Published: Saturday 8 October 2022
This week, a new Learning Centre opened at Leighton House, a dedicated set of rooms for events, learning activities and courses for groups and individuals of all ages.
The new space, which champions engagement, hands-on experiences and practical workshops was praised by special guest Professor Mary Beard, who spoke at the centre’s opening event on Thursday 6 October, as a means to inspire, engage new audiences and support the local community – of all ages and backgrounds.
The space will host school groups, families, adult interest groups, and provide breakout areas for discussion and practical sessions for arts and craft, music and science, as part of an ambitious public programme that aims to build upon the principles of Frederic, Lord Leighton himself.
Leighton lived and worked in his home-studio and took over 30 years to remodel and decorate its interiors to reflect styles and designs he’d encountered on his travels. He also opened it for exhibitions and events to the local community and art world, bringing people together for art shows, music and talks. The new Learning Centre aims to continue and expand upon his legacy, enabling visitors to see the world through a unique Victorian perspective, engage with it – and challenge it from their own.
Lead member for Culture, Leisure and Community Safety, Cllr Emma Will said of the opening:
This marvellous renovation and new Learning Centre for children, adults and community groups to experience what the museum has to offer is an exciting addition to Leighton House. With step-free access and significantly improved facilities, we will see more local people explore art and history in a fun, engaging and thoroughly accessible way.
Re-opening after over two years closed for renovations, the cultural landscape itself has changed a great deal and Learning and Engagement Officer Charlotte Villiers believes museums provide a crucial bridging point in education by bringing history, art and ways of seeing the world to life and, crucially, offering people a chance to connect with it.
Learning Officer Charlotte Villiers said:
We are absolutely committed to continuing to connect with our international audiences built up over the last two and a half years, not least in recognition of Leighton’s great curiosity in the wider world. We will be recording and filming many of our events at Leighton House to share, and continuing to offer a rich and lively virtual programme of online workshops and talks. That said, Leighton was a resident of Kensington and Chelsea, a local, a familiar sight around these streets. At long last we are incredibly excited to reconnect in person with residents, schools, community organisations, creatives and businesses.
At the opening, Mary Beard recounted a memory from her childhood when she fell in love with museums – when an attendant unlocked a case to show her a several thousand year old piece of cake more closely! It showed her that history is always close enough to touch. Praising the centre as a ‘bastion of citizenship’, Leighton House’s new Learning Centre will be an exciting new addition for local people and visitors to discover and explore history and the world today.
Leighton House reopens on Saturday 15 October, remember to book your tickets. You can also find out more about the learning programme and how to get involved.