Today, his incredible story can be seen through a series of collections and audio tapes on display at The Foundling Museum, showcasing what life was like for the abandoned and unwanted children who lived there. Here’s all you need to know for your visit.

7 things you didn’t know about the Foundling Museum’s history

Thomas Coram found it hard to gain backing for his idea, because at that time, people believed that helping ‘unwanted’ children would encourage promiscuity.

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Coram’s friend, the artist William Hogarth, became a founding governor and asked his contemporaries to donate their works of art to display in the Foundling Hospital gallery, turning it into a fashionable and much visited space. People would visit the art gallery and also see the children who lived there - and therefore be persuaded to donate some money.

Hogarth persuaded another pal, George Frideric Handel, to perform his latest work, Messiah, at the Hospital’s chapel, in a series of benefit concerts to raise money for the cause - Messiah went on to become one of the most popular works of its time.

These can still be seen on display today.

He spent 60 years gathering books, scores, manuscripts and more relating to Handel and his contemporaries, which is now all displayed at the Foundling Museum.

The museum is in London’s Bloomsbury, and still retains some of the original architectural features. The Foundling Hospital continues to exist as a charity now called Coram.

Built on the Foundling Hospital’s original site, its purpose today is to preserve and display the Foundling Hospital collection and also to look after the Gerald Coke Handel Collection.

“My 7 and 9 year old were fascinated by the stories of the children who lived in the Foundling Hospital.”

Sarah, mum of two from Barnet