It has been an exciting few months for the Insurance Museum. We have been researching, writing and designing our new exhibition, After the Fire: Insurance, Finance & A Rebuilt City. The designs are now with the printers, the objects are ready to be installed, and the web pages are prepared to go live.
This major new exhibition opens on Monday 5 October at the Bank of England Museum. It explores the extraordinary moment in the early 18th century when modern insurance, global trade and central banking emerged in the City of London, reshaping the world and laying the foundations of today’s financial and insurance sectors.
A Reimagined City, brought to life by mr.creative studio in collaboration with artist Alice Pattullo
The Insurance Museum is proud to be working with exhibition designers mr.creative studio and acclaimed illustrator and printmaker Alice Pattullo, whose distinctive style will create a dramatic visual world for the exhibition’s immersive environment.
The exhibition will include:
- A large-scale street scene depicting London around 1700
- A richly detailed interior reconstruction of Edward Lloyd’s Coffee House, the birthplace of the global marine insurance market
- Life-size 17th century style “dummy boards” representing people featured in the exhibition who lived and worked in the City of London at that time
- Immersive design stretching over 80 sqm
Together, these elements evoke the texture, colour and atmosphere of the early financial city, inviting visitors to step directly into the world of merchants, underwriters and investors who shaped modern commerce.
Inside the Early Financial City
The exhibition examines three interconnected innovations that transformed London in the late 17th century:
- Fire insurance, born from the devastation and rebuilding after the Great Fire of London
- Marine insurance, which enabled international trade and global exchange
- The Bank of England, founded to support maritime commerce and national stability
Set in the heart of the City, the exhibition recreates a bustling streetscape featuring the Royal Exchange, Grocers’ Hall, and Lloyd’s Coffee House, brought to life through Pattullo’s illustrations and a tactile, sustainable exhibition design.
Timed to coincide with the Lord Mayor’s Show, the exhibition is expected to attract high visitor numbers and significant media and civic attention.
Why This Matters Today
Insurance has always been a force for protection, progress and resilience. This exhibition places that story at the centre of London’s economic history, connecting early financial innovation to the challenges and responsibilities of the modern insurance profession.
For today’s sector, the exhibition offers:
- A compelling public narrative about the social value and longevity of insurance
- A platform to engage new and diverse audiences
- A credible, independent cultural setting that enhances trust and reputation
Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The City of London’s Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Fund, the project underscores its national significance, educational impact and public value.
Public Engagement & Education
A wide-ranging programme will extend the exhibition’s reach, including:
- Workshops for primary and secondary schools
- Family activities during half term and the Lord Mayor’s Show
- A young people’s programme developed with City of London libraries
- Insurance sector-focused events, including talks, tours and a private evening reception
These activities position the exhibition as both a cultural and educational asset, strengthening public understanding of risk, resilience and financial literacy.
EXHIBITION DETAILS
ADDRESS: Bank of England Museum, Bartholomew Lane, London EC2R 8AH
DATES: 5th October – 27 November 2026
OPEN: Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm (last entry 4.30pm). Open late every third Thursday of the month, until 8pm (last entry 7.30pm). Closed bank holidays and weekends.
More About the People and Partners Behind the Exhibition
Our new exhibition has been made possible through the expertise, creativity and support of exceptional partners. Here’s a closer look at the organisations helping us bring London’s early financial city to life.
mr.creative – Exhibition Designers
mr.creative studio brings deep experience from working with many of London’s most iconic heritage sites, including Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace. Their team specialises in transforming historical stories into compelling visitor experiences through exhibition design, guidebooks and visual storytelling. More at: www.mrcreativestudio.co.uk
Alice Pattullo – Exhibition Illustrator
Illustrator and printmaker Alice Pattullo lends her distinctive visual style to the exhibition’s immersive environment. Leading cultural and lifestyle organisations such as Gardens Illustrated, Kew Gardens, Crabtree & Evelyn, Design for Today, and the V&A Museum widely commission her work. Explore her artwork: www.alicepattullo.com
National Lottery Heritage Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. As the largest funder of the UK’s heritage, NLHF is dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage, as set out in its strategic plan, Heritage 2033.
Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. NLHF believes in the power of heritage to ignite imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and build pride in place and connection to the past.
Over the next 10 years, NLHF aims to invest £3.6 billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players, making a decisive difference for people, places and communities. https://www.heritagefund.org.uk
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram, and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund
City of London Corporation
The City of London’s Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Fund (CIL Neighbourhood Fund) has provided over £13 million to support communities across the Square Mile. The Fund supports the development of neighbourhoods within the City of London through:
- The provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance of infrastructure
- Any other activity that addresses the demands development places on an area
This definition is deliberately broad, enabling the City Corporation to work collaboratively with local communities to prioritise how the Fund should be used. https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-us/working-with-community/community-infrastructure-levy-neighbourhood-fund
Twitter/X: @cityoflondon LinkedIn: @city-of-london Facebook: @CityofLondonCorp Instagram: @cityoflondoncorp
