British Optical Association Museum

The British Optical Association Museum was founded by John H. Sutcliffe OBE in 1901 as a collection of historic spectacles and visual aids designed to illustrate the development of corrective eyewear. It subsequently expanded its collecting activities to encompass ophthalmic instrumentation and the depiction of optometric subject matter in works of art such as paintings, prints and sculpture.

With over 16,000 catalogued objects (including archives) it may be judged one of the most comprehensive and high quality collections of its type. It is believed to be the oldest such museum to be open to the public. Many of its objects are rare survivals and several are unique. They are certainly eye-catching!

The museum is located at the College of Optometrists at the north end of Craven Street, adjacent to Charing Cross railway station. Visits to the museum gallery are free and by advance appointment only.

The BOA Museum provides a heritage service to the College, the WCSM and the wider optical professions. The public may visit the exhibition rooms (the Sutcliffe Room and Giles Room) by prior appointment or pay for a guided tour of the College meeting rooms in which various exhibits are displayed. Museum staff are available to give external lectures and objects are frequently lent to temporary exhibitions at other accredited museums in the UK and occasionally overseas.

The BOA Museum is a UK Accredited Museum and a member of the London Museums of Health & Medicine.

Schools

A wide range of specialist and non-specialist adult groups have already visited the museum for customised tours of varying length and subject. Please contact us to discuss your individual needs. 

We welcome school visits to the museum in small groups. These are primarily suitable for the 11-18 age range especially students of A/AS Level Physics. All tours are different and will be tailored to your particular needs to embrace optical science, personal eye health or an ophthalmic-centred approach to the general history of medicine. A pre-visit by teaching staff considering arranging a group visit is strongly recommended. Joint tours with the nearby Benjamin Franklin House can also be arranged. In addition the museum offers off-site talks and lectures and careers information, or we can contribute an optically-themed feature to your own heritage events. 

For an eyefull of interpretational content visit the online exhibitions of the MusEYEum.