Sights · Our pick in London
The Foundling Museum
The story of the Foundling Hospital
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Alan Stanton · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout The Foundling Museum
The Foundling Hospital was founded in 1739 by Thomas Coram to care for abandoned babies, and the artist William Hogarth and the composer George Frideric Handel were among its supporters. The Foundling Museum, on Brunswick Square, tells the hospital’s story through its art collection, restored interiors and the tokens left by mothers with their children. Russell Square station is a few minutes’ walk away.
Why it's on our list
- Hogarth and Handel
- Moving history
- Brunswick Square
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Foundling Museum before you go.
Hotels nearby
The closest hotels in our guide to The Foundling Museum, as the crow flies.
- Kimpton Fitzroy London0.2 mi4 min walk
- St Pancras London Hotel0.4 mi8 min walk
- Rosewood London0.5 mi10 min walk
- Covent Garden Hotel0.8 mi15 min walk
- The Zetter Clerkenwell0.8 mi16 min walk
What’s nearby
Distances from The Foundling Museum are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations
- Russell SquarePiccadilly0.2 mi3 min walk
- King's Cross St PancrasMetropolitanNorthernPiccadillyCircleVictoriaHammersmith & City0.4 mi8 min walk
- London King's CrossNational Rail0.5 mi10 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Guilford Street0.2 mi4 min walk
- Taxi rank, Tavistock Square0.3 mi6 min walk
Black cabs can also be hailed in the street: a lit yellow TAXI sign means the cab is available.
Key sights
- The British Museum0.4 miWalk 9 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Covent Garden0.9 miWalk 18 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Leicester Square1.1 miWalk 21 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 11 min
- Trafalgar Square1.2 miWalk 24 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 12 min
- London Eye1.5 miWalk 30 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 14 min
- Westminster Abbey1.8 miWalk 36 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 16 min
- Buckingham Palace1.9 miWalk 38 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 17 min
- The Shard2.1 miWalk 42 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 18 min
- Tower of London2.3 miCycle 15 minCar or taxi 20 min
- Harrods2.5 miCycle 16 minCar or taxi 22 min
Main rail terminals
- King’s Cross St Pancras0.4 miWalk 8 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)0.5 miWalk 11 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Euston0.6 miWalk 12 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Charing Cross1.2 miWalk 24 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 12 min
- Waterloo1.5 miWalk 31 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 14 min
- Liverpool Street1.8 miWalk 35 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 16 min
- London Bridge2.1 miWalk 42 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 19 min
- Victoria2.2 miWalk 44 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 19 min
- Paddington2.4 miCycle 15 minCar or taxi 21 min