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Florence Nightingale Museum, London

The Florence Nightingale Museum can be found at St Thomas's Hospital in Lambeth, London. If you are interested in medical history you might want to start with a visit to the site of the original St Thomas's Hospital in Southwark, close to London Bridge. Here a nineteenth century operating theatre is preserved in the attic of what was once the chapel of old St Thomas's. Then walk west along the Thames path to Lambeth, just beyond Westminster Bridge. Here you will find the site of the new St Thomas's, and the Florence Nightingale Museum.

Florence Nightingale isn't just famous for being a nurse who looked after wounded soldiers in the Crimea. Florence Nightingale was instrumental in actually creating the career of nursing. When she became a nurse in 1845 she wasn't entering a profession as we understand it today. Nurses were usually poor women, who would often double up as cooks. Florence's decision to become a nurse infuriated her aristocratic mother, who felt such work was beneath her daughter. But Florence felt she had to respond to what she experienced as a divine calling. The early years of her work were less to do with practical nursing and more involved in pushing influential government figures to improve medical conditions. She approached George Villers, President of the Poor Law Board, and persuaded him to help improve hospital conditions, and the lot of poor people generally. It wasn't until 1851 that Florence actually started training as a nurse, at the pioneering Keiserwurth in Germany. Once again she did this in the face of family pressure. Her mother by now also had to put up with her daughter's decision to turn down a proposal of marriage from a baron, Richard Monkton Miles.

In 1853 Florence returned from Germany, and became superintendent at the Institute For The Care Of Sick Gentlewomen in Harley Street. Then in 1854, responding to reports of terrible hospital conditions for wounded soldiers in the Crimea, Florence and a team of nurses headed for Scutari in Istanbul. They did their best for patients there, cleaning the hospital, and making sure the soldiers were well cared for. Sadly Florence was not aware at that time of the vital importance of sanitation. Death rates at the hospital continued to rise, due to defective sewers. It wasn't until 1855 when the sewers were flushed out, that death rates began to fall. On returning to England Florence learnt this lesson and campaigned for sanitary living conditions. In spite of illness contracted during her time in the Crimea Florence Nightingale continued to devote her formidable energies and talents to improving hospital conditions, and to putting nursing on a professional footing.

In 1907 she became the first woman to be awarded the Order of Merit. By this time, however, Florence Nightingale was bedridden, and was probably suffering from what we now call Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She died on the 13th of August 1910 and was buried at St Margaret's Church in East Wellow, Hampshire.

The Museum at St Thomas's has a large collection of artifacts related to Florence Nightingale's life, with her nursing school, and with St Thomas's Hospital. There is a large collection of her letters and books. There are educational programmes for both primary and secondary school pupils.

Opening Times: open all year, except for 22nd of December - 2nd of January, and Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday. Opening times are 10am - 5pm Monday to Friday, 10am - 4.30pm weekends and Bank Holiday Mondays. Last admission one hour before closing.

Directions: The Museum can be found in Lambeth Palace Road at St Thomas's. Nearest Underground stations are at Westminster and Waterloo. Click here for an interactive road and satellite map centred on the Florence Nightingale Museum

Access: there is ramp access. Adapted toilet facilities are available.

Contact:

telephone: 020 7620 0374

web site: http://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/index.php

 

Whilst in London why not enjoy a visit to one of the many wonderful musical theatre shows or plays available.