A permanent museum or public exhibition that honours the victims of the Grenfell fire is being requested by their families, survivors, and residents near the tower, a new report reveals.
Proposals include a long-term museum or exhibition housed in an existing museum to make sure future generations can learn about and remember the tragedy, a report released by the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission on Tuesday said.
A private archive, to house community tributes that are becoming “vulnerable to the elements”, is also proposed.
These should be located at an alternative but easily accessible site, or sites, in London, so the memorial itself doesn’t become a tourist destination, the report said.
"Learning or education was also a commonly-mentioned use for the memorial, although some people shared their concerns that it should not become a tourist destination. With this in mind, the Commission has made recommendations for exploring the development of an archive situated apart from the memorial itself, some of which may be accessible only to bereaved families," it said. Families also request a garden and built structure be incorporated into a permanent memorial at the site of the fire in west London that killed 72 people on June 14, 2017.
The report's suggestions come after families criticised delays in building a memorial where the tower in North Kensington stood, on the sixth anniversary of the tragedy earlier this year.
Advocate for bereaved families, Kimia Zabihyan, said the delay has been "deeply traumatising" for local residents and victims’ families.
In the report on Tuesday, it said the memorial should feature art, water and display a mix of faiths and cultural backgrounds that make up the Grenfell community, adding that it should not feature tributes, documents and important objects.
"The Commission instead recommends that a permanent museum, archive or collection be created at another site in London, easily accessible to the public and created together with the Grenfell community," the report said.
"This should comprise a private archive of all items that can safely be preserved in line with the wishes of bereaved families, survivors and the Grenfell community and a public exhibition that uses physical objects which remained after the tragedy.
"This will preserve and also communicate a moment in history that must never be allowed to happen again.
"Our recommendation also involves possible collaborations with existing museum spaces, rather than necessarily suggesting that a new museum be built from scratch."
The report, the second of its kind, is a result of four years of consultation with bereaved families, survivors and residents who live close to the Grenfell tower.
The Memorial Commission’s ten community representatives said: "Today’s report sets out the hopes, aspirations, and vision of our Grenfell community for a bold, fitting, and lasting memorial.
"The memorial will be a place of safety, peacefulness, and private and communal reflection, a place where we can all draw strength.
"It will also be a visible symbol to all those in power, of the implications of neglecting a community and a reminder of the importance of ensuring that a tragedy that should never have happened, never happens again.
"We call on the Government to fulfil its moral duty, and to honour its commitments to the memorial by delivering our recommendations, so that those we have lost are never forgotten."
Among 12 recommendations for the memorial, the group requests a "peaceful sacred space" designed for remembrance and reflection.
There is also a request for a "sensitive and reflective" digital archive, to be curated with family members and survivors.
The Commission proposes that elements of the Grenfell Tower – which cannot be retained as part of the memorial and are not to be conserved – must be safely and respectfully "laid to rest" at a second site following discussion with bereaved family members and survivors, and in consultation with local faith leaders.
"There is an urgent need to create a permanent and fitting space for the Grenfell community to remember, to mourn and to reflect upon their experiences," Thelma Stober and Lord Paul Boateng, co-chairs of the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission said.
Exact timings for the development of the memorial will be dependent on the Government’s final decision on the future of Grenfell Tower.
Following the search for and appointment of a design team, beginning in the spring next year, it is hoped that construction could begin from late 2026.
The Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission was created in September 2019.
The Commission comprises ten community representatives made up of five bereaved family members, three former residents of Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk who lost their homes, and two residents from the Lancaster West Estate that surrounds the Tower.
Community representatives were selected by the bereaved families, survivors, and local residents.
In May 2022, the Commission published Remembering Grenfell: our journey so far.
Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: "I welcome the publication of this report and thank the Commission for its important work.
"I am absolutely committed to supporting the Grenfell community and making sure they are at the heart of the vision for this memorial.
"My department will continue to work with the Commission to take forward their recommendations for a lasting and fitting memorial to honour those who lost their lives in the Grenfell tragedy."
