Recently, I visited the home and museum of Sir John Soane, one of England’s greatest architects. This site is located near Lincoln’s Inn Field, a very nice area of London. It is near the Royal Courts of Justice and surrounded by law offices. Across the street is Lincoln’s Inn Fields, a lovely park. The museum is not difficult to find and there is decent signage to the house. Unfortunately, there was construction work occurring on the facade which stole some of the building’s beauty as I arrived from the park.
The construction work is part of a restoration project called “Opening up the Soane.” This seven million pound effort seeks to restore and improve Sir John Soane’s Museum, which has been described as the supreme example of the house-museum in the world. Phase one of the plan was completed in July of 2012 with phases two and three expected to be completed by 2015. This construction did cause a disruption of the normal tour route but was not overly distracting.
The house, which was originally three houses, seems huge. There are artifacts everywhere. Soane not only disliked bare walls, but apparently disliked bare space. Every inch of this home is covered in art work, treasures, and historic items. The unique use of space makes this home feel bigger than it is. Mirrors are strategically placed to make areas that would be claustrophobic to an ant feel comfortable. It is awe inspiring that Soane was able to accomplish so much in such a small area.
The construction work is part of a restoration project called “Opening up the Soane.” This seven million pound effort seeks to restore and improve Sir John Soane’s Museum, which has been described as the supreme example of the house-museum in the world. Phase one of the plan was completed in July of 2012 with phases two and three expected to be completed by 2015. This construction did cause a disruption of the normal tour route but was not overly distracting.
The house, which was originally three houses, seems huge. There are artifacts everywhere. Soane not only disliked bare walls, but apparently disliked bare space. Every inch of this home is covered in art work, treasures, and historic items. The unique use of space makes this home feel bigger than it is. Mirrors are strategically placed to make areas that would be claustrophobic to an ant feel comfortable. It is awe inspiring that Soane was able to accomplish so much in such a small area.
The thing that bothered me about the museum was that no story seemed to be told. At least, there was no interpretation. I got a sense of this great architect and how his mind must have worked, but I left not knowing if it was accurate or not. I never had that connection with this site that I had at Franklin’s House. This may all be down to personal taste, but it just seemed to be a collection of a man’s lifetime. That in itself tells a story, but I did not find it engaging. I found myself passing from room to room, stopping for a moment to view some interesting bauble, and then moving on. I appreciated the beauty of it all, but I was not drawn in.
The site does a great job of allowing the visitor to roam without chaos ensuing. I went at an off time and would have liked to have visited at a peak time to see if the very narrow corridors became congested. They do not allow photographs, which was unfortunate for my project, however it ensured that people did not block passage ways or linger too long in one place. It also allowed for a more subdued atmosphere that provided a pleasant break from the busy streets of London.
Overall, this museum contains breathtaking works in an amazing environment. A small room with a video monitor providing background information would have dramatically changed my experience. More interactive elements would have also been helpful, but I do not know where anyone would have put them. This is a static museum of objects and it does that part very well. I hope that the renovations seek to breathe some life into this home that seems to be frozen in time.
The site does a great job of allowing the visitor to roam without chaos ensuing. I went at an off time and would have liked to have visited at a peak time to see if the very narrow corridors became congested. They do not allow photographs, which was unfortunate for my project, however it ensured that people did not block passage ways or linger too long in one place. It also allowed for a more subdued atmosphere that provided a pleasant break from the busy streets of London.
Overall, this museum contains breathtaking works in an amazing environment. A small room with a video monitor providing background information would have dramatically changed my experience. More interactive elements would have also been helpful, but I do not know where anyone would have put them. This is a static museum of objects and it does that part very well. I hope that the renovations seek to breathe some life into this home that seems to be frozen in time.