In many ways the Royal Hospital Chelsea itself is a living museum, but we also have a dedicated museum with some of our more unusual items on display. The entrance hall is dedicated to the Duke of Wellington and features items such as George Jones' panorama of the Battle of Waterloo (1820). It also features a contemporary painting of Queen Elizabeth II by Andrew Festing (1998). The large diorama in the centre of the entrance hall depicts the Royal Hospital as it looked in 1742. The museum itself includes a reconstruction of a typical berth, the uniform of a veteran soldier, and many other artefacts.

Museum Opening Times
The museum is open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) from 10am to 4pm.

Entry is free for groups under ten as part of the guided tour. Individual visits are not available at this time.

Christmas & New Year Opening Times
The Museum will be closed from 25th to 28th December 2023 and 1st January 2024.

Location

The closest entrance to the Museum is at the London Gate. You can locate this on our map by clicking here.

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News

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The Forgotten War

This year marks the 70th anniverasry since the fighting of the Korean War ended. Here at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, we want to remember the countless individuals that were impacted by the Korean war; and to do so, a few of our Korean Veterans shared their experiences with us.

David Richmond CBE - new CEO of Royal Hospital Chelsea
David Richmond CBE appointed as new CEO at the Royal Hospital Chelsea

We are pleased to announce the appointment of David Richmond CBE as the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s new Chief Executive Officer.