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The Museum of the Order of St John

The unique and fascinating story of an ancient religious military Order, from its origins caring for sick pilgrims in eleventh century Jerusalem, through to its modern-day role with St John Ambulance, the international first aid charity.

What our visitors say

  • "I absolutely loved it. Such an interesting topic and so well presented. One of my favourite museum experiences ever."
  • "What a gem of a museum! Thank you for an interesting and enlightening visit."
  • "The receptionist is one of the most cheerful and friendly people I've ever met!"

News and events

Our new podcast series 'Off the Shelves at St John's Gate'. Click to expand image Our new podcast series 'Off the Shelves at St John's Gate'.

Off the Shelves at St John's Gate: A Podcast Series

On 13th May 2024 we will be launching a new podcast series featuring new research into the history of the Order of St John in the later medieval and early modern periods – when the Order was headquartered on Rhodes and Malta, and our priory here in London was built. Each episode begins as we take an item off the shelves from our historic library collection, and explore different aspects of our history that it leads us to investigate.

To find out more and download the latest episode head to the Podcast page.

Off the Shelves at St John’s Gate: a Podcast Series – Museum of the Order of St John

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Click to expand image

New Publication: For Service in the Cause of Humanity

Marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Order of St John’s Life Saving Medal, For Service in the Cause of Humanity, edited by Roger Willoughby and John Wilson, critically documents the previously untold story of these highly prestigious but little-known awards. 

Buy yours online from the Great British Bookshop.

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  • View of the interior of the Priory Church of the Order of St John The Priory Church of the Order of St John. Photography by Shaun Le Gassick
  • View of the interior of the Crypt of the Priory Church of the Order of St John The Crypt. Photography by Shaun Le Gassick
  • View of the Link Gallery of the Museum of the Order of St John The Link Gallery. © MOSJ
  • ALT= The Cloister Garden. © MOSJ
  • ALT= The Chapter Hall. © MOSJ

Blog

A sepia photograph of a woman, showing only her head and shoulders. The woman is looking towards the viewer and smiling. She is wearing a dark hat, a dress, and she has a scarf around her neck. Lady Annie Brassey © National Portrait Gallery
St John Archive, 10 Minute Talks, St John People

Lady Annie Brassey

Posted 13 March 2025
Museum of the Order of St John Sophie Denman (Archivist)

In this blog, which accompanies our International Women’s Day 10-minute talk, Archivist Sophie Denman shines a light on one of the women of St John in honour of Women’s History Month: Annie Brassey, a writer, traveller, and supporter of the St John Ambulance Association She gained her interest in emergency and medical care after being involved in an accident as a child, and s an adult, sailed around the world in her yacht, the ‘Sunbeam’, promoting the Association, writing about her travels and capturing them on film, and collecting natural and ethnographic ‘curiosities’. Read more

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A long horizontal blueprint showing three drawings of a litter (a device for carrying injured people) made out in white lines. The left drawing shows the litter as a flat bed with two large wheels towards the top end (where a person’s head would be if they laid flat, and two vertical legs extended towards the front end (where a person’s feet would be). The second and central drawing shows the litter with the two vertical legs extended, towards where people’s feet would be if they were to lie on it. This drawing shows a litter with a protective covering for people’s heads at the top end. The litter is placed on wheels. The third drawing on the right of paper shows a man laid in the litter, which is placed on the ground on short legs. The background is not solid blue and features some lighter patches. Text in black ink added to the print at the top of the paper reads, “Surgeon Major Manley’s improved pattern”. There is German text in white at the bottom of the paper (part of the original print), reading “Activ-Gesellschaft fur Wagenbau, vonn Jos. Neuss, Berlin”. The paper features five vertical fold lines. Blueprint for Manley’s original litter design. Josef Neuss, 21 September 1878.
St John Archive, Volunteering

Archives Revealed: what we’ve been up to in February 2025

Posted 6 March 2025
Museum of the Order of St John Sophie Denman (Archivist)

In this latest blog post about our Archives Revealed project to catalogue the founding records of St John Ambulance, we hear from the Archives Revealed team about what January has had in store for them. Read more

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A white woman in glasses with dark hair wearing a dark jumper is sitting at a table covered in a green cloth, next to a window. On the table in front of her is a laptop, and piles of documents. She is leafing through the documents. Archives Revealed Project Volunteer Joyce Guillaume working on some annual returns for the St John Ambulance Brigade’s No. 78 Fairlop Nursing Division.
St John Archive, Volunteering

Archives Revealed: what we've been up to in January 2025

Posted 3 February 2025
Museum of the Order of St John Sophie Denman (Archivist)

In this latest blog post about our Archives Revealed project to catalogue the founding records of St John Ambulance, we hear from the Archives Revealed team about what January has had in store for them. Read more

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An area of the St John Archive.
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Archives Revealed: a wrap-up of the project work in 2024

Posted 18 December 2024
Museum of the Order of St John Sophie Denman (Archivist)

As we reach the end of 2024, the Museum’s Archives Revealed Project Delivery Team look back over the project so far. Read more

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An area of the St John Archive.
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Explore Your Archive 2024: Your Archive

Posted 30 November 2024
Museum of the Order of St John Sophie Denman (Archivist)

Today is the final day of Explore Your Archive, a celebration of archives of all kinds across the nation, organised by the Archives & Records Association for UK & Ireland, and for today’s theme ‘Your Archive’, Archivist Sophie Denman looks at an animal utilised by St John Ambulance. Read more

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Sponsors

The Museum of the Order of St John would like to thank all those who have supported and continue to support its work. In particular, the Museum would like to thank the following for their generosity: