The Bank Of England Museum

The Bank Of England Museum Gold, banknotes and over 300 years of history 💷
See our current exhibition, ‘Building the Bank’ 🏛️
Check out our events programme! 🗓️
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The Bank of England is the United Kingdom’s central bank. It has a unique role in our economy, promoting the good of the people of the United Kingdom by maintaining monetary and financial stability. However our Museum is about much more than money! Discover the history of the Bank, its buildings, and the people who have shaped it over more than 300 years.

Next month - a new architecture walking tour! 🌞🏛️ Related to our upcoming display, 'Alchemy', join us for a brand new ar...
29/05/2026

Next month - a new architecture walking tour! 🌞🏛️

Related to our upcoming display, 'Alchemy', join us for a brand new architecture walking tour uncovering the city's transformative origins.

Thursday 18 June, 11.30am to 1pm | London, City of Alchemy: a walking tour 🏙️🧪

This walking tour will explore the hidden alchemical imagination of the City: the pursuit of the philosopher’s stone, the dream of turning base matter into perfection, and the early scientific and spiritual ideas that helped shape modern London. Moving through historic streets and buildings, we will uncover how architecture, commerce, belief, and experimentation intersected in a world where the boundaries between mysticism and science were far more fluid than we might expect.

At its heart, the walk also reflects on belonging: how people across time sought their place within a changing city, using transformation not only to reshape matter, but to understand identity, community, and purpose.

Expect gold, fire, faith, and a few surprises; not as legend, but as part of the lived history of the City itself. Come walk the alchemical London that still echoes beneath the surface.

Tickets for this event may sell out. To be ahead of the curve next time, consider subscribing to our newsletter. All our subscribers receive early access links to book tickets!

ℹ️ For more information, including accessibility, visit our website (link in bio).

What's the connection between the Bank of England and football? ⚽🏦 Did you know that England's football team used the ...
28/05/2026

What's the connection between the Bank of England and football? ⚽🏦

Did you know that England's football team used the Bank of England's sports ground in Roehampton to train for their winning match in 1966? For this month's we're kicking it back in time to some goal-den items from the Bank's Archive, including this snapshot from the England team at the Bank's sports ground. 🏅

The Roehampton site, originally bought back in 1908, gave staff and pensioners the opportunity to use outdoor sporting facilities. An audit from 1965 indicates there was a clubhouse, pitches for tennis, cricket, football, rugby, as well as courts for netball, squash, and Rugby fives across the 38 acre site. Swipe to see a shot of Roehampton sports ground in 1942.🏏

The Bank's football club dates back to 1907. One former player was Rupert R. Sandilands, who had numerous international caps playing for England in the 1890s. Sandilands worked at the Bank as an Assistant Clerk in the Bank Stock Office, and was employed from May 1890, retiring at age 65 in 1933.

The Bank's connection to football is still strong today! The Bank regular runs 'Economics of Football' education events in cities such as Manchester and Newcastle. These sessions use the game to help young people understand how economics shapes the world around them, from ticket prices and player wages to the wider role football plays in the UK economy. By starting with something familiar, the aim is to make economics feel accessible, relevant, and open to everyone. 🏫 💭

How do you tribute one of your most important sculptors in your building's design? 🤔Well, if you’re architect Herbert Ba...
27/05/2026

How do you tribute one of your most important sculptors in your building's design? 🤔
Well, if you’re architect Herbert Baker, you sculpt him directly into a keystone. 🏦

During his rebuilding of the Bank of England, Baker commissioned the sculpting of Joseph Armitage's face directly into a keystone which faces one of the building's interior courts. The 'keystone' refers to the central stone that holds an arch together; a quiet but powerful tribute to the man whose hands shaped so much of the building’s ornamental detail.

And Baker didn’t stop at the face. Just below it, you’ll spot a hammer and chisel - his signature move when depicting craftsmen. These tools aren’t just decorative; they’re a nod to Armitage’s artistry and the physical labour behind the elegance.

👉 Swipe through to see: 🎨 A close up of Armitage’s cameo in A.K. Lawrence’s painting The Builders, where he’s immortalised among the team that brought the Bank to life.

🗝 One of Armitage's own creations: a beautifully designed vent cover featuring a dual key motif - functional, symbolic, and full of character.
🧱 Building the Bank: 100 Years On
📍 Open now and free to visit: Bank of England Museum

Archive ref. 15A13_1_1_68_35

Next week - Building the Treasury: a lunchtime talk 🪙💰 The Bank of England Museum’s current exhibition tells the story o...
27/05/2026

Next week - Building the Treasury: a lunchtime talk 🪙💰

The Bank of England Museum’s current exhibition tells the story of the rebuilding of the Bank in 1925 – but what do we know about the history of the buildings occupied by the Treasury?

[In the event that online bookings for this event have sold out, you may still be able to attend on the day. Please note however that walk‑in slots are offered on a first‑come, first‑served basis after ticket-holders have been seated and depend on venue capacity.]

This is a history that is full of surprises. HM Treasury, despite being one of the oldest institutions of the British state, does not occupy its own purpose-built offices. Since the 17th Century, the Treasury has repeatedly moved around Whitehall, London and more recently the rest of the UK – usually in response to unexpected events like fires, wars and pandemics. Despite this, both the institution and its people – including some of its most famous former staff – have remained incredibly flexible and resilient.

In this talk Mario Pisani (Co-Chair of the Treasury History Network) explores how 350 years of Treasury buildings have contributed to the unique character of the institution.

Next month - The Suffragette Surgeon: a lunchtime talk* | Tuesday, 16 June, 1pm to 2pm 🥼💶 Discover the remarkable story ...
26/05/2026

Next month - The Suffragette Surgeon: a lunchtime talk* | Tuesday, 16 June, 1pm to 2pm 🥼💶

Discover the remarkable story behind Flora Murray, the woman on the Scottish £100 banknote, with best-selling author Wendy Moore. 🗣️🏛️

*In the event that online bookings for this event have sold out, you may still be able to attend on the day. Please note however that walk‑in slots are offered on a first‑come, first‑served basis after ticket-holders have been seated and depend on venue capacity.

When war broke out in 1914 women doctors offered their services to the British Army – but they were told to “Go home and sit still”. Flora Murray and Louisa Garrett Anderson refused to sit still. Both qualified doctors and suffragettes – and also life partners – they took a team of women doctors and nurses to Paris. Their hospital was so successful that the army asked them to run a major military hospital in the heart of London.

Essential information:
- The event is free to attend, but booking is required.
- The talk will take place in the Museum's Learning Space, which is located at the back of the Museum adjacent to the Rotunda. A staff member at the Information Desk can advise on how to get there from the entrance.
- The talk will begin at 1pm. Please ensure you arrive promptly to the Museum's Learning Space for this time. Please note, there is airport-style security at the Museum's entrance.
- We cannot guarantee admittance if you are late for the talk, even if you have booked a ticket.
- If you were unable to book a ticket, you may still be able to attend on the day. Please note however that walk‑in slots are offered on a first‑come, first‑served basis after ticket-holders have been seated and depend on venue capacity. Otherwise, consider signing up to our newsletter; all our subscribers receive early access tickets for our events.
- Seating is unallocated, unless stated otherwise. We encourage arriving to the Learning Space at 12.45pm to get a good seat.
- For access enquiries, visit our Museum's accessibility page.

Coming next month, 'Alchemy' - a new installation landing in the Stock Office 🏛️ Acclaimed designer Melek Zeynep Bulut p...
25/05/2026

Coming next month, 'Alchemy' - a new installation landing in the Stock Office 🏛️

Acclaimed designer Melek Zeynep Bulut presents her inaugural London Festival of Architecture installation at the Bank of England Museum.

The installation meditates on the theme of 'alchemy', the forerunner to modern chemistry, and the Bank of England's historic role as gold custodians. The installation will be joined by a number of related events, including a new walking tour, 'The Alchemical City', as well as lunchtime talks and a Museum late.

For more information, visit our What's On page (link in bio).

What is a Treasury note? 💸 For today's we're throwing it back to a little series banknotes which were issued jointly ...
25/05/2026

What is a Treasury note? 💸

For today's we're throwing it back to a little series banknotes which were issued jointly by the Bank of England and HM Treasury during the First World War to help stabilise the UK's wartime economy. These Emergency War Issue notes were brought into circulation as the UK came off the ‘gold standard’, an important period of change in Britain’s economic history. 🪖

The notes acted as legal tender and would replace 'sovereigns', a type of coin which had value due to the sum of its material – which was essentially how the ‘gold standard’ system worked. Each British pound was equivalent to a fixed amount of gold. When war broke out, to prevent a run on gold reserves, the Bank and Treasury worked swiftly to replace these coins with currency which feels more familiar to what we use today. ⭐

Treasury Notes were always intended as a makeshift solution. Production of these notes was rushed. Some were printed onto paper originally intended for postage stamps. Between 1914-1918, three different versions of the £1 Treasury Issues were brought into circulation. They had nowhere near as many security features as banknotes today. Their designs are basic compared to what we're used to today. This is due to innovations in banknote security, as well as the wartime context.

These notes feature symbols related to the UK's national character, including Britannia, St. George Slaying the Dragon, the Houses of Parliament – the Sovereign even made a brief cameo before becoming a permanent fixture from 1960 onwards!

🔍 To find out more about the development of Bank of England notes, you can *pay* us a visit - we even have our own Banknote Gallery!
🏦 Bank of England Museum, Bartholomew Lane, London, EC2R 8AH
Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm

Now isn’t that satisfying? 😍 That moment when you have a consecutive run of serial numbers while rehousing all these ban...
21/05/2026

Now isn’t that satisfying? 😍

That moment when you have a consecutive run of serial numbers while rehousing all these banknotes. 💷🏛️

Serial numbers are a very important feature on banknotes, making each note unique 💷🧡

They also help to identify print runs, as they give you information about the manufacture of that particular banknote.

Fan of banknote history? Why not visit our museum? We’re free to enter, open Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm.

Introducing June's late: 'Alchemy After Hours' 🌞🏦 Join us after-hours and experience our new installation by architect Z...
21/05/2026

Introducing June's late: 'Alchemy After Hours' 🌞🏦

Join us after-hours and experience our new installation by architect Zeyneb Melek meditating on 'alchemy' in a whole different light.

About the architect

Acclaimed designer Melek Zeynep Bulut presents her inaugural London Festival of Architecture installation at the Bank of England Museum.

The installation meditates on the theme of 'alchemy', the forerunner to modern chemistry, and the Bank of England's historic role as gold custodians.

The installation will be joined by a number of related events, including a new walking tour, 'The Alchemical City', and the Museum late.

Looking to fill the calendar this May half-term?Join us in the Museum this May half term for a free, drop-in family acti...
19/05/2026

Looking to fill the calendar this May half-term?

Join us in the Museum this May half term for a free, drop-in family activity inspired by our temporary exhibition The Chitra Collection: At the Tea Table.

When: Tuesday 26 May to Friday 29 May, 10am to 5pm
(Last entry is at 4.30pm. The Museum is closed on Bank holiays)

Create your own teapot design and explore how tea has been enjoyed, shared, and celebrated across cultures. Families can create their own teapot design inspired by objects in the exhibition and learn more about tea and trade.

This is a self-led activity and will take approximately 20–30 minutes to complete.

Not suitable for large groups.

The Bank of England Museum is closed on bank holidays (Monday 25 May).

Today’s is the £10 Series C, first issued on 21 February 1964 💷 This one is a proper old‑school tenner. It was designe...
18/05/2026

Today’s is the £10 Series C, first issued on 21 February 1964 💷

This one is a proper old‑school tenner. It was designed by Reynolds Stone, and it brought two important firsts to the £10. This was the first £10 note to carry a portrait of the monarch, and the first to use threaded paper as an added security feature.🔒

Across the design you'll see a prowling lion as well as spirograph motifs generated by a geometric lathe machine. Not just for looks, this complex circular patterns made banknotes much harder to replicate long before the invention of the anti-counterfeiting technology used by the Bank today. 🏦

For Series C, it was announced in July 1956 that the Queen had agreed to her portrait appearing on a new series of Bank of England notes. The £10 arrived latest, completing the set (£1, £5, £10, and ten shillings).

Around 250 million of these £10 notes were issued, so they were once a very familiar sight in wallets and tills. Our example, though, carries a small clue to its final chapter...

Stamped across the face is “Paid, 10 Jan 1980”, meaning someone brought this note back to the Bank and was paid its face value in exchange. A tenner redeemed, recorded, and taken out of circulation.

To find out more about the development of Bank of England notes, you can *pay* us a visit - we even have our own Banknote Gallery!
🏛️ Bank of England Museum, Bartholomew Lane, London, EC2R 8AH
Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm

Address

Bartholomew Lane
London
EC2R8AH

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+442034615545

Website

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