Long and cold winter days are the perfect excuse for you to visit London’s museums, all the more as half-term is around the corner! The Wallace Collection MUST be on your list of the best places to explore: this free museum in the heart of London has so much to offer from an amazing collection of artworks, guided walks and fun trails for families, beautiful architecture, and a stunning restaurant in a glass-roofed courtyard… Forget about the idea museums are all dull (if you ever think that), this one will make you fall in love with art!
Today, DOYOUSPEAKLONDON takes you to the astounding Wallace Collection!

1. The Wallace Collection, a free London museum

The museum is ideally located in the heart of London, in a quiet area away from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street, yet just a short walk away.

The Wallace Collection is exhibited in the former house of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford. It was named after Sir Richard Wallace who built this large collection, along with the Marquesses of Hertford, in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The collection features “fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries with important holdings of French 18th-century paintings, furniture, arms and armours, porcelain and Old Master paintings arranged into 25 galleries”.

This amazing collection can easily compete with the other renowned museums in London. The first main advantage – in addition to the large number of works of art presented here – is that this museum is completely free!

I’m always amazed that London offers so many opportunities to experience art for free. This is a privilege no one should refuse, right? Now let’s dive into the collection’s treasures…

2. An extensive Art Collection

My purpose here is not to show you all the works of art featured here -it would be too long and obviously would spoil the visit- but more to convince you the Wallace Collection is an outstanding gathering of artistic treasures you can’t not see when you’re in London.

An exceptional collection of paintings

The Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace were savvy art collectors with a particular attraction for European grandmasters’ paintings.

While the 1st Marquess of Hertford (1719–94) acquired paintings by Canaletto and commissioned portraits of two of his daughters from Sir Joshua Reynolds, the 2nd Marquess (1743–1822) was loyal to Reynolds but also bought portraits by George Romney and Thomas Gainsborough.

The collection displays other Italian grandmasters like Canaletto, Caravaggio, Guardi, and Titian, to mention just a few.

The 3rd Marquess of Hertford (1777–1842) on the other hand was a fan of Dutch painting, which is a strength of the Wallace Collection, with three galleries dedicated to these works. You’ll see paintings from Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, and even the famous The Laughing Cavalier (1624) by Frans Hals…

The 4th Marquess of Hertford (1800–70) and Sir Richard Wallace acquired the major part of this collection between 1840 and 1888 and as they spent most of their adult lives in Paris, they developed a strong interest in French painters of the 18th and 19th centuries like Antoine Watteau, Boucher, and Nicolas Lancret (it’s, again, just a selection of what’s showcased at The Wallace Collection).

It is Lady Wallace (1819-97), widow of Sir Richard, who left the entire collection to the British nation in 1897 that opened three years later as the Wallace Collection, a national museum.

Honestly, one visit won’t be enough for you to explore all the rooms and galleries, but you can choose to focus only on your favourite styles and painters to make it more “digestible”.

Interesting sculptures

I love the sculptures presented at The Wallace Collection: they’re very expressive, sometimes with weird poses, some of them looking very modern and funny.

Whether you like the sculpture or not, I think they will not leave you indifferent.

Stunning objects

There are so many different objects with a rich history, this could be the subject of a museum in itself…

All objects always have a little description associated with them, there are so many anecdotes and facts around them it’s fascinating. My advice would be to select just a few you’re drawn to and take the time to learn their stories.

Astonishing collections of arms and armours

Fans of arms and armours will particularly appreciate the visit, the collection is huge!

French Furniture and Decorative Arts

You will also find, alongside the paintings and sculptures, the 18th-century French furniture and decorative arts. Again, a treasure for all fans, which I am not particularly so I’ll let you make up your own mind about it.

3. A fabulous al fresco dining setting

This place is stunning: with the glass roof, this courtyard is flooded with natural light and it’s a true pleasure to have lunch there surrounded by lovely architecture and sculptures!

You’ll find Peyton and Byrne’s French-style brasserie, and a drop-in café, offering a simple menu with fresh and flavorsome dishes.

The restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea and is ideally located as I mentioned before. You can even only come to eat there, a visit to the museum is not compulsory…:-)

4. An modern museum

Today, museums are all trying to avoid looking boring and are opening up to new technologies to attract new visitors. The Wallace Collection has recently launched a free digital guide on a special app in partnership with Bloomberg Connects, giving the visitors the opportunity to explore over 400 artwork highlights, exhibitions, and more from a mobile device anywhere, anytime.

The Wallace Collection website is also an incredible source of information with analyses, explanatory videos on certain subjects relating to the works of art presented in the museum, and downloadable resources for families, to make the visit even more attractive to kids.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and found inspiration here. If you are about to explore the Wallace Collection soon, please share your experience and opinion on DOYOUSPEAKLONDON’s blog!

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To go further:
The Wallace Collection: Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN
Website

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