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

Guided tours week commencing Monday 20th May

Please note that on Tuesday 21st May there will be no 2.30pm tour. Due to an event taking place in the church and crypt during the week commencing Monday 20th May, our public guided tours on Tuesday 21st, Friday 24th and Saturday 25th will be slightly shorter than usual and will only visit the rooms upstairs at St John’s Gate and not the church and crypt. Normal service for tours will resume the following week.

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Click to expand image

2019 Public Programme: Royal Connections

We are pleased to announce our 2019 public programme. Following the success of our Malta theme last year, this year’s public events will all be around the theme of Royal Connections. Have a look at the events page on our website or download a programme here. We look forward to seeing you!

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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

#RoyalConnections, Wednesday Talks

The Royal Supporters

Posted 20 May 2019
Museum of the Order of St John

Why are there Lions and Unicorns in the symbol of The Order of St John? They symbol for the order is a white, eight-pointed cross known as a ‘Maltese Cross’, whose eight points represent the eight ‘obligations’ or ‘aspirations’,... Read more

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Volunteering

Friendship and St John Ambulance

Posted 20 May 2019
Museum of the Order of St John

  St John Ambulance could not provide first aid care to the public without the hard work and dedication of thousands of volunteers who attend regular meetings and keep up-to-date with the latest practices. Through volunteering, many life... Read more

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photograph of a runner being carried by two St John men
History

The Inaugural London Marathon – 29th March 1981

Posted 17 April 2019
Museum of the Order of St John Isobel MacAuslan, Museum Assistant

Perhaps predictably, London drizzle set the scene for the inaugural London Marathon which took place on 29th March 1981. The event had been organised by the Greater London Council with sponsorship from the razor producer Gillette. Out of 20,000... Read more

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#RoyalConnections, Wednesday Talks

Order briefly restored 

Posted 1 April 2019
Museum of the Order of St John

[caption id="attachment_16508" align="aligncenter" width="712"] Letters Patent of Queen Mary Tudor and King Philip II, LDOSJ:K28/36[/caption] In 1540, after Henry VIII declared himself the head of the Church of England, the English Priory of the... Read more

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Photograph of a procession of people with banners celebrating St John. St John Mauritius, photograph taken from St John International Website
#RoyalConnections, History, Volunteering

St John and the Commonwealth

Posted 11 March 2019
Museum of the Order of St John Isobel MacAuslan, Museum Assistant

The Order of St John operates in over 40 countries worldwide. Many of these countries are part of the Commonwealth, a legacy of the charity’s foundation in 1877, a time when the British Empire was at its peak. As in the UK where its primary role... 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: