100 Years of Leighton House

100 Years of...

2026 marks a significant milestone in the history of Leighton House, as we celebrate 100 years since it first opened as a public museum, under the governance of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. ​  The centenary will inspire a diverse programme of exhibitions, special events and outreach initiatives, launching in October 2025 with the ambition to deepen understanding of Leighton House’s historical significance and continuing cultural relevance.

Inclusive participation is at the heart of 100 Years of Leighton House and we look forward to celebrating with YOU! There will be many ways to get involved, from a call out looking to create a 'centenary archive' to collaborative projects with local communities, as well as the opportunity to form part of an exhibition advisory panel.  Keep an eye on the museum's social media platforms and subscribe to our e-newsletter to receive latest updates.

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The Exhibitions

11 October 2025 - 1 March 2026

Ghost Objects: Summoning Leighton’s Lost Collection,  will recreate four missing objects from Leighton’s original collection as life-size paper replicas, reimagining the presence of these missing treasures and giving them a ghostly quality in contrast to the rich and colorful interiors of the house. A brand-new commissioned by Annemarieke Kloosterhof, a paper-craft specialist who has created installations for the hit TV show Bridgerton and high end brands, including Viktor & Rolf, Hermès, and Bottega Veneta. 

Leighton House: A Journey Through 100 Years will chart the museum’s transformation over the course of the last century, using never-before-seen archival material, original photographs and contributions from the public. Safeguarded first by Lord Leighton’s neighbour and biographer, Emilie Barrington, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea acquired the house in 1926 and opened it as a public museum. It served a variety of additional purposes throughout the 20th century - from a children’s library to a theatre museum - before careful restoration of its famed interiors began in the 1980s. 

Share your memories of Leighton House

Completing the Autumn programme is the exhibition The View from Here: contemporary art from the Middle East and North Africa. Presented in collaboration with the Oriental Museum, Durham University, it will showcase emerging creative voices from the MENA region exploring heritage, memory and identity through assemblage and collage.

21 March - 4 October 2026

The Arab Hall: Past and Present

The celebrations will continue in Spring 2026 with The Arab Hall: Past and Present, the first major show to focus on the iconic Arab Hall at Leighton House. At the centre of the project will be a new artistic short film capturing the history and beauty of the space, exploring its amalgamation of global influences and its continued relevance today. Meanwhile contemporary artists will create interventions in the Arab Hall itself through three new site-specific works. Accompanied by a new publication on the space by Dr Melanie Gibson, the show will also present new research which looks in-depth at the room’s creation through Leighton’s collaboration with dealers, artists and craftspeople. 

‘A little addition for the sake of something beautiful to look at once in a while’
Frederic Leighton

31 October 2026 - 21 March 2027

The final exhibition of the series,  Magic and Mess: the artist's studio revealed will be presented in collaboration with the Tavolozza Foundation. Exploring the 19th-century artist’s studio as a place for artmaking, a source of inspiration and a subject matter in itself, the show, spanning across both exhibition galleries and the historic interiors, will feature rarely seen work from the Katrin Bellinger Collection by artists of the likes of Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Henri Matisse and Paul Cezanne.  

Image captions (left to right): Leo Whelan, The Mirror, 1912​​. Katrin Henkel Collection. Lawrence Alam-Tadema, In My Studio, 1893. Leighton House Collection. Martinus Rørbye, Professor C. A. Lorentzen in his studio, 1827. Katrin Henkel Collection.

Have your say! Help us shape 100 Years of Leighton House

Public Call Out

Leighton House is on a mission to collate stand-out stories and memorabilia (dating from 1926 to 2025) considered for inclusion in the museum's ‘Centenary Archive’. We are looking for material involving the building’s various uses throughout that time - from a children’s library in the 1950s to the location of the Theatre Museum, as well as the museum's permanent collection and artworks showcased throughout the years. Submissions can include physical items such as tickets, invitations, or photographs, as well as written, audio or video testimonials. 

Please submit by Sunday 31 August 2025

Find out more and fill in submission form

Arab Hall Advisory Panel

Leighton House is forming an Advisory Panel to help inform the upcoming exhibition, The Arab Hall: Past and Present. We are looking for five individuals who are willing to bring their experience and voices to the project, even though they might not have a full understanding of the space or may have never visited.  Participants will be required to attend meetings and special exhibition events and they will be remunerated accordingly for their contributions.

We are keen that this project results not only in a wonderful and engaging exhibition for visitors but changes the way we approach the Arab Hall going forward. We hope you’ll join us in making this happen!

Applications are now closed. Thank you to all who registered their interest.

Acknowledgments

The programming for 100 Years of Leighton House, including related exhibitions, has been generously supported by the DCH Foundation, Cockayne Grants for the Arts, Leighton House’s Exhibition Circle and The Friends of Leighton House. The promotion and outreach for 100 Years of Leighton House has been supported by the CORA Foundation.