The new Florence Nightingale Museum
13 May 2010
Located on London's South Bank, the Museum has been transformed to mark the centenary of Nightingale's death, telling the real story of the woman behind the legend as well as how modern nursing began.
Caroline Worthington, Director, Florence Nightingale Museum, "This is a special year for Florence and the new Museum is a very fitting tribute to someone who has contributed so much to modern day nursing."
"Florence has inspired so many men and women to join a profession which we all rely on and it is fascinating to see that the issues she tackled such as hospital hygiene, caring for soldiers and the training of nurses are still hugely relevant today. We are excited about welcoming a wide range of audiences to discover more about this iconic Briton."
The Museum is situated in the grounds of St Thomas' Hospital on the site where Nightingale established her very first Nightingale Training School for Nurses. Her story is told via three pavilions, focusing on her Victorian childhood, the Crimean War and her later years as an ardent campaigner for health reform. The Museum also celebrates the profession of nursing and explores Nightingale's legacy to today's nursing practice.
Highlights of the collection include the writing slate Nightingale used as a child, the medicine chest she took to the Crimean war, a rare register of nurses which lists the women who served under her in the military hospitals in Turkey and the Crimean and her stuffed pet owl Athena who travelled everywhere in her pocket.
As well as the unparalleled collection of Nightingalia, the Museum features interactive and touch screen exhibits, films, a creative programme of free arts activities for children, and regular contemporary art exhibitions which will see artists respond to different aspects of Nightingale's life and legacy. Visitors are invited to use a pair of stethoscopes to listen to the audio tour.
The Florence Nightingale Museum re-opened 12 May 2010 and is open daily from 10.00-17.00.
Image: Florence Nightingale and Sir Harry Verney with group of nurses at Claydon House. Credit: Wellcome Images
Museum details
Florence Nightingale Museum
2 Lambeth Palace Road
London SE1 7EW
T 020 7620 0374
E info@florence-nightingale.co.uk
Nearest transport:
Tube: Westminster, Waterloo, Lambeth North
Rail: Waterloo
Riverboat: London Eye Pier, Westminster Pier
Buses: numerous routes.
Admission prices: adult £5.80, children/concessions £4.80, family £16 (two adults and up to five children), groups of 15 or more receive a 10 per cent discount if booked in advance.
Accessibility: Fully accessible for wheelchair users, including toilet facilities. Located on the site of St Thomas' Hospital at parking level. For people who are deaf and hearing impaired there is a loop system as well as subtitles on all the films.
