150 years of the British Red Cross

Museum of kindness

Showcasing stories of people who have shaped our history and those who are part of our story today.

Stories of kindness, humanity and resilience

Museum of kindness is an exhibition showcasing over 150 years of history. It follows the journey of the British Red Cross through the stories of people who have shaped our history and those who are part of our story today.

The historical and contemporary items, many on display for the first time, hold memories of humanity, kindness and resilience. 

The exhibition includes eight key themes: Origins of the Red Cross Movement, Beginnings of the British Red Cross, First World War, Second World War, Refugees and displacement, Disaster response and preparedness, First aid training, and Health and social care.

How to book

Open from 1 December 2021:

Address:

British Red Cross Museum, 44 Moorfields, London, EC2Y 9AL

No booking necessary for a visit. To book a tour with the curator, email: museum@redcross.org.uk

This exhibition is free.


Exhibition credits

Curator: Mehzebin Adam

Object photography and graphic design: Karolina Heller

All images © British Red Cross Museum and Archives unless otherwise stated.

Front cover of British Red Cross's museum of kindness books. It highlights several pieces from the collection.

Special edition book

We have produced a special edition British Red Cross book to accompany our new exhibition.

All profits will go towards helping people in crisis.

Buy the book

Exhibition highlights

If you'd like a taster of the British Red Cross' Museum of kindness exhibition, you can find some exhibition highlights below.

Origins of the Red Cross Movement

Dunant piece from the museum of kindness

Bust of Henry Dunant, (1828 - 1910)

Red Cross founder. Dunant's book, 'A Memory of Solferino' led to the foundation of the Red Cross in 1863 and the Geneva Convention in 1864.

Stained bedpan with the text 'Princess Christians hospital train, 1899' written on it.

Princess Christian's hospital train feeding cup, 1899

Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Christian, funded the first ever hospital train. This cup was used to feed wounded soldiers aboard the train.

First World War 1914 - 1918

Sketch of a female ambulance driver was drawn by Olive Mudie-Cooke, who worked as an ambulance driver and interpreter for the Red Cross.

Sketch of an ambulance driver by Olivie Mudie Cook, c.1920-21

Mudie-Cooke worked as a Red Cross ambulance driver and interpreter. Women artists helped capture experiences of women carrying out humanitarian work at home and abroad.

Hanging barber toolbar containing scissors. The British Red Cross emblem hangs of the bag.

VAD chatelaine with medical instruments c.1914-18

These instruments belonged to Dorothy Frances Lewis, a VAD nurse in Newport, Malta and France. With men on the front lines, women led vital aid efforts at home and abroad.

Second World War 1939 - 1945

The Changi quilt, created by women internees in Changi Jail in 1942

Changi quilt, 1942

Women internees in Changi Jail created patchwork quilts for the wounded in hospitals. The quilts often carried secret woven messages, letting the men know that their loved ones had survived.

Black British Red Cross helmet

Tin helmet, 1939-1945

These tin helmets helped protect volunteers from shrapnel and debris. Volunteers served on the home front as air raid wardens and ambulance drivers, as well as in air raid shelters and sick bays.

Refugees and displacement

Miniature car piece from the museum of kindness

Vehicle model made out of Red Cross food tins, Angola 1995

Made by children, the little model was given to a British Red Cross field nurse. Years of civil war had a devastating effect on children in Angola. The Red Cross reunited many families.

Life vest, part of the museum of kindness collection

Life jacket, UK, 2016

Designed by young refugees in the UK to represent their voices. Some of the sewn-on patches represent our Fundamental Principles, others represent themes like dignity, future, safety and coexisting.

Disaster response and preparedness

Red Cross bag, part of the museum of kindness collection

First aid kit used during the Aberfan disaster, 1960s

This was used by volunteer, John Cole. At 21, he was one of the youngest volunteers to treat casualties of the Aberfan disaster. Many other Red Cross volunteers treated casualties and supported families.

A boat piece from the museum of kindness collection.

Dhoni boat model, 2008

This model of a traditional Maldivian boat was made by the people of Vilufushi Island after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. It was presented to the British Red Cross for supporting the recovery programme.

First aid

First aid instructions printed on a triangular fabric

Illustrated triangular bandage, 1940s

This was used to treat the injured during WWII.  The images show the different ways you could apply it, without needing text. The Red Cross has produced a range of first aid resources.

Ear collection piece from the museum of kindess

Anatomical model of a human ear, 1960s

This was used as a British Red Cross first aid teaching aid. First aid has been a vital part of our work since 1909. Today, we offer training courses so that everyone has the skills to save a life.

Health and social care

Fresh air poster, part of the museum of kindness collection

Open windows poster by BO Hanson, 1950s

We began our peacetime work in 1919. Posters were widely used to educate people on healthy living and disease prevention. This was produced by an overseas branch in the 1950s.

Pfizer vaccine vial, as shown at the museum of kindness

Vial of the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, 2020

During the coronavirus pandemic, we helped some of the most vulnerable people at home and overseas. This is from one of our vaccination centres where volunteers supported the NHS.

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