Museum of London- overall lifestyle and royal events

The Museum of London offered a great deal of information about political changes and living conditions of Londoners in the 1558-1666 section. King James I faced an attempted assassination known as the Gunpowder Plotled led by Guy Fawkes. A group of English Catholics intended to kill King James I but failed. Charles I was the next king of England who was executed when the Civil War broke out. The Museum of London displayed a depiction of his execution as well as some old coins with his image on them. After the execution of Charles I, Oliver Cromwell came to power as Lord Protector. His death mask was displayed in the museum. Once Oliver Cromwell died, his son ruled briefly and then Charles II was restored to the English throne. An account of his coronation could be seen in the museum. After the Restoration, artists could glorify the monarch in their work again. The museum displayed one such painting that cast Charles II as a triumphant hero.

In addition to these facts and artifacts describing the English royalty, the Museum of London provided information about common people as well. The written information told which type of clothing material was most fashionable at court- namely silk, satin, fine linen, and Italian lace. Some displays showed how the interior of a seventeenth century home might look. A family’s wealth could be guessed not by the size of the home, but by its furniture. Family portraits and clocks often served as decoration for a home. One room on display contained an oak table, a chair, a baby walker, and some pottery. A master’s chair from the Framework Knitters Company was also on display. Families often slept on oak tester beds while servants had to sleep on oak truckle beds. This portion of the Museum of London depicted changes in the English royalty as well as the living conditions of everyday people.