Sign for NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Centre

Science Museum internal signage for lift A, indicating the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Centre, operating at the Science Museum between 11 March 2021 and 5 September 2021, designed by the Science Museum Design Studio and printed by Echo House

After weeks of careful planning and installation, the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Centre at the Science Museum first welcomed people to received their COVID-19 vaccine on 11 March 2021. Run by NHS staff and volunteers, the clinic delivered over 100,000 doses to people. People had to pre-book their appointments when invited by the NHS. When the clinic first opened, the museum was closed to visitors but reopened on 19 May 2021 for five days a week.

While closed due to coronavirus restrictions, many community centres, sporting grounds, leisure centres, religious venues and nightclubs became pop-up or outreach vaccination clinics. The Science Museum was the first national museum in the UK to host a vaccination centre. The Thackray Museum of Medicine became the first museum to offer vaccinations on 9 December 2020, a day after the roll out started with Matron May Parsons giving Margaret Keenan a COVID-19 vaccine.