Sir John Soane's Museum, London: All year

Architect of the Bank of England Sir John Soane collected, arranged and rearranged an enormous number of objects over his life. After his appointment as Professor of Architecture at the Royal Academy in 1806, he began opening his house to students on the days before and after his lectures, so that they could benefit from his hoard of casts, models and books.

With no sense of priority, famous works of art (like Hogarth's The Rake's Progress) are mixed with architectural drawings, roman busts and the alabaster sarcophagus of Seti I. Soane's house, museum and library are preserved by an act of parliament almost exactly as he left them, to enchant visitors with the labyrinthine passages and rooms that he himself designed.

The rooms, packed from floor to ceiling, glow with Soane's talent for lighting, a talent that has influenced architects across the world. Candlelit evenings are also held here once a month, bringing crowds into the charmed atmosphere of this magnificent museum.

Sir John Soane's Museum

13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP

Opening Times

Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:30).