Sir John Soane’s Museum

The architect Sir John Soane’s house, museum and library at No. 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields has been a public museum since the early 19th century. Soane demolished and rebuilt three houses in succession on the north side of Lincoln’s Inn Fields, beginning with No. 12 then No. 13, and concluding with No. 14, 

Soane designed this house to live in, but also as a setting for his antiquities and his works of art. After the death of his wife (1815), he lived here alone, constantly adding to and rearranging his collections. Having been deeply disappointed by the conduct of his two sons, one of whom survived him, he determined to establish the house as a museum to which ‘amateurs and students’ should have access. 

part of his collection

As Soane himself had an excellent career in architecture he wanted to share his knowledge and collection, with him even opening up his house to his students after each of his lecture. 

his gallery, including some of his own works

To walk around this museum almost felt slightly surreal and you could never quite expect what you found round each corner, he was a man well traveled and clearly loved his house and all the belonging in it. This idea of collecting the orient is displayed well within this museum as if things from all different cultures and times shouldn’t sit together but they seem to compliment each other well within his collection. It is a well-deserved visit.

main reception room