On what would have been David Bowie’s 79th birthday, the Heritage of London Trust announced a project that’s sending ripples of excitement through fans and cultural historians alike: the restoration and public opening of Bowie’s childhood home at 4 Plaistow Grove, Bromley. This modest terraced house, where the boy David Jones grew into the man who would become David Bowie, is set to open its doors to the public in late 2027, offering an intimate glimpse into the formative environment of one of music’s most influential icons.
The announcement, made on January 8, 2026, holds special significance. It arrives just ahead of the 10th anniversary of Bowie’s death in 2016 and marks three decades since his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The restoration project aims to return the “two up, two down” railway workers’ cottage to its original early 1960s appearance, immersing visitors in the world where Bowie’s creative journey began. According to The Guardian, the house served as Bowie’s home from ages 8 to 20, a period during which he wrote formative songs—including his breakthrough hit “Space Oddity”—and developed the artistic ambitions that would propel him to stardom.
Curator Geoffrey Marsh, who co-curated the Victoria and Albert Museum’s celebrated ‘David Bowie Is’ exhibition, is overseeing the restoration. Marsh and his team will utilize a never-before-seen archive to recreate the interior layout exactly as it was when Bowie’s father commuted to work at the Dr Barnardo’s charity and his mother worked as a waitress. The centerpiece of the experience will be Bowie’s 9 ft by 10 ft bedroom, described as the crucible of his “trailblazing spirit.” Marsh reflected on the significance of this space, telling The Guardian: “It was in this small house, particularly in his tiny bedroom, that Bowie evolved from an ordinary suburban schoolboy to the beginnings of an extraordinary international stardom – as he said ‘I spent so much time in my bedroom. It really was my entire world. I had books up there, my music up there, my record player. Going from my world upstairs out onto the street, I had to pass through this no-man’s-land of the living room.’”
The immersive experience will include never-before-seen artifacts, such as Bowie’s copies of the Observer’s books on music and architecture, his exam results, and a cherished photograph of his hero Little Richard, which he had cut out and stuck on his bedroom wall as a child. Marsh noted, “He always had that on the wall in his flat, until he died. What’s remarkable is that it’s an instant connection back to the late 50s and Little Richard as this extraordinary star.” Visitors will also see Elvis Presley singles that Bowie’s father brought home, further underscoring the musical influences that shaped Bowie’s early years.
The restoration is backed by a £500,000 grant from the Jones Day Foundation, the charitable arm of the global law firm Jones Day. Chris Kelly, President of the Jones Day Foundation, expressed the organization’s enthusiasm for the project, stating: “The Bowie House project is special because it combines music and heritage in London and will help to preserve the legacy of one of the legends of rock and roll. The Foundation has also been a supporter of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for decades now. We are looking forward to exploring ways we can assist these two wonderful organisations to work in partnership together.” The public fundraising campaign for the project launches this month, inviting fans and supporters worldwide to contribute to preserving Bowie’s legacy.
The project’s ambitions extend beyond preservation. Through the Trust’s Proud Places and Proud Prospects programmes, the house will serve as a venue for creative and skills workshops aimed at young people. Dr Nicola Stacey, Director of the Heritage of London Trust, emphasized this educational mission, telling NME: “David Bowie was a proud Londoner. Even though his career took him all over the world, he always remembered where he came from and the community that supported him as he grew up. It’s wonderful to have this opportunity to tell his story and inspire a new generation of young people and it’s really important for the heritage of London to preserve this site.”
The house’s location is steeped in Bowie lore. It sits near the Edwardian ‘Bowie bandstand,’ where a young Bowie performed in 1969 and which was itself restored in 2024 by Bromley Council and the Heritage of London Trust. Also nearby was Haddon Hall, the Victorian mansion in Beckenham that Bowie rented from 1969 to 1973 and where he wrote some of his most legendary works, though it was demolished in the 1980s. The restoration of these sites forms a constellation of landmarks for Bowie enthusiasts, offering a tangible connection to the artist’s early creative environment.
The restoration will be meticulous, aiming to capture every detail of the house as it stood in the early 1960s. Marsh explained to The Guardian that the process will involve investigating layers of wallpaper and paint colors, and even undoing later modifications, such as a 1970s extension and the merging of two bedrooms. The team is also calling on the public for assistance—anyone with photographs, artifacts, or even rolls of wallpaper from the period is encouraged to come forward to help recreate the authentic look and feel of the house.
Living friends and collaborators have contributed their memories to the project. George Underwood, an artist, musician, and Bowie’s lifelong friend, recalled: “We spent so much time together, listening to and playing music. I’ve heard a lot of people say David’s music saved them or changed their life. It’s amazing that he could do that and even more amazing that it all started here, from such small beginnings, in this house. We were dreamers, and look what he became.” Dana Gillespie, another friend, remembered visiting the house and being served tuna sandwiches, a detail that adds to the portrait of Bowie’s humble beginnings.
For fans, the opportunity to visit Bowie’s teenage bedroom is nothing short of thrilling. Caitlin Moran, journalist and author, captured this sentiment: “The most exciting place for any fan to visit is their hero’s teenage bedroom – because that’s the cocoon where they built themselves. All the world-changing started there. The chance for us all to walk through a newly-opened door, and see the suburban launch-pad from which David Bowie almost literally took off into space is beyond thrilling.” Greg Harris, President of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum, added: “David Bowie is one of the most significant artists of all time and 2026 is the 30th anniversary of his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, music’s highest honor. Thank you to the Heritage of London Trust and the Jones Day Foundation for supporting the restoration of his childhood home in London – once completed it will provide context for the genesis of Bowie’s creativity and vision and inspire new generations to follow their dreams.”
In the coming years, as restoration work unfolds and the house prepares to welcome its first visitors, Bowie’s story will take on new life in the very rooms where it all began. For fans and future generations, the project offers not just a memorial to an extraordinary artist, but a living space for creativity, inspiration, and the enduring power of dreaming big from humble beginnings.
