Exhibitions & Art, Multimedia.
A new exhibition celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, revealing the true character, obsessions and achievements of a figure who continues to be an international household name two centuries after her birth. The exhibition takes place at the Florence Nightingale Museum on London's South Bank in the grounds of St Thomas' Hospital. The exhibition will peer far beyond the mythical 'Lady with the Lamp' tale to present a fully-rounded picture of a visionary reformer, tireless campaigner and inspirational world leader in her field. While exploring Florence's heroic role during the Crimean War, which saw her worshipped by suffering soldiers and propelled to fame, the exhibition will shine a light on the next thirty years of her life, during which she revolutionised nursing with boundless determination, all while suffering physical illness and depression. It will draw on the Museum's collections, along with loans from national and private collections to present 200 items that explore the reasons for Florence Nightingale's international fame and enduring influence. Among the key exhibits: o The 'lamp' (actually a Turkish lantern) carried by Florence Nightingale during the Crimean War o Florence Nightingale's medicine chest, containing glass jars of 'domestic' remedies. o Her highly-decorated writing case used in the writing of 14,000 letters and 200 publications o The door knocker from her Mayfair home (when she was ill, Florence requested that people visit her, often in order that she could harangue them!) o Family album belonging to Florence's cousin, Henry Nicholson, containing unseen sketches of Florence and the Nightingale family o The first nursing uniform, featuring the Scutari Sash designed by Florence o An audio recording of Florence Nightingale's voice o Florence's copy of Oliver Twist. Charles Dickens was a friend, who sent supplies to Scutari.
