My answer after my first visit 12 months ago would have been: there can't and there isn't, there's just a bleeding-edge hotchpotch of aggregated detritus that no-one has bothered to curate into a coherent whole. I went back this weekend, and it's improved out of sight.
On hearing about the Museum of Everything, my first impression was: "aha! At last. The perfect storm of hipster bullshit". Its opening hours and days seemed to have been chosen by throwing blindfolded at calendars and clocks, it's situated in yummy Primrose Hill, and its name is patently absurd. I went to see their second exhibition and wasn't given a reason to change my mind. The exhibits had very little in common and the rickety space was poorly used. As names go, 'Museum of Anything' would have better described their selection policy. A few of the items on show were fascinating, but seeing each felt like finding a hidden gem at an overcrowded garage sale, without even the satisfaction of being able to take it home with you. There was no context, no narrative, no thread to follow: just clutter. As themes go, 'Museum of Nothing' would have… well, you get the idea.
My return was only motivated by convenience and coincidence: my girlfriend had something else to do in Camden and we needed to kill an hour. I had no idea that Peter Blake had played a role in compiling their new show, but his name at the front door provided a much-needed counterpoint to my overwhelming pessimism.
Exhibition #3 is filled with taxidermy dioramas and circus paraphernalia. Fairground attractions and their flyers line many of the walls: big and small, human and mechanical. There's a lot to take in, but just enough space to let you achieve that. Posed squirrels, performing midgets, ghoulish marionettes, shell grottos, miniature ferris wheels: all competing for your attention, but neatly separated so as not to overwhelm. This time, the care and energy that's been applied to choosing items and placing them translates into a much more enjoyable experience. The promotional floor-to-ceiling circus canvasses (presenting each showcased freak with a starburst footnote proclaiming them 'ALIVE!') and traditional American fairground attractions are stunning, and anyone who's ever peeked through the bars at Essex Road's legendary Get Stuffed will enjoy the bloodied boxing rodents and presentation of Who Killed Cock Robin? Turning to the most important feature of any gallery, they've even done a half-decent job of setting up a functional gift shop.
All in all, free entry seemed a lot less expensive second time around. Exhibition #3 has been extended to finish on Friday 11 February: even stuffed squirrels need a holiday. Catch them while you can. It's pretty easy; they can't run away.
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