David Bowie’s Childhood Home to be Opened to Public

David Bowie's childhood home in South London, where he lived as David Jones from the ages of eight through 20, is set to be restored and opened to the public as a creative space for youth, The Heritage of London Trust (HOLT) announced today, on what would have been the glam rocker's 79th birthday.

NME magazine reported, "The Heritage of London Trust, a charity organisation based in the capital, have announced that they have acquired the terraced home – 4 Plaistow Grove in Bromley – and will recreate the exact interior layout as it was when the young Bowie lived there between the ages of 8 and 20 (1955 to 1967)."

"The project is set to be completed in late 2027, and it will be used for creative and skills workshops for young people, acting as a 'solid foundation for the next generation' and teaching confidence and communication skills in the arts."

In 1990, Bowie told Interview Magazine, "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, you know, and out the front hall."

HOLT’s director Dr. Nicola Stacey said of Bowie, "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."

Today also marks the 10th anniversary of the release of Bowie's final album, Blackstar. Bowie died two days later, on October 10th, 2016, following an 18-month battle with liver cancer.

David Bowie as a child in Bromley, South London. (Photo courtesy David Bowie Estate) (Via NME)