Florence Nightingale Museum

The museum is in full swing when is comes to school holidays. Every half-term the museum offers a different themed hands-on, make-and-take craft and experience.

Thoughout the year character performances by both Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole are held regularly to allow children to hear the stories like never before. This experience allows people to interact directly with these historical figures and experience history in an exciting way.

Join us and meet Florence Nightingale in person! Find out how Miss Nightingale became known as the “Lady with the Lamp”, how she became a nurse, why she went to the Crimea, and how she improved the conditions for the soldiers and nurses. Hear her story in her own words and you can even take a selfie with her!

Join us and meet Mary Seacole! Hear the story of her life and work. Seacole will tell you all about how she helped soldiers during the Crimean War and how she became known as 'Mother Seacole'. Be transported back in time with this live performance and experience her story like never before!

Performances are free with admission and last approximately 30 minutes.

For dates and times of performances please refer to the websites events page or contact the museum for more information.

Visitors are able to see her famous lamp, called a fanoose, which earned her the immortal nickname of 'Lady with the Lamp'. You are also able to meet Athena, the owl whom Nightingale rescued and carried around everywhere inside special pockets sewn into all her skirts. You will see many additional items actually owned by Florence Nightingale including her medical chest and writing desk, which she used when writing Notes on Hospitals and other works.

Childern are also able to dress up as nurses throughout history in the museums dress up station. They can become Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole, or a modern day nurse in this imagnative station.

Lastly, to bring the Victorian Era alive, the museum offers daily object handling sessions to the public as well. This give children the opportunity to directly engage with real Victorian artifacts and recieve context for the era of Florence Nightingale. Check the blackboard when entering for times of handling sessions.