Somerset House

A Neoclassical Palace on the Thames That Became a Home for Living Art

Behind a stately façade on the Strand lies one of London's most versatile cultural spaces. Somerset House began as a Tudor palace, became an administrative fortress for the Navy and the tax authorities, and today houses a major gallery of old masters and Impressionists, exhibition spaces for fashion, photography and design, artists' studios and one of the most photogenic courtyards in the capital.

Unlike many museums, it is an all-day destination in which you might see a Cézanne in the morning, watch a fashion show in the afternoon and stay for a summer concert or a winter ice rink in the evening. The building, with its long terrace overlooking the river, is free to enter, and exhibitions are ticketed separately.

About the Museum

The site takes its name from Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, who was Lord Protector of England under his nephew Edward VI. He began building a great Renaissance palace here around 1549, one of the earliest in England to use classical design. Seymour was executed in 1552, and the palace stayed in royal hands for the next two centuries, housing queens including Anne of Denmark, Henrietta Maria and Catherine of Braganza.

By the 1770s the old palace was crumbling, and Parliament decided to replace it with a public building for government offices and learned societies. The architect Sir William Chambers was commissioned, and construction began in 1776. The Royal Academy moved in soon after, and the Royal Society and Society of Antiquaries occupied the north wing. The Navy Board took the riverside rooms in 1789, and the Stamp and Tax Offices were installed from the start.

For more than two centuries, Somerset House was home to tax officials and civil servants; the Inland Revenue stayed until 2013. It opened to the public in 2000, when the courtyard was freed of parked cars and the buildings began to host exhibitions and events. The Courtauld Institute of Art moved into the north wing in 1989, and in 2021, after a major refurbishment, the Courtauld Gallery reopened with newly designed galleries.

The Collection

Somerset House has no single collection, but several distinct ones. The Courtauld Gallery holds one of the finest small collections of European art in Britain, built from the gifts of industrialist Samuel Courtauld and other collectors. It is especially strong in Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, and in early Italian and Northern Renaissance works. The Embankment Galleries and the Terrace Rooms host temporary exhibitions on fashion, design, photography and contemporary culture.

Somerset House Studios, launched in 2016, provides affordable studios, residencies and commissions for artists in the New Wing across about 36,000 square feet. More than a hundred creative organisations are based on the site, and King's College London occupies the east wing.

What Can You Explore?

• The Courtauld Gallery. The collection includes Édouard Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, Paul Cézanne's The Card Players, Vincent van Gogh's Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, Paul Gauguin's Nevermore and Pierre-Auguste Renoir's La Loge. Earlier art includes Botticelli, Bruegel, Cranach and Rubens.
• Embankment Galleries. A large exhibition space on the ground level at the river side, showing changing shows about design, photography, fashion and youth culture. Recent programmes have included work on architects, textiles and contemporary artists.
• The Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court. The main courtyard, with 55 fountain jets that arise from the cobbled floor, which children love to run through in summer. In winter, it turns into an ice rink with a Christmas tree and a festive programme.
• Somerset House Studios. Regular open studios, talks and commissions let visitors meet working artists and see new art in progress.
• The River Terrace. A wide terrace overlooking the Thames, with cafés and restaurants and seasonal events.
• Exhibitions and festivals. The venue is a regular host of fashion and photography shows, design fairs, film screenings, live music, and events such as London Fashion Week.
• Historic spaces. The Seamen's Waiting Hall and the Nelson Stair, remnants of the Navy Board's era, and the Great Arch entrance passage into the courtyard.

Museum Architecture & History

Chambers's building is regarded as one of the finest neoclassical civic buildings in London. Its Strand façade, with a central pediment and rusticated ground floor, hides a huge courtyard that stretches back toward the river. The south wing originally opened directly onto the Thames, before the Victoria Embankment was built in the 1860s; the arches beneath it were once boat docks, and the underground vaults now hold bars and shops.

The architecture changes in tone as you move through the buildings. The Strand block feels imposing and civic, the courtyard is calm and formal, and the riverside terrace is open and airy. The Courtauld Gallery, in the north wing, has been renovated with new gallery spaces, a bright atrium and a glazed staircase that opened up the building to visitors. Details such as the grand Nelson Stair, an elliptical stone staircase, are best appreciated by walking through them slowly.

Online Collections & Research

The Courtauld's website offers a digital catalogue of the gallery's collection, with information on artists and conservation. Somerset House's own website carries the programme of exhibitions, events, talks and studios, and features articles and films about current shows. The Courtauld Institute of Art, one of the world's leading centres for the study of art history, runs public lectures, courses and research projects, and its library and photographic collections support scholars.

Visitor Experience

Somerset House can be a short stop or a full day. The paid galleries are compact enough to see in an hour or two each, and the courtyard and terrace reward lingering.

• Start with the Courtauld. The gallery is small, and the highlights can be seen in about 90 minutes.
• Check the exhibitions. The Embankment Galleries change regularly, so look at the programme before you plan.
• Time the fountains. They run daily during the day, and the courtyard is lit beautifully in the evening.
• Visit in winter. The ice rink and its seasonal events make the courtyard especially atmospheric.
• Use the terrace. In warm weather it is a pleasant place to sit by the river with a drink.

Planning Your Time

Somerset House works best as a half-day visit that mixes art with a walk. Start at the Courtauld Gallery, where the Impressionist rooms on the upper floors take about ninety minutes, then come back down to the courtyard for a coffee and a look at the fountains. If an exhibition is running at the Embankment Galleries, add another hour, and finish on the River Terrace when the light is good.

In winter the courtyard becomes an ice rink, and the atmosphere is festive but crowded, so book skating slots ahead of time. In summer the fountains attract families, and evenings often bring concerts and screenings. Weekday afternoons are the best moment for a calm visit to the Courtauld, since weekends fill the small galleries. The Courtauld's Great Room and the staircase in the Nelson Stair are highlights of the building itself.

Nearby and Next

Somerset House stands on the north bank of the Thames between Waterloo Bridge and Temple, so it fits neatly into a walk along the river. To the north lie Covent Garden's market and the Royal Opera House, while Waterloo Bridge leads across to the South Bank, where the National Theatre, the BFI and the Southbank Centre sit within a few minutes. The King's College London campus shares the building's east wing, and the Strand's small independent shops make for a good detour before or after a gallery visit.

Visit

Somerset House is generally open to visitors from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm every day, and the courtyard, terrace and public spaces are free to enter. The Courtauld Gallery and the Embankment Galleries have shorter daytime hours, and the fountains are typically switched on from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Hours vary for exhibitions and events, so check the Somerset House and Courtauld websites before you go.

Tickets

Entry to the courtyard, terrace and public spaces is free. The Courtauld Gallery and the Embankment Galleries charge separate admission fees, which differ by exhibition and visitor category. The Courtauld offers concessions and regular free-entry slots, and members and certain ticket holders benefit from discounts. Events, ice-skating sessions, concerts and screenings are ticketed separately, so book ahead for popular dates.

Getting There

Somerset House sits on the Strand, close to Covent Garden and Temple.

• Underground: Temple (District and Circle lines) is about a 5-minute walk, and Covent Garden, Charing Cross and Holborn are also close.
• Rail: Charing Cross and Waterloo stations are within about 10–15 minutes on foot.
• Bus: Many routes stop along the Strand.
• River: Thames boats stop at nearby piers such as Embankment and Blackfriars, and Waterloo Bridge is a short walk away.

Accessibility & Visitor Services

The courtyard, terrace and river entrance are level, and lifts serve both the Courtauld and the Embankment Galleries. Parts of the historic building are reached by staircases, so it is worth reading the venue's access page, which describes the lift routes and the location of accessible toilets before you arrive.

Who Is It For?

• Photographers and fashion students, thanks to changing exhibitions and events.
• Painters and art historians, who will enjoy the Courtauld's Impressionist collection.
• Architecture lovers, drawn to Chambers's neoclassical design.
• Emerging artists and makers, who may follow the studio programmes.
• Visitors to London looking for a central, relaxed cultural stop.

Things to Know

• Two ticket desks: The Courtauld and the Embankment Galleries sell tickets separately, so check which you want.
• Ice rink season: Skating runs in winter, and sessions must be booked in advance.
• Fountain hours: The courtyard fountains usually run in daytime and are turned off for events.
• Free space: The courtyard, terrace and many public areas are free to enter.
• Events close areas: Festivals and filming may restrict access to parts of the complex.
• Combine with Covent Garden: The market and the Royal Opera House are a short walk away.
• Winter and summer differ: The courtyard becomes an ice rink in the colder months and a fountain play area in summer, which changes the atmosphere entirely.
• Look at the details: The Nelson Stair and the ceiling paintings are among the building's finest surviving interiors.

Explore Somerset House

Somerset House offers a mixture of old masters, fresh ideas and a magnificent setting. Check the official website for the current programme, tickets and opening times, and leave time to sit by the fountains or on the terrace.

Visit Somerset House

For current opening hours, tickets, accessibility services and exhibitions, visit the official Somerset House website before you travel.

Looking for more? Browse all museums on Good Stuff Weekly.