Museum of The Order of St John - Building

Building

The Museum is based in St. John's Gate, a 16th century gatehouse in London, England that once formed the entrance to the Priory of Clerkenwell. This dates back to the 11th century and was once the English headquarters of the Order of St. John. From here Hospitaller Knights went out to the Holy Land and later to Cyprus, Rhodes and Malta. They served in hospitals treating pilgrims, and fought to defend Christian interests in the Holy Land and the Mediterranean.

Tours take visitors to the oldest surviving part of the medieval Priory, the Norman crypt, as well as the 16th century church above.

They then return to the Gate House, which after the Dissolution of the monasteries was put to many uses, with Shakespeare, Dr Johnson, Hogarth and Dickens all taking part in its story. The Gate was eventually bought back by the Order in the late Nineteenth century, and is now beautifully decorated with heraldry, stained glass, gilding and carving to create glowing interiors, designed by John Oldrid Scott. Here visitors can see the fine furniture and painting collections.

The Museum in the Gate House tells the story of the history of the Order of St. John and St John Ambulance. The Museum completed a spectacular renovation in November 2010, supported by funders such as the Heritage Lottery Fund and created with the help of a number of consultants, including the exhibition design company Metaphor. This redevelopment has given the Order's remarkable and internationally significant collection the context it deserves, including updating interpretative techniques, bringing more of the collections out of storage, and improving conservation conditions.