Current Events

28th November 2019, Museum of the Order of St John, London

Public Lecture, Free

Custodians of the Sacred: Relics and Royal Authority in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem

Dr William Purkis, University of Birmingham

Join Dr William Purkis as he explores the fascinating and complex history of the Kingdom of Jerusalem through treasures from the Museum’s collection.

Book your free ticket here.

Past Events

2nd September – 22nd December 2017, Museum of the Order of St John, London

Exhibition, Free

Holy City, Holy War: Devotion to the Sacred in Crusader Jerusalem

For the past two years the Museum of the Order of St John has collaborated with the University of Birmingham on the Bearers of the Cross: Material Religion in the Crusading World, 1095–c.1300 research project, thanks to generous funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

The project has been exploring the devotional worlds of medieval crusaders through a wide-ranging examination of texts, images and objects. Researchers have been studying the ritual practices crusaders observed, the religious artefacts they treasured, and the sacred spaces they shaped and were shaped by. Central to this work has been a fresh examination of the medieval collections of the Museum of the Order of St John.

Holy City, Holy War: Devotion to the Sacred in Crusader Jerusalem will present some of the highlights from the museum’s medieval and post-medieval collections and introduce some of the themes that have been at the heart of the project’s research.

The exhibition will run from 2 September to 22 December 2017. Entrance is free.

To find out more about the exhibition, please visit http://www.bearersofthecross.org.uk/holy-city-holy-war-devotion-sacred-crusader-jerusalem/ and follow @CrusaderMatter and #HolyCity2017 on Twitter.

29th March 2017, Museum of the Order of St John, London 

Public Lecture, Free

Crusade in Europe: The ‘Home Front’ of Holy War in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries

Dr William Purkis, University of Birmingham

This is the third and final public lecture to be held at the Museum of the Order of St John as part of the Bearers of the Cross project at the University of Birmingham.

5:00–6:30pm Drop in to the Museum any time after 5:00pm for a chance to explore the galleries after hours, and to join a guided tour of the priory church and medieval crypt. Tours will leave the museum at 5.20pm, 5.40pm and 6pm.

6:30–7:30pm Dr William Purkis of the University of Birmingham will give a lecture entitled ‘Crusade in Europe: The “Home Front” of Holy War in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries’

This lecture can now be viewed here.

28th September 2016, Museum of the Order of St John, London

Public Lecture, Free

Did Crusaders get Tattoos?

Dr William Purkis, University of Birmingham

This is the second of three public lectures to be held at the Museum of the Order of St John as part of the Bearers of the Cross project at the University of Birmingham.

6:30pm

This lecture can now be viewed here.

Rosie taking apart one of the models to show visitors.

28th April 2016, Museum of the Order of St John, London

10 Minute Talk, Free

A Pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre

Rosie Weetch

12:30pm

Join Rosie as she uncovers the significance of the Holy Sepulchre to Christian pilgrims. With a chance to get up close to one of the Museum of the Order of St John’s 17th-century models as Rosie explores the Holy Sepulchre.

No need to book, just drop in.

23rd March 2016, Museum of the Order of St John, London

Public Lecture, Free

Souvenirs of the Sepulchre: Devotion to an Empty Tomb at the Time of the First Crusade

Dr William Purkis, University of Birmingham

This is the first of three public lectures to be held at the Museum of the Order of St John as part of the Bearers of the Cross project at the University of Birmingham.

5:30-7pm Drop in to the Museum galleries any time for a chance to get up close to one of the 17th-century models of the Holy Sepulchre.

7-8pm Dr William Purkis of the University of Birmingham will give a lecture entitled ‘Souvenirs of the Sepulchre: Devotion to an Empty Tomb at the Time of the First Crusade’

This lecture can now be viewed here.

31st March 2016, Museum of the Order of St John, London

10 Minute talk, Free

Arms and Armour in the Collection of the Museum of the Order of St John

Dickon Whitewood

12:30 pm

No need to book, just drop in