Leighton House Museum

Leighton House Museum is the former home of the Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896). The only purpose-built studio-house open to the public in the United Kingdom, it is one of the most remarkable buildings of the nineteenth century, containing a fascinating collection of paintings and sculpture by Leighton and his contemporaries.

Built to Leighton’s precise requirements, the house was extended and embellished over the 30 years that he lived in it. From modest beginnings it grew into a ‘private palace of art’ featuring the extraordinary Arab Hall with its golden dome, intricate mosaics and walls lined with beautiful Islamic tiles. Upstairs, Leighton’s vast painting studio was one of the sights of London, filled with paintings in different stages of completion, the walls hung with examples of his work and lit by a great north window.  Many of the most prominent figures of the Victorian age were entertained in this room; including Queen Victoria herself who called on Leighton in 1859. But Leighton lived alone in his palace, occupying the house’s only bedroom on the first floor.

Leighton House Museum is surrounded by a group of other studio-houses, all of which were built during the second half of the nineteenth century. This group provides a unique insight into the wealth, status and taste of successful artists in the late-Victorian period. To find out more please visit The Holland Park Circle.

Leighton House Museum is due to be closed for restoration in 2020.

ACCESSIBILITY

- Disabled visitors and carers are admitted at concessionary rate.

- Regrettably there is no step-free, or wheelchair access to any part of the house.

- There are two flights of internal steps. The lower part of the staircase does not have a handrail.

- Guide and assistance-dogs are permitted in the museum.

- The lighting levels are low throughout the house, for conservation reasons. 

- No photography is allowed in the house.

- Two parking spaces are available for Disabled Blue Badge holders near the house.

- Detailed access information about the house can also be found on the DisableGo website.

- Prams and pushchairs are not permitted in the museum to protect the delicate interiors. They can be left in the Reception or Lobby.

HOW TO REACH

Underground
- High Street Kensington (10 minutes walk)
- Kensington Olympia (5 minutes walk)

Buses
9, 10, 27, 28, 49, 328 stops on Kensington High Street/Earls Court Road

Car
Metered car parking is limited in Holland Park Road and surrounding streets. The Holland Park car park off Abbotsbury Road is approximately ten minutes' walk away.

Coach
Coaches may drop visitors off outside the Museum but cannot park. The nearest coach parks are at:
- Warwick Road (Warwick Road W14 8TZ, under Tesco. North of junction with Cromwell
Rd) Contact Euro Carparks (020) 7853 7150.
- Bayswater Road (Bayswater Road, W2 4RT. Opposite St Petersburgh Place &
- Ramada Jarvis Hotel) Contact Euro Carparks 020 7563 3000.

ADMISSION

Advance booking is not available - Tickets on the door only

Ticket price includes admission to Leighton House Museum and the garden
- Adults £9
- Concessions*: Senior Citizen (over 60’s), full time student, disabled, unwaged, carer, Blue Badge Guide £7
- FREE: Art Fund, Friends of Leighton House*, Under 18s, Museums Association*, ICOM*, Accredited Press*

*ID / valid proof of membership will be requested where concessionary or free entry applies. If you cannot present your membership card, full charges will apply