Image by Sir John Soan’s Museum

One of the things I love about London and the English is their embracing of eccentricity. Looking at past and present, a certain quirkiness almost seems to be a requirement for securing a place in the history books 🙂

Sir John Soane, a neoclassical architect (e.g. Bank of England) is no exception. A well-travelled man, he left his legacy to London in form of his house, where he housed his models, his art and other collections, things he acquired on his travels, and much more. In fact, Oxford Dictionary of Architecture calls the house and its interiors “one of the most complex, intricate, and ingenious series of interiors ever conceived”. 

Image by Sir John Soan’s Museum

The good news is – you can visit Sir John Soane’s museum – and as most London Museums, entry is absolutely for free. Since Soan’s death in 1837 (almost 180 years ago), the house is almost untouched, which is not only remarkable as it offers a time capsule, but also remarkable that somebody lived there….You even can see a mummy sarcophagus which has survived many legal battles with the British Museum who also wants to have it, so it is top notch pieces to see and will brush up your history from Egyptians, Greeks, Romans…Sir John has done all the travel and research for you 🙂 Go and visit, you won’t regret it!

The museum is situated on Lincoln’s Inn Fields near Holborn and is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-17.00. There might be a queue outside as there is a maximum number of people in the building at one time, but it usually moves quite quickly. All other information can be found here.