Still Life

Just opened on Well Street in deepest Hackney, this private museum and curiosity shop brings the weird and wonderful of the natural world into the heart of the city. Think mammoth teeth and a full-mounted emu skeleton—oh, and the very anatomically correct back end of a zebra.

There are cool fossils, bugs, a collection of skulls, botanicals, and all sorts of oddities, most of which are available to buy as well. The contents are sustainably sourced and displayed in a pink and cream-colored, Wes Anderson-esque wonderland. 

There is a whole wall of bronze cabinets formerly from the V&A ceramics department, stuffed with everything from the spine of a sheep to a Megalodon tooth and the jawbone of a Mosasaur. Owner and obsessive Aidan is on hand with his shop mascot Rufus, a very much alive and kicking Cocker Spaniel, so be sure to ask him about the origins of his collection.

Located just a short walk from London Fields, Hackney Central, and Victoria Park, this peculiar shop is definitely something different, and worth a visit.