David Bowie's childhood home in south-east London is set to open to the public after being acquired by the Heritage of London Trust.
The house at 4 Plaistow Grove in Bromley will be restored to how it looked during Bowie’s teenage years and is expected to welcome visitors in late 2027.
The modest terraced house was home to Bowie, born David Jones, from 1955 until 1967, covering the years in which he began to shape the artistic identity that would make him one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.
Heritage of London Trust said the property will be transformed into an immersive experience centred on the future star’s early life and creative development.
Geoffrey Marsh, the Bowie expert leading the curatorial work, said the aim is to return the house to the way it would have looked when Bowie was 16 in 1963.
"It all started in this building," Marsh said. "It was here that he changed from being an ordinary schoolboy to being determined to be a superstar."
Plans include removing more recent additions to the property and recreating details from the period, including Bowie’s small back bedroom, where he wrote early songs and immersed himself in music, books and American culture.
The trust has said the restored house will also be used for creative and skills workshops for young people.
Marsh said the house offered Bowie a route out of the suburban life he found stifling, with nearby Sundridge Park station giving him easy access to central London and its music scene. He said Bowie saw music as his way forward.
"And David obviously just thought 'that’s not for me. I want to be a success’. And music was his way out," Marsh said.
Heritage of London Trust director Nicola Stacey said visitors would likely find standing in Bowie’s bedroom especially moving, describing it as the place where his creative ambitions first took shape.
Source: AFP
