What is it?
When he wasn’t designing notable buildings (among them the original Bank of England), Sir John Soane (1753-1837) obsessively collected art, furniture and architectural ornamentation. In the nineteenth century, he turned his house into a museum to which, he said, ‘amateurs and students’ should have access. The result is this perfectly amazing place.
Much of the museum’s appeal derives from the domestic setting. The modest rooms were modified by Soane with ingenious devices to channel and direct daylight and to expand space, including walls that open out like cabinets to display some of his many paintings (Canaletto, Turner, Hogarth) and the Breakfast Room, which has a beautiful domed ceiling, inset with convex mirrors. There are also numerous examples of Soane’s eccentricity, not least the cell for his imaginary monk ‘Padre Giovanni’.
The Museum has also opened Soane's private apartment and Model Room to the public. Until 2015 the apartments had not been open to visitors for over 160 years, so guests paying a visit to the fully restored model room, bedroom, bathroom, book passage, oratory and morning room will get a true glimpse of London's past. The recently restored Drawing Office, where Soane’s draughtsmen and pupils worked on his architectural projects, has also been opened to the public for the first time in 200 years.
Why go?
One of the most bewitching and fascinating buildings in London, Sir John Soane’s House is a beautiful time capsule.
Don’t miss:
The extraordinary Monument Court which contains a sarcophagus of alabaster, so fine that it’s almost translucent, that was carved for the pharaoh Seti I (1291-78 BC) and discovered in his tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings.
When to visit:
Wed-Sun 10am-5pm
Ticketing info:
Free, some events and exhibitions may be ticketed.
Time Out tip:
I love a museum late, and the after-dark events at Sir John Soane’s Museum are some of the best in London. I find the whole place is even more atmospheric at night and expert guides give fascinating tours which bring the ornate objects to life. Drinks are also available, and walking around all the history with a mezcal cocktail in hand will never not feel a bit naughty.
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