Sir John Soane's Museum
The Soane Museum is an absolute must for anyone in London. Once you've been you can never look at an interiors feature in the same way again. The home and library of the neo classical architect Sir John Soane (it became the museum in the early 19th century) is possibly one of the first examples of people 'curating' art, antique and interiors in a way that we are nowadays relatively accustomed to.
As well as housing and displaying all of Soane's objects and collections, the house also displays Soane's projects, sketches and models. Making the connections between Soane's influences, points of reference and finished projects seamless. Soane's architectural works include Dulwich Picture Gallery and St John's church, Bethnal Green. Furthermore his mausoleum at St Pancras Old Church, is in fact the design basis for Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s red telephone box.
Currently on show at the Soane Museum is Drawn from the Antique: Artists & the Classical Ideal, which examines the influence that the practice of drawing from ancient sculpture has had on European artists over the last five centuries.
www.soane.org