now City Future season will be on display in this space from May.

In 1951, London was the centre of a post-war festival to rejuvenate the country after the Second World War. The Festival of Britain celebrated British science, technology, design and the arts.

It took London's population over 70 years to recover from the Second World War. 8.6 million people lived in London in 1939, a number that would not be reached again until the 2010s.

London lost three-quarters of a million manufacturing jobs between 1961 and 1981. Londoners suffered a troubled economy as work shifted towards the financial and technology sectors.