Sir John Soane’s Museum

Sir John Soane's Museum (often abbreviated to the Soane Museum) is a museum of architecture, and was formerly the house and studio of the neo-classical architect Sir John Soane. It holds many drawings and models of his projects and the collections of paintings, drawings and antiquities that he assembled.

Sir John Soane was an English architect who specialised in the Neo-Classical style. His architectural works are distinguished by their clean lines, massing of simple form, decisive detailing, careful proportions and skilful use of light sources. The influence of his work, coming at the end of the Georgian era, was swamped by the revival styles of the 19th century. It was not until the late 19th century that the influence of Sir John's architecture was widely felt. His best-known work was the Bank of England, a building which had widespread effect on commercial architecture.

The 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 between 1792 and 1794, moving on to No. 13, re-built in two phases in 1808-9 and 1812, and concluding with No. 14, rebuilt in 1823-24.

Sir John Soane established his Museum as a bequest for the public good, ensuring its continuation through a private Act of Parliament in 1833. He also left an endowment of £30,000 in support of the Museum.

This Museum was designed by one of Britain's greatest architects. Its reception rooms, domestic in scale, are particularly suitable for small or medium sized dinners and receptions.

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Contact details for Sir John Soane’s Museum tel: + 44 (0) 20 7405 2107, fax: + 44 (0) 20 7831 3957.

Sir John Soane's Museum is open free: Tuesday to Saturday inclusive, 10-5, Last entry time is 4:30pm. Also on the first Tuesday evening of each month, 6-9 pm last entry time is 8:30pm. The museum is closed Sunday, Monday, Bank holidays and Christmas Eve.

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