Sir John Soane's Museum
Sir John Soane's Museum
4.5
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The unusual and unique home of Sir John Soane, eccentric architect of the Bank of England, presents a chimera of colors, unusual perspectives and decorative ornaments drawn from many centuries. Entry is free but timed tickets must be booked online.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

Top ways to experience Sir John Soane's Museum and nearby attractions

The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Holborn
Inner London’s busiest streets crisscross quiet cobbled lanes for an effect that can be urbane or quaint – or an intriguing blend of both – depending on the particular corner you turn. Due to its especially convenient location, bustling Holborn hosts an excellent range of hotels, eateries, and shops to suit practically any taste or budget. With major attractions like the British Museum and Somerset House as well as popular areas such as Covent Garden and Soho all just a short walk away, Holborn is a smart base from which to explore London.
How to get there
  • Holborn • 3 min walk
  • Chancery Lane • 6 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Sara V
    Brooklyn, New York50 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Coolest house museum ever
    Fascinating and inspiring personal collection of a true scholar and art lover. This house museum is filled to the brim with priceless works of art. It's a treasure trove and fun to explore as literally every nook and cranny is used for display space. The design of the house is an art work in of itself. The top floors are not accessible to visitors but the museum is the perfect size. Totally digestible and can be fully experienced in 2 hours, if you're being generous. Take your time perusing the basement and the above floors full of secret walls of paintings, unique mixing of ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian masterpieces, rare books and period furniture. Tip: Come in the morning when the museum first opens and chat up the guards/staff. They are so nice, really knowledgable and happy to tell you more about the space. Also be sure to check out the gift shop. I took home a Tatty Devine piece. The costume jewelry is exclusively made for the museum and inspired by their collection. Loved the souvenir and my memories visiting.
    Visited November 2022
    Written 29 March 2023
  • Travelaround59
    London, United Kingdom1,867 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A hoard of….everything!
    I love this little museum. I haven’t been for almost 25 years and still amaze me the variety of collections that are on display in this Georgian house (s). The thing I like more is that every place you look there is something hiding or appearing or lurking at you. I cannot say what is the thing I like more but of course the appearing/disappearing painting walls are at the top of the list. Marvellous marvellous!
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 April 2023
  • RadDadTravel
    Bainbridge Island, Washington320 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating Museum
    I hesitate to even write a review about Sir John Soane's Musem, because I feel like it's one of the hidden gems of London, but it is well worth the trip. Home of architect John Soane, not only does it show his unique house, but also some of his clever ways of making a small house seem larger (strategically placed mirrors) or brighter (sun colored glass in skylights). Not only that he has a huge collection of art and fascinating ways of displaying it. The museum is small and doesn't take too long to see and the lines are still somewhat short to get in.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 11 April 2023
  • nycmom22
    New York City, New York3,151 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    It took me 7 trips to London to venture here
    Almost meant to go and finally did. Very close to Holbrook tube stop, so it is easy to find. Try the morning because there was a half hour wait to enter. It is alongside a lovely park. You can see three levels, and two extremely old stoves. The house is nooks and crannies, the opposite of open concept!
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 12 April 2023
  • HINA W
    Islamabad, Pakistan6,566 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A treasure trove!
    This is the House museum of Sir John Soane who was the architect of the Bank of England. I was really impressed that he was also a collector and a well traveled man. His historic former house is filled to brim with antiques, sculptures, paintings and artefacts. You get to see his own architectural drawings and cork and plaster models as well. You can see the original sarcophagus of Seti I. You can also see how he lived, slept, ate and worked as some rooms of the house have been left as they were when he died in 1837. I believe this tells us how the upper class lived in the past. This is a must visit house museum in London.
    Visited August 2022
    Travelled with family
    Written 12 July 2023
  • AKTraveler50
    Port Ludlow, Washington283 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating, eclectic museum
    This is a fascinating, eclectic museum filled to the brim with such an assortment of artifacts that it's hard to describe. We walked in and walked around without a tour, but with the help of a map and the knowledgeable and friendly guides, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. This is a small museum, but there are a lot of nooks and crannies. I think if we were to come again, we would book a tour. I'm sure there are some things that we missed. If you're a history buff, an art or architecture buff, or just someone fascinated with historical artifacts, then this is the museum for you. We would definitely come back the next time we're in the neighborhood.
    Thanks for such a lovely review. We hope to welcome you back again soon!
    Written 6 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 16 July 2023
  • Bluebellplasnewydd
    Cardiff, United Kingdom2,000 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Step back in time
    This is certainly a weird place and well worth visiting. It is the house of a wealthy architect who instructed that it should be left as it was on the date of his death in 1837. There is lots to see and the exhibits are purposefully not labelled so that the atmosphere can be appreciated if not enjoyed. It is so stuffed full of antiquities that it is difficult to see how someone could have lived there. You are likely to have to queue to enter although admission is free. There are also guided tours of the 'closed" rooms and these have to be booked in advance. The staff are extremely helpful and will explain the unusual exhibits and history behind them. One of London's hidden gems.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 September 2023
  • LewBowers
    Portland, Oregon80 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must for anyone interested in architecture
    Anyone interested in architecture must visit this house. In addition to an interesting collection of antiquities, the house itself is fantastic. Sloan was a famous architect and you can see and experience the various ways that Sloan brought natural light into all parts of his home. I found it fascinating. Everything has been left as it was when Sloan died in the 1830s. Excel at example of a period house designed by a gifted architect.
    Great to hear that you enjoyed your visit. Thanks for the review!
    Written 30 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 7 October 2023
  • Lori T
    Westlake, Ohio2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lesser visited London locales
    Three days in London to visit lesser known museums and neighborhoods. Sir John Soanes museum was a real treat. It had a little of everything in an eccentric house. We also checked out the dock lands and museum. A part of modern London that was very cool and surprising. Especially, the museum gave a perspective on the shipping industry of bygone days. We also did our own walking tour of east London and the Jack the Ripper locales. We took a Thames boat tour that was informative and a convenient way to get to Greenwich. I would only recommend this if the weather is nice. Overall you can’t go wrong anywhere in London. Such a great world class city!
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 October 2023
  • Emma M
    Salisbury, United Kingdom21 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A super small museum.
    I'll start with information - when you arrive and before you enter the building you will be asked to put your coats and bags into clear carrier bag. if they don't fit into the bag, you are directed to the cloak room when your belongings will be stored and you will be given a numbered tag to show when you want to retrieve them at the end of your visit. The cloak room is manned. So, you can keep some items with you and you can carry them with you, as long as they fit in the plastic bag. None of this was explained, but when I asked I was told that some areas are very cramped and you have more awareness of your possessions if you are carrying them. It is worth buying the guide book for £3, card payment only. This gives you some idea of the rooms contents, it really is the most fascinating collection of objects and room guides will give you more details. There's a nice small giftshop, normal London prices, I would definitely go back and do a guided tour to get more out of my visit.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 11 November 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
Excellent
1,278
Very good
464
Average
113
Poor
39
Terrible
22

R L
Hong Kong, China52 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Solo
A small museum converted from the residence of Sir Joan Soane, a great architect and also a collectors of classic artefacts. It doesn’t has many descriptions in the house in order to keep the atmosphere of the house, but a mobile phone app works well. Also it’s a free museum but definitely worth to make donation or at least buy a museum guide book.
Written 14 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Joe K
Chicago, IL34 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Solo
Very unusual and fabulous collection in a very strange home. Note to some, if you feel at all claustrophobic, some of the corridors are super tight and confining.
Written 28 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SL
London, UK82 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
It's a narrow but full of amazing artifacts and amazing pictures at this museum. Lots to see and could spend few hours easily. All handbags are to be put in the clear bag handed at the entrance. Clean toilets available on the ground floor. It's a free entrance.
Written 16 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

daisyonline
London, UK45 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Solo
I visited at the weekend to do the tour, staff were great, really friendly and efficient in dealing with the crowds.

The tour was great, seeing hidden treasures and details was amazing.

The only issue is - those on the tour need something like a lanyard. We were given a postcard which most of my group tucked away, so our guide had to keep checking who was on the tour. It would also stop the tour hangers-on, who kept coming with us room to room trying to get a tour for free!
Written 5 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

u2fan56
London, UK870 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
My wife and I went to Sir John Soane's Museum recently. Recommend to go when it opens because the is queue and will get busier throughout day. The museum is small so they have to manage the number of people. The museum is free which is nice. Lot of history packed into small space. Recommend to interact with the museum staff who help you better understand the room and history.
Written 4 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nicoleh
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
Went to visit the museum/house of Sir John Soane with my Mum and was an amazing experience. Loved the architecture seeing all the quirky rooms and ceiling and artifacts. So much to see.
Written 29 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Whitehalltraveller
Pinner, UK420 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Friends
I’ve been wanting to visit this museum for years and finally made it. What a gem, the museum is like tardis, book the highlights tour as the guides are excellent who will explain everything and you will access parts of the museum only available on the tour. I absolutely loved it! Another friend of mine visited and didn’t do the tour and couldn’t appreciate everything on site. Highlights tour has to be booked in advance and is worth every penny!
Written 13 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

gcomorau
New York City, NY14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
I won't say much but it is only a short walk from the British Museum and a gem, It is the architects house and collection. Eclectic does not really describe it.
Written 18 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rick W
Sevenoaks, UK2,133 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Couples
This is one of London's lesser museums - but worth a visit. Although free to enter, I strongly recommend paying to book the guided tour. Our tour guide, Philip, was outstanding - enthusiastic, knowlegeable, and responsive to his audience. However the museum because of its smallness only takes guided tours of eight people - so book in advance! Tours start at 12 noon and last about an hour. Phillip's guiding really helped us to understand the story of the house and the man who once owned it. Phillip pointed out speciific objects, tricks of lighting, important family portraits and told some of the remarkable stories behind the collection of objects. The museum is famous for its paintings - and its remarkable gallery with huge doors revealing different groups of paintings. The Canaletto is one of the top ten in the world, and the Hogarth paintings of political satire (including a very gloomy 'Rake's progress' only available to view at 2 pm each day for ten minutes!) are world famous. We had a delightful visit there - and recommend it!
Written 14 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

william d
Coventry, UK10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
This is a surprising, quirky and compact museum. The personal collection of one man who crammed his home with ancient artifacts and paintings by artists such as Canaletto, Turner and Hogarth. When Sir John Soane ran out of room he purchased the neighbouring terraced town houses and extended into them. Being an architect he ingeniously used skylights and mirrors to illuminate his collection, which he passed to the nation upon his demise.
Entrance is free, but due to the confined space you will need to queue outside before gaining entry, which is strictly controlled so that the maximum permitted capacity is not exceeded. There are rules about what bags can be taken in (so best not to have one at all) and even the smallest bag has to be covered with the provided plastic bag. There is a toilet and a classy souvenir shop, but not much else by way of facilities. Items are unlabelled, but there's an excellent guide book at just £3.
Written 4 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 1,630
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

SIR JOHN SOANE'S MUSEUM: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Sir John Soane's Museum

According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Sir John Soane's Museum: