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

  • “When you feel the world is going mad, come here. You will see that for years and all over the world, some people care for others. Humanity is good. Thanks to all these people.”
  • "Lovely visit, my 5 year old son enjoyed the children's activity trail which we did together - very engaging, thank you!"
  • "Thank you to the kind man at reception who helped with Dad’s wheelchair! Great museum!"
  • "St John Ambulance saved my life on 1st March 2015 so I came here to learn more. Keep up the good work!"

News and events

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We have been shortlisted for a Family Friendly Museum Award!

We are proud to announce that we have been shortlisted for Kid’s In Museum’s Family Friendly Museum Award! Kids in Museums is a national charity dedicated to ensuring that all children, young people and families feel welcomed and involved in museums and other heritage sites. We are very proud of our free family programme and think that it’s worth celebrating! We hope to see lots of families at our events through out the summer.

READ MORE ABOUT HIRING OUR VENUES

Public Tour Cancellation

We’re sorry to announce that because of St John’s Day preparations, guided tours will be cancelled on Friday 22nd June. Tours will resume on Saturday 23rd June. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

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#Valletta2018, Guided tour

Wednesday 6th June - Tuesday 31st July

New Guided Tour: A Mini-Break to Malta From June onwards

Join us for a brand new hour-long tour of our museum galleries and historic rooms and uncover the surprising story of Malta, home to the Knights of St John for over 250 years.

Learn how a group of crusading knights first came to this tiny island and discover the dramatic role they played in the battle for control of the Mediterranean from the 16th-18th Century.

See the story brought to life through treasures from our Maltese collections, including historic silverware, fine furniture, rare coins, and maps not normally on display.

Tours take place four times a month, and tickets are priced at £4.00.

Check dates and purchase your tickets here.

READ MORE ABOUT OUR EVENTS
  • 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

Liam holding the Bonham Memorial Cup
Learning, History

The story of a trophy: work experience at the Museum

Posted 9 June 2018
Museum of the Order of St John Liam, work experience student

[caption id="attachment_15826" align="aligncenter" width="486"] Liam holding the Bonham Memorial Cup[/caption] Hi, my name is Liam and I'm a student at Hertford Regional College. I wanted to do my work experience at the Museum of the Order of St... Read more

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Techno Medioevo exhibition graphics
Exhibition

Techno Medioevo: Age of Future Reloaded

Posted 1 May 2018
Museum of the Order of St John

Scenes, Visions and Fragments from an Alternative History 1st March – 16th June 2018   What would the past have been like in the Middle Ages if the future had happened before? Inspired by this statement, TECHNO MEDIOEVO: Age... Read more

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ALT="painting by Caravaggio of three men at a table, two playing cards while the third secretly signals to his accomplice, who is hiding cards behind his back"
Art, History, Conservation

Caravaggio: Facts and Fiction

Posted 27 April 2018
Museum of the Order of St John Tom Foakes, Head of Heritage

Image courtesy of Sir Denis Mahon Charitable Trust   Both the painter, Caravaggio, and his painting of The Cardsharps, on display at the Museum of the Order of St John, are controversial. Caravaggio led a short and dramatic life that... Read more

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Engraving, 1646 by Matthaeus Merian. Credit: Wellcome Collection CC BY
Wednesday Talks

Disease and Dissection: A history of surgery in Malta

Posted 14 March 2018
Museum of the Order of St John Sharda Rozena, Museum Assistant

When the Order of St John was granted the island of Malta in 1530, surgical techniques and practices radically improved. Read more

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A photograph of Veronica Nisbet Veronica Nisbet, by kind permission of her family.
History

Veronica Nisbet: Volunteering and the Vote for Women

Posted 8 March 2018
Museum of the Order of St John Hannah Agass, Learning and Access Officer

From a middle-class household and trained for marriage and domesticity, Veronica Nisbet was never meant to go to war. 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: