Bank of England Museum

The Bank of England Museum occupies a unique position within the massive complex of the Bank of England, a site that has been nicknamed the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street. While the bank is a modern institution that shapes global finance, this museum acts as a vault for its long and often surprising history. The institution was founded in sixteen ninety-four not as a public service, but as a private venture specifically created to raise funds for King William the Third to finance his ongoing wars with France. Even the early shareholders included the King and Queen themselves, cementing the link between the monarchy and this powerhouse of the City of London from its very first days.