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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

The Museum secures investment from Arts Council England to conserve St John’s Gate  

We are thrilled to announce that the Museum has been awarded £413,015 in capital investment from Arts Council England’s Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND).

The funding will be used to repair and renew the roofs of St John’s Gate, improve the historic building’s resilience to extreme weather, and add state-of-the-art breathable insulation to increase energy efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint.

These vital improvements will ensure that we can continue to share this remarkable architectural gem with audiences for decades to come. Work will begin later this year and we will remain open and accessible throughout.

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The Museum of the Order of St John Launches Online Collections! 

The Museum of the Order of St John is proud to announce the launch of its online collections platform, opening up centuries of medieval and modern history and heritage to a global audience for the first time. 

Visitors can now explore highlights from the Museum’s rich collections — from rare manuscripts and ceremonial objects to medical innovations and stories of humanitarian service — all from the comfort of their own homes. 

This digital launch marks a major step in making the Museum’s treasures more accessible for researchers, history enthusiasts and the general public alike. 

Explore Collections Online through this link.

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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 black and white photograph of a monoplane which is grounded on the grass. A pilot is on top of the plane, checking it, and surrounding the plan are many people who are also checking the plane pore-flight. W. L. Brock fuelling his Morane-Saulnier monoplane with Pratts Perfection Spirit before the Aerial Derby of 1913, which he went on to win, with St John Ambulance Brigade volunteers in attendance (Archive ref: PHO7794) © Royal Aero Club
Digitisation, St John Archive

Some previously unseen photographs from the St John Archive

Posted 15 July 2026
Sophie Denman Archivist

In November 2025, we announced our success in receiving an AIM Museum Fundamentals grant funded by the Pilgrim Trust and The Julia Rausing Trust to address our collection of photographic prints (more information here). In this blog post, the project... Read more

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A colour photograph of a brown soft leather-backed photograph album lying on tissue paper. On the front and centre of the album are the words 'No. 18 (Whitehall) Nursing Division' handwritten in white pen. The cover of the photograph album
St John Archive

A photograph album for the No. 18 Whitehall Nursing Division

Posted 1 June 2026
Sophie Denman Blog post by Caroline Daley (Student Placement from University College London, May 2026)

In May this year, the Museum hosted Caroline, a student on a cataloguing placement from University College London's Archives and Records Management MA course, which involved cataloguing a photograph album. Read on to hear more from Caroline about... Read more

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A black and white head-and-shoulders portrait photograph of Sir James Cantlie. n the photograph he is wearing a dark military uniform and cap. Sir James Cantlie, by Olive Edis, 1914 © National Portrait Gallery, London
St John People

James Cantlie: a key figure in the early history of St John Ambulance

Posted 28 May 2026
Sophie Denman Archivist

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Sir James Cantlie, an important figure in the history of our teaching of first aid. [caption id="attachment_23525" align="alignnone" width="280"] Sir James Cantlie, by Olive Edis, 1914 © National... Read more

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Uncategorized

Sympathy – the History of a St John Ambulance

Posted 6 May 2026
Rebecca Raven

Sympathy, a Ford Model ‘A’ Ambulance purpose-built in 1929, is one of the oldest surviving motorised ambulances in the country, and a treasured piece of history for St John Ambulance, the nation’s leading first aid charity since... Read more

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Uncategorized

Work Placement: Arts and Media School Islington

Posted 27 April 2026
Amie Hampsheir-Gill

Here at the Museum of the Order of St John, we are very fortunate to have numerous work placement students join us; gaining better insight into our historic collections and understanding the working dynamics of a small heritage site. Most... 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: