Foundling Museum

The Foundling Museum, opened in 2004, tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, established in 1739 by philanthropist Thomas Coram to care for abandoned babies. Influential figures like artist William Hogarth and composer George Frideric Handel transformed the hospital into the UK’s first public art gallery. The museum, situated in Bloomsbury on the old hospital grounds, preserves many architectural features from the original 18th-century building, showcasing the history and impact of the Foundling Hospital, which cared for over 25,000 children during its operation.