The Foundling Museum
40 Brunswick Square
London
City of London
WC1N 1AZ
England
Website
enquiries@foundlingmuseum.org.uk
Telephone
020 7841 3600
Fax
020 7841 3601
Captain Thomas Coram lived in an age that cared little for the plight of unwanted children, who were often left to die on the streets of London. When Coram retired after a life spent as a successful ship-builder and sailor, primarily based in the New World of America, he was horrified by the spectacle of poverty on London's streets. He spent the remainder of his life striving to fulfil his grand design, which was to establish a refuge for abandoned children. In this endeavour he was assisted by his friend, the artist William Hogarth, who like Coram himself was childless. Their efforts were rewarded in 1739, when George II granted a Royal Charter for the establishment of a Foundling Hospital.
Hogarth personally contributed paintings to decorate the walls of the new building. His example inspired many other contemporary British artists to donate works to this pioneering and philanthropic institution, creating the first British art gallery, The Foundling Hospital, which is now seen as the catalyst for the Royal Academy. At that time there was little exhibition space available for artists in London and the walls of the Hospital served this purpose.
The rich and powerful were encouraged to come and view the pictures as well as the children, with the hope that they might commission works from one of the exhibiting artists and contribute to the work of the Hospital.
George Frideric Handel also supported the Hospital's charitable work by giving benefit performances of his work in the Chapel.
In the 1920's the Foundling Hospital was pulled down, but the treasures were saved and moved to 40 Brunswick Square. The Foundling Museum houses the nationally important Foundling Hospital Collection. The work with very vulnerable children continued with the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children, today known as Coram Family. The Foundling Museum was established in 1998 as a separate but closely linked charity.
Venue Type:
Museum
40 Brunswick Square
London
City of London
WC1N 1AZ
England
Website
enquiries@foundlingmuseum.org.uk
Telephone
020 7841 3600
Fax
020 7841 3601
At the Museum you can see:
* Poignant social history gallery telling the story of London's first home for abandoned children, including personal histories, artefacts, photographs and recordings;
* London's first art gallery featuring works by Hogarth, Rysbrack, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Roubiliac, Hudson, Ramsay and Wilson;
* Fine eighteenth-century, Rococo and Georgian interiors; and
* Gerald Cook Handel collection of Handel memorabilia.
Collection details
Archives, Decorative and Applied Art, Fine Art, Music, Personalities, Social History
Key artists and exhibits
- London's first children's home
- Rococo interior
- Georgian interior
- Coram
- Hogarth
- Rysbrack
- Gainsborough
- Reynolds
- Roubiliac
- Hudson
- Ramsay
- Wilson
- Handel
Collections services
- General guide to collections available
- Object identification and/or written enquiry service
- Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
40 Brunswick Square
London
City of London
WC1N 1AZ
England
Website
enquiries@foundlingmuseum.org.uk
Telephone
020 7841 3600
Fax
020 7841 3601
One Voice: Deloitte Street Child World Cup at the Foundling Museum
This autumn the Foundling Museum will once again open their doors to street children - but this time to showcase their art. The Foundling Hospital was established over 250 years ago to address the rapid growth in the numbers of street children in London and in September 2010 the Museum welcomes an exhibition uniting the voices of street children from all over the world.
UK based Momentum Arts oversaw the One Voice exhibition created at the Deloitte Street Child World Cup in March 2010 in Durban, South Africa. Eight international street child teams joined together to find their voices through the global language of a game they love; football. The exhibition showcases the potential of these
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- All ages
When
12-12am
Where
The Foundling Museum
Admission
£7.50, concessions £5, children up to 16 years and Art Fund members FREE
Threads of Feeling
Fabric swatches from the 18th Century tell stories of mothers and babies parting:
The Foundling Museum, London, celebrates the opening of a new and highly emotive exhibition entitled Threads of Feeling. The exhibition will showcase fabrics never shown before to illustrate the moment of parting as mothers left their babies at the original Foundling Hospital, which continues today as the children’s charity Coram.
In the cases of more than 4,000 babies left between 1741 and 1760, a small object or token, usually a piece of fabric, was kept as an identifying record. A selection of the textiles forms the focus of the Threads of Feeling exhibition. See our website for more details.
Suitable for
- All ages
When
12-12am
Admission
£7.50, concessions £5, children and Art Fund members FREE
40 Brunswick Square
London
City of London
WC1N 1AZ
England
Website
enquiries@foundlingmuseum.org.uk
Telephone
020 7841 3600
Fax
020 7841 3601
40 Brunswick Square
London
City of London
WC1N 1AZ
England
Website
enquiries@foundlingmuseum.org.uk
Telephone
020 7841 3600
Fax
020 7841 3601
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