Sir John Soane's Museum

Sir John Soane's Museum

Sir John Soane's Museum is the smallest national museum in the UK and one of the earliest museums in the world to open to the public. In 1833, Sir John Soane (1753–1837) made a will bequeathing his home in London’s Lincoln’s Inn Fields to the nation, on the condition that nothing inside or out should be altered — so, in people’s minds, this small museum still belongs solely to Sir John Soane, a masterpiece by Britain’s greatest architect of all time. Soane was one of the foremost British architects of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, with his most famous works including the Bank of England and Dulwich Picture Gallery.

This tiny museum houses numerous astonishing treasures that rival those of the British Museum, and is often referred to as a “mini British Museum.” It includes collections gathered by the baronet during his extensive travels across Europe and Asia: paintings, books, ceramics, furniture, sculptures, architectural models, ornaments... Sir Soane owned a library of over 10,000 volumes, along with artworks that include the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Seti I, unearthed in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings in 1817, as well as masterpieces by Britain’s most renowned painters such as Hogarth and Turner... From ancient Greek architectural reliefs and sculptors' original plaster molds to paintings, the whole house is crammed with wonders — more like an artist’s studio than a residence — leaving visitors amazed that they made the trip.

Sir John Soane's Museum

Must-visit reason: The smallest national museum in the UK

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/region where the attraction is located: Britain[Britain]

Province/state where the attraction is located: Somerset County [Somerset County]

City where the attraction is located: Bath [Bath]