This enchanting house was the home of one of Britain’s greatest architects Sir John Soane. As you wander around its many rooms you can admire Soanes’ awesome collection of marble artefacts from Rome, beautiful furnishings and celebrated works of art from the likes of artists such as Canaletto and Hogarth. Soane has created an atmosphere which shows these exhibits to their full potential by ingenious use of light and space.
One of the most fascinating additions to Soanes collection is contained in The Crypt. Here Soane created an atmosphere reminiscent of Roman burial chambers or catacombs. The crypt contains the sarcophagus (coffin) of King Seti I (1303-1290 BC) one of the most important Egyptian antiquities to be discovered.
In the First Floor Drawing Room you can view architectural drawings by George Dance as well as drawings by Soane himself. These drawings provide a unique view into the mind and imagination of these top architects of the era as you view their plans for many famous London landmarks and wonder how the city might have looked if these had come to fruition.
An Act of Parliament in 1833 established the house as a Museum open to the public and that it should be kept as much as possible in the state in which Soanes had left it on his death in 1837.
This house really is one of the unsung treasures of London. There is no admission charge but it’s worth paying £1 for the informative museum guide. The museum staff are very helpful, knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions.
Sir John Soane’s Museum
13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields
London WC2A 3BP
Tel 0207 405 2107
Fax 0207 831 3957
Email jbrock@soane.org.uk
Website www.soane.org
Admission: Free
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm
Also the first Tuesday of each month from 6-9pm
Guided tours: Saturday 11am Cost £5
Nearest tube stations are Holborn (Central Line) (5 minutes walk)