The Bank Of England Museum

The Bank Of England Museum Gold, banknotes and over 300 years of history 💷
See our current exhibition, ‘Building the Bank’ 🏛️
Check out our events programme! 🗓️
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The Bank of England is the United Kingdom’s central bank. It has a unique role in our economy, promoting the good of the people of the United Kingdom by maintaining monetary and financial stability. However our Museum is about much more than money! Discover the history of the Bank, its buildings, and the people who have shaped it over more than 300 years.

There’s still time to vote for us in the 2026 School Travel Awards!We’re shortlisted for Best Museum Visit, and if you’v...
17/06/2026

There’s still time to vote for us in the 2026 School Travel Awards!

We’re shortlisted for Best Museum Visit, and if you’ve visited with a school group, we’d love your support.

Voting is open until 31 July — every vote makes a difference.

Would you bee-lieve us if we told you that bees have been a feature on Bank of England notes since the 1700s? 🐝 On 3 ...
15/06/2026

Would you bee-lieve us if we told you that bees have been a feature on Bank of England notes since the 1700s? 🐝

On 3 June the Bank of England launched a public consultation asking members of the public which animals they want to see on the next series of Bank of England banknotes - and the buff-tailed bumblebee is on the list! But how much do you know about the historical connection between bees and the Bank of England? 🍯

Britannia, the Roman personification of Britain, appears on every Bank of England note. She was adopted as the Bank's seal in 1694, and is depicted with certain symbols: armour, laurel wreaths, spears... and even beehives!

It's unclear where the beehive motif originated from, but it's probably connected to coins. In many representations, the Bank's Britannia is shown seated next to a large pile of coins - a stoic figure protecting an amount of wealth, like how the Bank protects the physical wealth of the nation. Over time, this pile of coins likely evolved into a beehive motif because of the visual similarities of the two, becoming increasingly overt as a symbol. Bees carry their own associations as well, symbolising productivity and corporation – two great values for a central bank.

💴 Swipe to see some bee-autiful examples of bees on banknotes, including:
1. £10 Series E, issued 1992
2. White fiver, c.1880s
3. 10 shilling Series A, issued 1928
4. £5 Series E, issued 1990
5. £20 Series E, issued 1991

Take part in the Bank’s consultation and say what animals from the shortlist you would like to see on the next series. Pick your favourites by 3 July 2026. Visit or the Bank of England website for more information. 🔍

Unlocking History with Keyrings! 🗝️For this week's step into the miniature world of commemorative currency with these ...
14/06/2026

Unlocking History with Keyrings! 🗝️

For this week's step into the miniature world of commemorative currency with these quirky keyrings:

Slides 1 to 3: A series of novelty reproductions of the £1 (Series C), £5, £10, £20, and £50 (all Series D) Bank of England banknotes. Produced sometime between 1960 and 1980, these are a nostalgic trip through time - perfect for holding a bit of history in your pocket!

Slides 4 to 5: Another series of novelty currency notes, this time of the UAE dirhams (c.1990). Travel across continents with these charming replicas of 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 dirham notes.

Slides 6 to 7: A commemorative keyring from 2019 marking the end of the Bank’s Structural Reform Programme. This keyring was given out to members of the Structural Reform Programme as new legislation went live in January 2019, which was an initiative aimed at finding ways to recover and stabalise the UK economy after the 2008 financial crisis - this keyring marks the reform which has reshaped the financial landscape!

🔍 Did You Know? The Structural Reform Programme was one of the largest overhauls in UK banking history, involving the authorization of the 3 largest new banks ever seen in the UK, safeguarding £1.2 trillion in core deposits, and the migration of roughly 1.2 million customer accounts.

Some things never change.... 🏦 Check out this painting of Ludgate Hill from our collection compared to how it looks toda...
13/06/2026

Some things never change.... 🏦

Check out this painting of Ludgate Hill from our collection compared to how it looks today - while the facades of the buildings have changed, the dome of St Paul's Cathedral and the spire of St Martin Church look just the same!

🖼️ 'View of Ludgate Street from Ludgate Hill, with the West Front of St Paul's Cathedral' by William Marlow

Final few tickets: 'Alchemy After Hours' 🌞🏦 Join us after-hours and experience our new installation by architect Zeyneb ...
11/06/2026

Final few tickets: 'Alchemy After Hours' 🌞🏦

Join us after-hours and experience our new installation by architect Zeyneb Melek meditating on 'alchemy' in a whole different light.

About the architect

Acclaimed designer Melek Zeynep Bulut presents her inaugural London Festival of Architecture installation at the Bank of England Museum.

The installation meditates on the theme of 'alchemy', the forerunner to modern chemistry, and the Bank of England's historic role as gold custodians.

The installation will be joined by a number of related events, including a new walking tour, 'The Alchemical City', and the Museum late.

Happy 250th birthday to John Constable! 🎨 Today marks the anniversary of the Romantic painter’s birth, but did you kno...
11/06/2026

Happy 250th birthday to John Constable! 🎨

Today marks the anniversary of the Romantic painter’s birth, but did you know he also had a connection to the Bank of England? 🏦

Records in our Archive show that Constable and his wife, Maria Bicknell, inherited 3% Reduced Annuity stock in 1828, shortly before her death later that year. This type of government stock provided a fixed annual return and was widely used as a relatively secure investment at a time before modern pensions or savings products.

Holding stock at the Bank of England was a common way for individuals to safeguard wealth in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Government funds like annuities were considered stable, reliable sources of income, often passed down through families or used to provide financial security in later life.

Constable appears to have held this investment only briefly, which is why just a single entry survives in the Bank’s records. But even this small trace offers a fascinating glimpse into the financial lives of individuals better known for very different achievements.

🔍 Today, the Bank of England Archive preserves over 80,000 records relating to the Bank and it's history, including those relating to historical characters whose histories are intertwined with that of the Bank.

📜 Archive references:
11A98/3 – Autographs of notable people volume - power of attorney document for reduced 3% annuity stock held by John Constable and late wife Maria, signed 27 January 1829
AC27/6956 – Stock ledger: Reduced £3% annuity - entry for stock held by John Constable and Maria Constable (deceased)
AC27/6930 – Entry in stock ledger index: Reduced £3% annuity

We'd like to let you know we'll be closed this Friday 12 June as we prepare for the installation of 'Alchemy' 🏛️ We apol...
10/06/2026

We'd like to let you know we'll be closed this Friday 12 June as we prepare for the installation of 'Alchemy' 🏛️ We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

We'll be open as usual on Monday 15 June.

To learn more about the new installation, including related events, visit our What's On page.

💷 Detail of £50 Series D, first issued 20 March 1981

July's Museum late: Designing New Delhi 🏛️✨ Tickets are now live for our July Museum late.* Connected to our current exh...
10/06/2026

July's Museum late: Designing New Delhi 🏛️✨

Tickets are now live for our July Museum late.* Connected to our current exhibition, Building the Bank, join us for a night exploring Herbert Baker's work in India. 🏗️

*In the event that online bookings for this event have sold out, you may still be able to attend by collecting a ticket at the door. Please note that walk in tickets are offered on a first come, first served basis and depend on venue capacity on the night. To guarantee your spot for next time, consider signing up to our newsletter; all our subscribers receive early access tickets for our events.

Our current exhibition, 'Building the Bank', explores architect Herbert Baker's rebuild of the Bank of England's premises between 1925-39 - but what led to Baker taking on this project to begin with?

Baker had made a career taking on projects across the British Empire by the time he rebuilt the Old Lady. In 1912, he was commissioned to design the British colonial capital at New Delhi, India, alongside then-friend and close collaborator Edward Lutyens. Together, Baker and Lutyens created a design for the Parliament buildings of the new capital which blended neoclassical tradition with indigenous architectural forms.

Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month 2026, this late event will bring Baker's architecture into a new perspective. Visitors can expect a series of interactives and activities centred on South Asian culture, as well as the opportunity to see 'Building the Bank' after-hours. 🌟

Essential information:
- The event is free to attend, but booking is required.
- In the event that online bookings for this event have sold out, you may still be able to attend by collecting a ticket at the door. Please note that walk in tickets are offered on a first come, first served basis and depend on venue capacity on the night.
- The event will begin at 5.15pm. The Museum will close temporarily at 5pm for security reasons, and reopen 15 minutes later.
- Please note there is airport-style security at the Museum's entrance.
- For access enquiries, visit our Museum's accessibility page.

Part 2... still looking for a wallpaper refresh?Screenshot your fave! 📸1. Detail of £50 Series E, issued 19942. Detail o...
09/06/2026

Part 2... still looking for a wallpaper refresh?

Screenshot your fave! 📸

1. Detail of £50 Series E, issued 1994
2. Detail of banknote design by David V. Wicks, 1954
3. Detail of St. George Slaying the Dragon Mosaic, Bank of England Threadneedle Street building
4. Detail of Arial from Bank of England's exterior
5. Detail of £20 Series E (Variant), issued 1999
6. Detail of Bank of England building exterior

Inspired by

Next week - The Suffragette Surgeon: a lunchtime talk* | Tuesday, 16 June, 1pm to 2pm 🥼💶 Discover the remarkable story b...
09/06/2026

Next week - The Suffragette Surgeon: a lunchtime talk* | Tuesday, 16 June, 1pm to 2pm 🥼💶

Discover the remarkable story behind Flora Murray, the woman on the Scottish £100 banknote, with best-selling author Wendy Moore. 🗣️🏛️

*In the event that online bookings for this event have sold out, you may still be able to attend on the day. Please note however that walk‑in slots are offered on a first‑come, first‑served basis after ticket-holders have been seated and depend on venue capacity.

When war broke out in 1914 women doctors offered their services to the British Army – but they were told to “Go home and sit still”. Flora Murray and Louisa Garrett Anderson refused to sit still. Both qualified doctors and suffragettes – and also life partners – they took a team of women doctors and nurses to Paris. Their hospital was so successful that the army asked them to run a major military hospital in the heart of London.

Essential information:
- The event is free to attend, but booking is required.
- The talk will take place in the Museum's Learning Space, which is located at the back of the Museum adjacent to the Rotunda. A staff member at the Information Desk can advise on how to get there from the entrance.
- The talk will begin at 1pm. Please ensure you arrive promptly to the Museum's Learning Space for this time. Please note, there is airport-style security at the Museum's entrance.
- We cannot guarantee admittance if you are late for the talk, even if you have booked a ticket.
- If you were unable to book a ticket, you may still be able to attend on the day. Please note however that walk‑in slots are offered on a first‑come, first‑served basis after ticket-holders have been seated and depend on venue capacity. Otherwise, consider signing up to our newsletter; all our subscribers receive early access tickets for our events.
- Seating is unallocated, unless stated otherwise. We encourage arriving to the Learning Space at 12.45pm to get a good seat.
- For access enquiries, visit our Museum's accessibility page.

Address

Bartholomew Lane
London
EC2R8AH

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+442034615545

Website

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