1996: 30 years on - The wildest year of Britain's wildest decade

1996 wasn’t just a year — it was a cultural turning point. The height of Cool Britannia, when Britain became the global epicentre of music, fashion, club culture and attitude.

From Britpop battles and Girl Power to rave energy and iconic street style, a new exhibition at the Barbican Music Library, 1996: 30 Years On, curated by Dominic Mohan, revisits the year that changed British pop culture forever.

Featuring memorabilia from the Spice Girls, Oasis, DJs, magazines, fashion pieces and photography by Derek Ridgers, the exhibition captures the faces and energy of an unforgettable era.

Ridgers’ portraits of Keith Flint, Blur, Damon Albarn, Skin and the Spice Girls remind us that culture isn’t only made through songs — it’s made through image, identity and presence.

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Now on until Saturday 19th September 2026, free entry. For opening times and more information see Barbican