🎨MuseumClosed · Opens 10:00 AMFree

The Wallace Collection

Name: The Wallace Collection
Rating: 4.8

4.8 ·

Step into Hertford House, a Marylebone townhouse hiding one of London's best-kept museum secrets. Wander free of charge past Fragonard, Rembrandt, and Velazquez paintings alongside a remarkable arms and armour collection, all in about an hour.

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Reasons to go

The collection includes works by Fragonard, Rembrandt, and Velazquez, including Fragonard's 'The Swing'.
It houses one of the finest arms and armour collections outside a national institution.
The bequest legally requires the entire collection to remain in Hertford House and never leave the building.

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Full description

The Wallace Collection fills the elegant rooms of Hertford House with paintings by Fragonard, Rembrandt, and Velazquez alongside one of the finest arms and armour collections outside a national institution, all bequeathed to the nation on condition it never leave the building. Its remarkably high hidden-gem score paired with a perfect culture score and the highest rating of any museum in this collection captures exactly why reviewers describe it as one of central London's best-kept secrets.

Free admission and a manageable hour-long visit make it easy to combine with a walk around Marylebone. It rewards art lovers who want museum-quality work without the crowds of the national galleries.

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Address

Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN, UK · Marylebone

Website

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Hours

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Booking

Walk-in

Duration

Best time

morning, lunchtime or afternoon

Intensity

Moderate walking

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Good to know

Admission is free with no advance booking required
the armoury on the ground floor and Fragonard's 'The Swing' upstairs are highlights worth prioritizing
the in-house restaurant in the glazed courtyard is popular, so book ahead if you plan to eat there.

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Reviews

Fabulous gallery. So well stocked and interesting. Good variety and beautifully displayed. The guides were discreet, yet helpful if you need any information. Excellent café / restaurant which is moderately pricey,but since the gallery is free to visit,it worked out fine. Highly recommend.

Sandalwood

2/5

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