The Sir John Soane’s Museum is the former residence of eminent British architect, Sir John Soane. Over 20,000 architectural drawings, antiquities and sculptures as well as two sets of paintings by William Hogarth and the Egyptian Sarcophagus of Seti I were collected over time by Sir John and displayed in his house. Sir John was a dedicated collector of artwork and established his mini-museum for the benefit of anyone interested; the museum has been open to the public since the early 19th century and still continues to draw a crowd of captivated visitors to this day.
Located in central London, Luxury Hotel, restaurants and famous monuments nearby, have marked this fascinating museum, which in itself is a structural masterpiece, as a must see for most tourists visiting the city. However, due to the immense number of artefacts, only a limited number of people are allowed inside at a time; so if you happen to be staying at a hotel in close proximity, like the COMO Metropolitan, London, then head to the museum early or be prepared to stand in the queue to get inside.
The museum which was designed and lived in by Sir John is viewed by both past and contemporary architects as ingenious, intricate interiors inspired by Sloane’s passion for neo-classical architecture and clever use of lighting, which can also be seen in another famous work of his, the Dulwich Picture Gallery. The house features several unique aspects such as the glass dome, courtyards and hidden skylights whose brightness is reflected by the countless mirrors inside. Apart from the vast collection of antiquities from the Medieval, Renaissance and Classical periods; architectural sketches and models of Sloane’s own work are available to view, many of which have been the source of inspiration for modern buildings in London.
Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+
