Education services

Please note that the Museum is now closed for redevlopment until September 2010.

Our aim is to make the Museum a centre of active learning and fun to visit for people of all backgrounds, abilities and ages. 

Education is a key element in exhibition planning, helping to open up the history and collections to the largest number and range of people.

Anyone will be able to visit the Museum galleries or book a tour of the gate and we also plan to provide additional services for young people and lifelong learners.

Fom Summer 2010 the Museum will provide:

For St John Cadets and Badgers

  • General tours of the gate, but also short talks on different parts of the collection. A group might, for example, be interested in arms and armour and we can plan special week day sessions during half-terms and holidays - call us to arrange.
  • Free booklets full of fun, hands-on activities to keep them busy and happy finding out about St John Ambulance
  • Activity packs, books, and films to help them enjoy learning about the history of their organisation.

For schools

The St John's Gate site, and the Museum collections, offer the rare opportunity of exploring medieval, Tudor, Victorian and modern history in one location. They also offer exciting possibilities for subjects other than history. Phone us and we will discuss what you want and how we can help. Recent specially targeted tours have included:

  • Medieval medicine and warfare.
  • St John Ambulance and Victorian Clerkenwell.
  • Henry VIII and Dissolution.

We also have a range of types of evidence to help answer some of the suggested questions for Key Stages one and two history, particularly:

  • Why did Henry VIII marry six times? 
  • What was it like for children in the Second World War? 
  • What was it like for children living in Victorian Britain?
  • How did life change in our locality in Victorian times?
  • How has life changed in Britain since 1948?

For life long learners

The St John Historical Society organises regular lectures open to all with an interest in the Order of St John and other military orders and related topics

We also hold other events for adults in conjunction with special exhibitions.