The Foundling Museum, 40 Brunswick Square, London (2021)

10/10/2021

Next Tuesday 12 October, enjoy an online talk with Museum volunteer Thomas Aird and learn about Foundling Hospital governor Jonas Hanway and the Parish Children of the London Foundling Hospital. This talk is free, but must be pre-booked: http://ow.ly/LqrU50Gou7D

09/10/2021

Join us for an adventure on the high seas with our October half-term family workshops!

Create a ship's lantern, design your own flag, dream up your ultimate boat, or make a ship's figurehead in these creative craft workshops held in the Museum.

Places are free but must be pre-booked, and you can find out further information on the workshops here: https://foundlingmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/family/

07/10/2021

On this Portuguese five Reis copper coin, dating from the reign of John V (1706-50), the phrase 'Thomas Tupton Born October The 8 1756' has been engraved. Sadly, we don't have further information on Thomas and his journey through the Foundling Hospital. #TokenThursday

07/10/2021

What poems will you be reading on #NationalPoetryDay? Why not check out the works of Ben Westwood, Michael Rosen, Jackie Kay, Yomi Sode, and 4 Brown Girls Who Write, who all created new works for our recent exhibition #QuentinBlakeGifted.

04/10/2021

We're excited that today sees the launch of the #BeingHuman2021 programme!

You can book now for our festival event on 13 November and join Belinda Zhawi, writer, sound artist and educator, for a writing workshop based around George King and his incredible life.

Also hear more about George’s eventful life and his incredible resilience from Professor Helen Berry, curator of the Museum’s exhibition #FightingTalkGK

Book now at http://ow.ly/dlie50Gk7Wb @BeingHumanFest

01/10/2021

Today's #InternationalMusicDay and we'd like to invite you to listen to Dr Kerry Andrew’s specially commissioned song Again and again, a setting of Michael Rosen’s poem written for our exhibition #QuentinBlakeGifted. http://ow.ly/6G1g50GjxZd

30/09/2021

What do you think this padlock was used for? It's actually a token, and has been specially engraved with a tile design and concentric circles. #TokenThursday

29/09/2021

This archive photo shows children playing with a rather elegant toy car. This was taken outside the infirmary and these children are listed as wearing the infant school uniform.

27/09/2021

Learn about the touching history of Ribbons with this podcast by Histories of the Unexpected, featuring the history of the Foundling Hospital: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4wVm0gwJYAWyTlRI9MWHD1?si=XVe59AU8ShOI77VBc6Xr0A&dl_branch=1

26/09/2021

Today we bid farewell to #QuentinBlakeGifted. We'd like to thank everyone who visited and enjoyed the exhibition, and to those who made it possible - Quentin Blake & our lovely poets Poems from a runaway, Michael Rosen, Jackie Kay, Yomi Sode, 4 Brown Girls Who Write & Opefoluwa Sarah Adegbite.

Also a big thank you to our our #QuentinBlake Gifted supporters, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England and Garfield Weston Foundation for all their help in making the exhibition possible.

25/09/2021

As part of our exhibition #QuentinBlakeGifted, we asked writers to set words to his images, responding to the drawings.

In this interview, we chat with Ben Westwood Poems from a runaway about his inspirations and writings, and his involvement with our exhibition. http://ow.ly/Iv4l50GfYSw

24/09/2021

It's the final weekend of #QuentinBlakeGifted, snap up your tickets to see it for the last two days! Don't miss this beautiful exhibition of illustrations and words that will conjure up moments from childhood. http://ow.ly/OzFm50GfVP1 Quentin Blake

23/09/2021

On this Charles II four pence the intricate pattern depicts the national emblems - English rose, Scottish thistle, French fleur de lis, and Irish harp. The wording around the edge translates to 'King of Great Britain France and Ireland.' This would have been in circulation from around 1670 to 1684. #TokenThursday

22/09/2021

It's the final week of #QuentinBlakeGifted and your last chance to explore new illustrations from Quentin Blake and poems by Ben Westwood, Michael Rosen, Jackie Kay, Yomi Sode, and 4 Brown Girls Who Write.

Book your tickets now at http://ow.ly/jiBW50GdODp

“The experiences of our early years are in the bones of us. We grow with our experiences, remembered or not. We don’t be...

21/09/2021

Charlie and Lola author Lauren Child says children’s books should be taken seriously

“The experiences of our early years are in the bones of us. We grow with our experiences, remembered or not. We don’t become adult and simply shed our child-self as soon as we reach a particular age. Those childhood experiences are part of who we are and they do not have less impact because we were little when they occurred, quite the contrary.”

Alison Flood interviews Lauren Child for today's Guardian online, as Child launches her manifesto ahead of an In Conversation event at the Museum at 7pm today. #LaurenChildCurates

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/sep/21/charlie-and-lola-author-lauren-child-says-childrens-books-should-be-taken-seriously

The former children’s laureate will launch her manifesto this evening, in which she counters the assumption that work created for children is lesser

18/09/2021

As part of our exhibition #QuentinBlakeGifted, we asked writers to set words to his images, responding to the drawings.

In this interview, we chat with Sharan Hunjan of 4 Brown Girls Who Write about her inspirations and writings, and her involvement with our exhibition. http://ow.ly/MqEt50GbIIf

16/09/2021

This coin is a James II four pence, but what makes it unique are these stamps, which have been added on the reverse. There are four of them, two of the initials E.W, one possibly saying Lee, and a very sweet design of two birds. #TokenThursday

16/09/2021

#OnThisDay in 1742, after years of petitioning and planning, the foundation stone for the Foundling Hospital was laid by John Milner, a Vice President.

This view of the Foundling Hospital done in 1746, by Richard Wilson, is seen from the surrounding fields. The Hospital was still under construction at this time, although Wilson omitted any evidence of this, presumably in order to present a more idealised image of the Hospital.

15/09/2021

The weather may be dreary, but you can brighten up your day and imagination by stepping into the world of #QuentinBlakeGifted, on until 26 September. Experience new illustrations and specially written poems which capture the internal emotional landscape of childhood.

Book your tickets now at http://ow.ly/rDPN50GadVn

13/09/2021

Why not celebrate #RoaldDahlStoryDay by cracking open one of your favourite books by the iconic author, and then booking your tickets to see #QuentinBlakeGifted to view new works by the illustrator of many of Dahl's works. http://ow.ly/lq7i50G6YSC

12/09/2021

As part of our exhibition #QuentinBlakeGifted, we asked writers to set words to his images, responding to the drawings. In this interview, we chat with Sarah Adegbite about her inspirations and writings, and her involvement with our exhibition. http://ow.ly/weKz50G7221

11/09/2021

It's our last bedtime story, so enjoy Tales for the Perfect Child read by Lauren Child, written by Florence Parry Heide, illustrated by Victoria Chess, and published by Magnet.

Bedtime Stories is part of our #LaurenChildCurates series of events, all curated by children’s author and illustrator, Lauren Child CBE, which runs alongside our exhibition #QuentinBlakeGifted.

10/09/2021

Settle down for the evening with Tabitha, who reads the bedtime story Not Now Bernard, written and illustrated by David McKee, and published by Andersen Press.

Bedtime Stories is part of our #LaurenChildCurates series of events, all curated by children’s author and illustrator, Lauren Child CBE, which runs alongside our exhibition #QuentinBlakeGifted.

10/09/2021

On Wednesday 29 September please be aware that our wheelchair entrance/accessible route into the Museum will not be available for the day. We're very sorry for any inconvenience this causes those who cannot access our main doors.

09/09/2021

Buddy up with Sofia for the bedtime story and listen to her read Goodnight Moon, written by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd and published by Two Hoots Books.

Bedtime Stories is part of our #LaurenChildCurates series of events, all curated by children’s author and illustrator, Lauren Child CBE, which runs alongside our exhibition #QuentinBlakeGifted.

09/09/2021

One of our more unusual tokens is this wooden pot, complete with lid and rouge. From the eighteenth century, it measures 43 mm (diameter) x 17 mm (h). Sadly, we have no further information about which child this was connected to. #TokenThursday

08/09/2021

Gather round and hear Lemn Sissay read the bedtime story. Join him to hear Oh No George, written and illustrated by Chris Haughton and published by Walker Books.

Bedtime Stories is part of our #LaurenChildCurates series of events, all curated by children’s author and illustrator, Lauren Child CBE, which runs alongside our exhibition #QuentinBlakeGifted.

07/09/2021

Get ready for today's bedtime story with John. John reads John Patrick Norman McHennessy, the boy who was always late, illustrated and written by John Burningham, and published by Red Fox.

Bedtime Stories is part of our #LaurenChildCurates series of events, all curated by children’s author and illustrator, Lauren Child CBE, which runs alongside our exhibition #QuentinBlakeGifted.

07/09/2021

This little fellow loved yesterday's bedtime story, and will be tuning in for tonight's too at 18:30. Today you can hear Former Pupil John Caldicott read John Patrick Norman McHennessy, the boy who was always late. https://youtu.be/J9UJtZVCfPs

06/09/2021

Join us for our first bedtime story of the week with Prue Leith. Prue reads Cockatoos, illustrated and written by @QuentinBlakeHQ and published by Red Fox.

Bedtime Stories is part of our #LaurenChildCurates series of events, all curated by children’s author and illustrator, Lauren Child CBE, which runs alongside our exhibition #QuentinBlakeGifted.

06/09/2021

Today's #ReadaBookDay and throughout this week at 18:30 we're inviting you to read a book with us! Join us for adventures through words with our bedtime stories and see what new fictional friends you make along the way. #LaurenChildCurates http://ow.ly/tiOI50G3T1G

04/09/2021

Our candidate for this year's #WorldBeardDay is Robert Grey.

Robert Grey was elected a Governor of the Foundling Hospital in 1878, and served as Treasurer of the Hospital between 1892 and 1914. He was a senior partner in the firm Henry Grey Junior and a prominent London Freemason.

He instigated annual trips to the seaside for the Foundling children and provided the impetus for the building of a separate infirmary building for the Hospital. His daughter Beatrice and his son in law Patrick also became Hospital Governors.

He also knew how to grow and shape some impressive facial hair, shown in this portrait by William Carter.