The Open Gate A New Vision for the Museum of the Order of St John

The Open Gate A New Vision for the Museum of the Order of St John

A brief history The Museum The Order of St John is best known today through the work of St John Ambulance, but few people realise that its story can be traced back directly to Jerusalem over 900 years ago. The Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem cared for the sick, regardless of creed or country, at the times of the Crusades. Members of the Order, who were also known as Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta, came from all over Europe. They cared and fought for the poor and sick, first throughout the Holy Land and later in the Mediterranean. This unique story is told by the Museum at St John s Gate in Clerkenwell, London a Tudor Gatehouse built in 1504 as the entrance to the medieval Priory of the Order of St John, the English Headquarters of the Hospitallers. Across the square from the Gate, the Priory Church with its atmospheric Norman Crypt has also survived. The great Priory was dissolved in 1540 by Henry VIII, although the Order continued internationally and is now known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. There was a move to revive the English branch in the 19th century; today, as a Royal Order of Chivalry, it continues the ancient traditions of care through St John Ambulance and the Eye Hospital in Jerusalem. The Museum at St John s Gate has been welcoming visitors for over a hundred years. The extensive collections include paintings and illuminated manuscripts, rare armour, a bronze cannon given by Henry VIII, ancient coins, decorative furniture, ceramics, silverware, and textiles. These wonderful artefacts tell the story of the three distinct roles of the Order, with its unique blend of religious, military and medical history. Early ambulances and first aid equipment tell the stories of St John volunteers in times of war and peace. The present displays were laid out in the 1970s and are badly in need of renewal, in order to tell our extraordinary story to the widest possible audience, educate new generations, and make our collections accessible to everyone. The Museum is now undertaking a major redevelopment project that involves redesigning the gallery space and enhancing visitor facilities, creating a dedicated Learning Space and temporary exhibition area, and revealing the historic landscape of St John s Square through a pavement museum. This ambitious and exciting project will ensure that everyone can learn about and enjoy our heritage. We now need your help to transform one of London s hidden treasures and make its amazing story and collections accessible to all. 2 3

Galleries and facilities The Open Gate project will create space to exhibit and interpret more of the Museum s treasures, and will improve and update visitor facilities. Interactive, multi-sensory displays will ensure that everyone can learn about and enjoy our heritage. Key features of the project include: entering the Museum directly through the ancient Gate creating a new orientation area and Entry Gallery for visitors moving and updating the reception, shop and toilet areas to create a more coherent, spacious display area and improved visitor facilities renewing and redisplaying the current Order and St John Ambulance galleries, and creating a new double-height Link Gallery with an interactive timeline and key objects beautifully displayed establishing a new Collections Research Centre Throughout the Museum galleries, visitors will experience modern, accessible interpretation and innovative features such as a dedicated Children s Trail. 4 5

Clockwise from top left: 16th century effigy of a Spanish Knight, in the crypt of the Priory Church St John s Gate, built in 1504 Illustration from the St John Ambulance Home Nursing manual, 1940 Horse-drawn ambulance outside St John s Gate, c.1900 St John Ambulance Factory First Aid Outfit, c.1930 The Council Chamber at St John s Gate St John Ambulance nursing members in the crypt of the Priory Church giving alms to the poor children of Clerkenwell, c.1900 6 7

Priory Church and Pavement Museum Across St John s Square from the Gate lies the Priory Church, with its 12th-century crypt. The Church and crypt, which at present can only be visited by guided tours, will be open to all visitors. A pavement museum will use visual signposts and models to re-establish the link between the Gate and the Church and bring the fascinating and varied history of St John s Square to life for the benefit of visitors and local inhabitants. Adjacent to the Church will be an exhibition on life in the medieval Priory, a garden open to visitors, and a new Archive Centre and Learning Space. 8 9

Access and learning We need your help An extended events programme, including tours, talks and historical re-enactments, will see increased public access to the Gate s historic rooms. These include the magnificent Edwardian Gothic Chapter Hall and the panelled Council Chamber over the arch of the Gate. The Priory Church, along with the garden, will house a temporary exhibition programme focusing on the work of St John around the world. In 2012 a special exhibition will look at the role of St John in sport, complementing the work of the thousands of St John Ambulance volunteers at the London Olympics. The dedicated Learning Space next to the Priory Church will enable us to expand our educational role. The Museum is planning curriculum-based sessions for school children, drop-in activities for families, classes for adult learners, and projects with local community groups, all taking advantage of this new facility. The Open Gate will improve access to the heritage of St John for everyone, increasing visitor numbers and attracting currently under-represented audience groups. By providing multiple ways of exploring and responding to objects and history, layering and varying interpretation to suit a wide range of audiences, the Museum will ensure that learning is at the heart of everything it does. The Museum of the Order of St John is one of the great hidden treasures of London, tracing the continuous history of a charity that dates back over 900 years. Through this redevelopment, we are going to Open the Gate where all can see our amazing historical collections and follow the story of St John Ambulance up to the present day. St John Ambulance is, of course, an international charity providing humanitarian aid and medical support worldwide, so the Museum project cannot draw upon their funds. We need your help to transform one of London s hidden treasures and make its incredible story and collections accessible to all. We have already been awarded a grant of 1.6 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). However, we still need to raise in excess of 1.7 million to complement the HLF assistance and to enhance the Museum and its collections generally. Can you help in our plans to improve the Museum and its collections? There are a number of ways to give, including using Gift Aid; for more information please see the guidance enclosed with this brochure. 10 11

Museum of the Order of St John St John s Gate St John s Lane London EC1M 4DA Telephone 020 7324 4005 Email museum@nhq.sja.org.uk Web www.sja.org.uk/museum Since 1504, the Gate has welcomed visitors as diverse as Shakespeare and Hogarth, Dickens and Madonna. Why not come along and see for yourself? We are open to visitors, free of charge. Monday Friday: 10.00am 5.00pm Saturday: 10.00am 4.00pm Tours of the Gate and Church Tuesday, Friday, Saturday: 11.00am and 2.30pm Registered Charity No. 1077265 All photographs: Museum and Library of the Order of St John, St John Ambulance and English Heritage