10th Birthday Weekend

The Foundling Museum is 10 years old this year! Everyone is invited to our birthday party, with free entry all weekend and a range of activities and performances for visitors of all ages. Birthday treats include cake, balloons, fun family activities throughout the Museum, and a summertime street party. Come and listen to music, help decorate the Museum, and enjoy a slice of birthday cake!

Free activities for all ages

Music

In the stunning Picture Gallery all weekend:

Saturday: Foundling Classics

Hear some of the musicians who have performed at our Handel-inspired, classical concerts over the last seven years.

Sunday: Folk at the Foundling Favourites

Chill out to some choice cuts of folk music, to mark the resounding success of our first year of Folk at the Foundling

Family Activities

Collaborative birthday bunting

All Weekend, outside the Museum

Make us some birthday bunting, see it go up around the museum, and earn yourself a slice of birthday cake!

March of the Guards Grenadier Hats

All Saturday, in the Court Room

Work with artist Shelly Wain to create your own Grenadier’s hat inspired by the painting March of the Guards to Finchley by William Hogarth. Check out the painting hanging in the Museum’s Committee Room.

Secret Tokens

All Sunday, in the Creative Studio

The Foundling Hospital tokens contain thousands of secret stories from the mothers who left their children at the Hospital. Working with artist Davina Drummond families are invited to design their own token and stamp a message to put secretly inside.

Street Party

All Weekend, outside the Museum.

Festivities include:
Facepainting
Giant street games
Decorate your own gingerbread Foundling girl or boy
Dress up like Coram, Hetty Feather, a soldier or even the King!

And to top it all off:

Thomas Coram himself has travelled through time and will be with us all weekend!