London Photo Gallery - Chelsea Pensioners Museum

Featuring history of the Royal Hospital and the Pensioners, the Chelsea Pensioners Museum is located in the Soane Stable Yard, which was built in the 1810s. The museum opened in October 2024 in the listed building as part of bid to draw visitors away from the fancy shops on King's Road. The Pensioners are veterans who have surrendered their army pension in lieu for board and lodging at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. After serving the nation, they retire in this unique community until death, their final posting. They are recognizable by their Scarlet coats, which were first issued in 1704. The Royal Hospital Chelsea was established in 1681 to care for soldiers who have been "broken by age and war". It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren on the site that was originally destined to be Chelsey College. The hospital opened in 1692 with an initial batch of 99 pensioners. The hospital suffered immense damage during both World Wars. A high-tech display on the site model outlines its history, expansions, and wartime destruction. The museum uses quite a lot of technology to visualize their exhibits and tell the Pensioners' story. This 1730 oil painting of William Hiseland is the earliest painting of a Chelsea Pensioner. The Telegraph article (Sep 25, 2024) Museum Website