Business Details
Discover the Foundling Museum: Art, History & Social Change
The Foundling Museum stands as the UK's sole cultural institution dedicated to celebrating individuals who have experienced care and those who support them. Our mission is to inspire transformative social change through the arts, drawing on a 300-year legacy rooted in the Foundling Hospital, the nation's first children's charity and public art gallery. We curate extensive collections spanning paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, and emotive historical objects, including works by William Hogarth and George Frideric Handel.Our contemporary exhibitions and artist collaborations ensure this heritage remains relevant, while our award-winning educational programmes empower vulnerable young people through creative expression. With eighteenth-century interiors and a vibrant events calendar, we offer a unique space for reflection, learning, and community engagement in central London.
Services
Museum Exhibitions
Educational Programmes
Venue Hire
Online Collections
Shop & Merchandise
Highlights and features
- We specialise in connecting 300 years of care history with contemporary social change initiatives
- Our award-winning educational programmes support vulnerable young people through creative expression
- We house unique collections including works by Hogarth, Handel, and contemporary artists
- Our eighteenth-century interiors provide a distinctive venue for cultural events
- We offer free lifelong museum access to all under 21s
What people say
Compelling exhibitions
Dedicated to social change
Welcoming atmosphere
Educational programmes
Historical significance
Services
Museum Exhibitions
Explore 275 years of history through our permanent collections and temporary exhibitions. View works by Hogarth, Handel, and contemporary artists alongside emotive objects from the Foundling Hospital's archives. Our galleries showcase the intersection of art and social reform across four floors of historic and modern spaces.
Educational Programmes
Engage with our award-winning arts training for care-experienced young people. Our programmes combine creative workshops, historical exploration, and wellbeing activities for diverse age groups. Designed to empower through artistic expression and intergenerational storytelling.
Venue Hire
Host events in our Grade II-listed Rococo interiors and contemporary galleries. Available for weddings, corporate functions, and private dinners with capacity for 8-150 guests. Revenue from hires directly supports our charitable mission and educational work.
Online Collections
Access curated digital exhibitions and collection highlights through our virtual platform. Explore historical documents, artworks, and personal stories from the Foundling Hospital's 300-year history. Available 24/7 for remote research and educational use.
Shop & Merchandise
Discover unique gifts inspired by our collections. Purchase books, homeware, and limited-edition prints by contemporary artists. All purchases directly support our charitable programmes and museum operations.
Questions
What are the museum's admission prices?
Adult tickets cost £14.50, concessions £13.00. Entry is free for under 21s and care-experienced individuals.
What are the museum's opening hours?
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 11am-5pm. Closed Mondays and certain holidays.
Does the museum offer educational programmes?
Yes, we run award-winning arts training for care-experienced young people and family-friendly workshops.
Can I hire the museum for events?
Yes, our eighteenth-century spaces accommodate weddings, corporate events, and private functions for 8-150 guests.
Is there a museum shop?
Yes, offering books, homeware, and artist prints inspired by our collections. All profits support our charitable work.
How can I support the museum's work?
Support through donations, membership, volunteering, or corporate partnerships directly funds our educational programmes and exhibitions.
Videos
Reviews (6)
Alan Beal
Nov 19, 2021
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A very good museum for seeing our care history. I would not recommend it for young people unless they are studying the historical periods it covers.
Sian Lewin
Oct 07, 2021
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Went for a wedding, beautiful setting! Fascinating place. Wasn't sure about the pictures in the stairs....
Helen Moffat
Sep 25, 2021
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This is a lovely compact museum with a plethora of famous names involved . It does pull at your heartstrings as you read the stories and especially reading about the tokens. Amazing piece of social history . It is a bit tucked away so can be a bit difficult to find but we'll worth it. So wonderful art work to see as you go round. And music so well worth a visit
Mike Flop
Nov 26, 2020
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Being an unwanted child in London was a tough reality. The Foundling house is a museum archiving the building. Children were dumped here, once dumped, a black or white marble was pulled and that sealed the child's fate. The foundation trained the lucky ones to be servants for the wealthy. Disturbing and insightful. I really love the little graveyard very near the building. I also believe that have a library of Handel's works, as he was one of the founder.
Erika C.
Jun 05, 2020
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I learned so much! I'd like to thank our tour guide. He knew so much and wanted to show us everything. I loved how much he loved sharing the information with us. If you could, definitely try to book a tour. It was actually kinda funny, the fire alarm rang and we were all confused / maybe a bit scared but our tour guide was extremely calm in all this. So thank you again!!!! I believe his name is Nigel .
Jasmine Belthrop
Nov 08, 2019
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A hidden gem that everyone should be going too. I feel like this museum could have been twice as large since there was so much to learn about the history of the foundation. The foundling tokens alone could be there own museum. I left feeling like there was so much more I could have learned. I regard not buying one of the book in the gift shop.
