At 40 Brunswick Square in Bloomsbury, the Foundling Museum traces the history of the Foundling Hospital, founded by Thomas Coram in 1739 to care for vulnerable and abandoned children. The collection brings that story close through small belongings and tokens mothers left with their children, alongside paintings, furniture and music linked to Handel. Displays also examine poverty and child welfare in Georgian London. Allow time for the Committee Room and the works upstairs; staff and volunteers can help explain the exhibits.
The hospital Thomas Coram founded
The museum tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, established in 1739 by philanthropist Thomas Coram. It was created to care for children who had been abandoned or were at risk of abandonment. The institution also focused on education and on improving the prospects of children facing poverty.
The hospital grew into the UK’s first children’s charity and its first public art gallery. Its history connects the care of children with the people and institutions that supported the work. The original charity later became Coram, named after its founder, and continues work for children.
Tokens, belongings and the Committee Room
Small objects left by mothers are among the most affecting parts of the collection. Some were embroidered; others were everyday items. These tokens could help identify a child later and preserve a connection between mother and child. The displays place them alongside other objects associated with the hospital and the lives of the children in its care.
The Committee Room was where mothers were interviewed as part of the decision about whether their children could be left at the hospital. Paintings in the room offer a link between the institution’s history and its artistic collection. Museum guides can explain how the room was used and what the images show.
Art and Handel’s music
The hospital received support from prominent artists and musicians of the eighteenth century. William Hogarth, Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough donated works, and Handel was a major benefactor. The museum’s holdings include British paintings, sculpture and furniture as well as material from the Gerald Coke Handel Collection.
Look upstairs for Handel-related displays, including scores and librettos. The museum also presents contemporary art and changing exhibitions, so the galleries extend beyond the hospital’s original history. The building itself dates from the 1930s and incorporates architectural features associated with the earlier hospital buildings.
FAQ
Where is the Foundling Museum?
It is at 40 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AZ, in Bloomsbury.
What can you see at the Foundling Museum?
The collection includes tokens and belongings connected with children at the hospital, paintings, furniture, and material relating to Handel. The Committee Room is also part of the visit.
Is the Foundling Museum free to enter?
An excerpt in the supplied material says entry is free for visitors under 21. No other admission prices are provided here.
How long should you spend at the Foundling Museum?
The supplied material recommends allowing an afternoon to see the museum.
