Discover 150 Years of kindness: explore our museum of kindness exhibition

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.