The Fallen Woman, The Foundling Museum

The Foundling Museum, Russell Square's secret gem, is one of the best small museums in London. Dedicated to the history of the Foundling Hospital and the stories of hundreds of children raised by the charity from 1793 to 1954, the museum is also fascinatingly the first public art gallery in the city.
Founding Museum exhibition
While the house itself is filled with treasures pathing the story of the Foundling Hospital and the contemporary Coram charity next door, there is also a smashing temporary exhibition space which hosts shows and even contemporary stars like Grayson Perry and Tracey Emin.
Foundling Museum | Fallen Woman
The latest exhibition is a feast of 19th century treats, from Dante Gabriel Rossetti's fleshy women to George Frederic Watt's glowing symbolic works, which focus on the idea of perfect femininity in the tightly corseted Victorian era. This theme of sexual innocence and awakening is poignant in the surroundings of The Foundling Museum where the fates of 'fallen' young mothers were decided.
You'll also find a snapshot of the history of the Foundling Hospital with a display of petitions that argued each case's validity: namely that the mother was a virtuous woman and this was her first illegitimate child. 
It's a classically innovative exhibition from The Foundling Museum which brings the Foundling Hospital to life, and well worth a visit even just to see what all the fuss is about this hidden treasure in London.