Foundling Museum

The Foundling Museum is a museum housed in a former home for abandoned children.

Charles Dickens lived nearby and it is believed that some of the characters in his novels – particularly Tattycoram in Little Dorrit and Walter Wilding in No Thoroughfare – were inspired by the Foundling’s former residents.

The former Foundling Hospital also features in novels by other authors including Liana LeFey’s romance novel To Ruin a Rake, Hetty Feather, Sapphire Battersea and Emerald Star by Jacqueline Wilson and Jamila Gavin’s 2000 novel Coram Boy.

The museum features paintings by William Hogarth and memorabilia relating to the composer George Frideric Handel, who were both benefactors of the institution.

What to see at the Foundling Museum

The museum has three purposes. It tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, which was Britain’s first home for abandoned children and it is also home to an impressive art collection and exhibits about the composer George Frideric Handel.

Firstly, the museum has displays that illustrate its former life as the Foundling Hospital, which was home to around 27,000 abandoned children between its foundation in 1742 and 1951 when the institution was closed.

The Committee Room has been restored to how it would have looked in the 18th century when mothers would come here to leave their children in the hospital’s care. This room has several significant artworks including March of the Guards to Finchley by William Hogarth and a series of paintings by Emma King.

Most of the art in the museum is part of the Foundling Hospital Art Collection, which is noted for its collection of paintings by William Hogarth although it also has many works by other artists including paintings that depict the Foundling Hospital and the children who lived here.

The museum’s Picture Gallery has paintings of hospital officials and the Court Room, where the hospital’s Court of Governors would meet, has paintings that include Hogarth’s Moses before Pharaoh’s Daughter and a painting of London’s Charter House by Thomas Gainsborough.

The museum is also home to the Gerald Coke Handel Collection, which is the world’s largest privately-held collection of memorabilia relating to the composer George Frideric Handel. There are displays about Handel’s life and work and his connection to the Foundling Hospital of which he was a benefactor.

Temporary exhibitions at the Foundling Museum

The Foundling Museum also hosts a programme of temporary exhibitions in addition to its permanent collection. Current and planned exhibitions include:

Handel’s Will: Love & Legacy
This exhibition (until 30 June 2024) focuses on George Frideric Handel’s will, which provides a rare insight into the life and impact of this prominent figure in the 18th-century music scene. The exhibition lets you uncover insights into Handel’s social circle and charitable endeavours, shedding light on his character and connections and it also features portraits, documents and musical scores, offering a rare glimpse into Handel’s world and his enduring influence on London’s music scene.

Polly Braden: Leaving Ukraine
The Leaving Ukraine exhibition (until 1 September 2024) takes you on a journey alongside displaced women and children compelled to flee their homes following the Russian invasion. Braden documents their experiences across Europe, capturing moments of resilience and adaptation amidst uncertainty. The exhibition focuses on poignant narratives, including school friends forging new paths, a young graduate rebuilding in London, a mother navigating motherhood in a foreign land and friends seeking stability in Italy. Braden’s ongoing relationship with her subjects reflects the evolving realities amidst ongoing conflict.

Visiting the Foundling Museum

The Foundling Museum is located on Brunswick Square in Bloomsbury, only a five-minute walk from Russell Square tube station and it is less than a 15-minute walk to Euston, Kings Cross and St Pancras railway stations.

Admission is free of charge with the National Art Pass.

Although a relatively small museum, there is enough to keep you busy for between one and two hours.

If you found the displays about Handel interesting you may also want to visit Handel Hendrix House around a half-hour walk away in Mayfair.

If you have been inspired to visit the museum because of the Foundling’s connection with Charles Dickens, then you may like to visit the Charles Dickens Museum on nearby Doughty Street.