The Foundling Museum

Took my two (6 & 9 year old) nieces there yesterday. We all had a good time.

Visiting a museum with Children is quite different to going on your own. I would have liked more time to myself to examine the exhibitions and collections more closely. However, I still enjoyed myself, and the girls did too!

The Museum is small, so you can 'whizz' around quickly if you have Children that get bored easily. The Reception staff provided us with some treasure hunt type 'quiz' sheets for the Children. They enjoyed themselves looking around and ticking the things they found off the list as they went along. At least this gave the adults a chance to look around the museum too. They change these little 'activity packs' on a monthly basis, so if you have been before, don't panic that your kids will get bored there, doing the same things, if you want to go again.

We went to a 'Family Fun' session, which they run regularly in a large room downstairs, this time they helped the kids make postcards, but artwork evidence of past sessions were there, and some entertaining events have clearly occured before. Although the cost to enter the Museum is not great, you get in FREE if you take your Children to a 'Family Fun' event, which was a nice bonus. (Dates and details for these can be found on the Museum website).

Someone has made some fantastic 'dress-up' costumes for Children to try on, These included the clothes of Thomas Coram, the Rich children, the Poor children, and the Uniforms devised for children who stayed at the Foundling Hospital. Of course dressing up was enjoyed by both girls, and the eldest was thrilled to bits that she was allowed to play the Grand Piano as well.

The Handel exhibition upstairs was also a hit with both girls, as they enjoyed the armchairs which are 'wired for sound' and play selections of Handels pieces at the touch of a button. The Handel collection otherwise, although small, is clearly of major importance.

The Museum Cafe is light and airy, and the staff were very friendly and helpful. My nieces are somewhat fussy eaters, but this was not a problem, we were able diverge from the menu with some special requests, which were accommodated graciously. They also make a killer black coffee! The cost of food here is reasonable, but not especially cheap, it was all good and freshly prepared though, and the Cafe seems to be frequented by local 'workers' looking for a pleasant place for a quick lunch, or a coffe/tea break!

After an enjoyable afternoon at the Museum, we had the added 'extra' of being able to visit the safe play area of Coram's Field. The girls let off some steam, and the Adults examined the Colonnades which are the last remaining part of the original Foundling Hospital buildings.

I was impressed at how much effort a small but essential Museum has put into being Child Friendly.