Bank of England Museum

The Bank of England Museum sits inside the Bank of England in the City of London. It holds objects that trace the history of the Bank and the UK economy from 1694 to today. The museum grew from a small display area reached by appointment to a public space designed by Higgins Gardner & Partners. Queen Elizabeth II opened the new museum in 1988 after an 18-month build. The Rotunda shows a raised gold display guarded by twelve caryatids, while a reconstruction of Sir John Soane’s 18th-century Stock Office stands nearby. In its first year the museum won the City Heritage Award and the Stone Federation Award for craftsmanship. The museum’s permanent collection covers about 930 square metres and includes a bar of 99.79 per cent pure gold that visitors can handle. A Banknote Gallery, a history of the Bank’s architecture, and a Modern Economy display add to the exhibits. Over 40,000 items fill the collection, with around 30,000 linked to banknotes. These include every note ever made, printing plates, material samples, forgeries, and political cartoons. Oil paintings and antique furniture round out the displays. Visitors walk through rooms that show the Bank’s past and present. The Rotunda’s gold display and the caryatids create a striking centrepiece. The Stock Office reconstruction shows how business was once conducted. Handling the gold bar gives a direct sense of the Bank’s work. Changing exhibitions add fresh stories to the permanent displays. The museum offers a clear view of how money, art, and power have shaped the nation’s history.