Restoration at Leighton House Museum: Hidden Gem to
National Treasure
It is an incredibly exciting
moment for Leighton House Museum. We are witnessing the final phase
of a master plan that commenced in 2008 and which will transform
the Museum and the experience we can offer our visitors. Thank you
for supporting this journey, we cannot wait to show you the ‘new’
Leighton House Museum and celebrate together.
Daniel Robbins, Senior Curator
Leighton House Museum is currently
undergoing a major restoration and refurbishment project due to be
completed in spring 2021. This is the third phase of an
award-winning master plan that commenced in 2008, aimed at
reinstating the house interiors as Leighton knew them. It focusses
on the two unsympathetic additions made to the east end of the
house in the twentieth century, long after Leighton’s death.

Perrin Wing supporting the Original House
to create an enhanced visitor experience
MORE PUBLIC SPACE, ACCESS FOR
ALL
Through Hidden Gem to National
Treasure, these additions will be transformed, allowing
for:
- Disabled access to all public parts of the
building.
- The recovery and restoration of the original
architecture lost in later additions.
- Improved visitor facilities, including a new
café, shop, cloakrooms and reception.
- New permanent displays on Leighton, the
history of the house and the ‘Holland Park Circle’ of neighbouring
artists’ studio-houses.
- A new gallery dedicated to the display of
drawings and works on paper.
- Purpose-built collections and archives
store.
- A dedicated education suite in the basement
of the historic house.
- Leighton’s entrance hall and winter studio to
be reintegrated into the sequence of historic interiors, completing
the presentation of the house as he left it.
The creation of these new facilities has
minimal impact on the historic fabric of this unique building and
in fact takes the pressure off the historic house, allowing it to
be better preserved and cared for into the future, whilst also
providing a richer and fulfilling visitor experience.
Architects: BDP
Project Managers:
Gardiner & Theobald
Principal Contractor:
Quinn London Ltd
Quantity Surveyors:
Jackson Coles
PROJECT FUNDING AND
DONATIONS
The £7.8 million project has made possible thanks to a
community-focused partnership between The
Friends of Leighton House (FLH), the
National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and the Royal Borough of
Kensington and Chelsea. The support of FLH and NLHF will allow
for the restoration of the historic fabric, create new displays,
learning spaces, offices and storage area for art collections. The
Royal Borough as caretaker and landlord of the House, has
contribute to this project from its capital reserves, funding
essential maintenance works including improving toilet facilities,
additional cloakrooms and for the first time, making the Museum
accessible to all.
Get involved
The Friends of Leighton House continue to
fundraise for essential conservation work to be carried out to the
permanent collection, the presentation of the new displays, the
redesigning and replanting of the Museum's unique garden and the
fit out of the new learning space.
Find out more about
the work of The Friends of Leighton House on the Hidden
Gem to National Treasure project.

Supported by National Lottery Heritage Fund
