Down House

About the museum

Down House was built in the early 18th century and modernised later in that century. Charles Darwin and his wife Emma moved in on 24 September 1842. Darwin lived there until his death in 1882, and it was here that he developed his theory of evolution by natural selection and wrote On the Origin of Species, published in 1859.

Darwin used the house, gardens and greenhouses as a working laboratory. He added a bay window, a service wing and an extension for a dining room, and in the gardens and greenhouses he carried out experiments on plants. Emma continued to spend her summers at Down until she died in 1896. From 1907 to 1921 the building was a girls' school, and afterwards it stood empty and fell into disrepair.

After an appeal in 1927, Sir George Buckston Browne bought the house and paid for its repair, and it was run as the Darwin Museum for nearly sixty years. English Heritage took it over in 1996 and reopened it in 1998, and its gardens have since been restored. Visitors now see Darwin's study, the family rooms, an exhibition about his work and the gardens, including the Sandwalk, the path where he walked and thought every day.

Highlights

• Darwin's study, where he wrote On the Origin of Species
• Charles and Emma's bedroom with a dressing-up closet
• First-floor exhibition on Darwin's life and science
• Gardens, greenhouse and the Sandwalk thinking path
• Multimedia handheld tour narrated by Sir David Attenborough

Permanent exhibitions

• Darwin's Study and Family Rooms – The restored study, the bedroom, the drawing room and the billiard room show how Darwin worked and lived at Down House in the 1870s.
• Darwin Exhibition – A first-floor exhibition on Darwin's life, his science and the controversy around his ideas, with manuscript pages, notebooks and personal objects.
• Gardens, Greenhouse and Sandwalk – The gardens where Darwin ran his plant experiments, a greenhouse with orchids and insect-eating plants, a beekeeper display and the Sandwalk path.

Operated by

English Heritage

Admission & discounts

Prices depend on the date and are lowest when booked online until midnight the day before: off-peak adult £15.38, child £7.65 and concession £13.85, and standard days adult £17.00, child £8.50 and concession £15.38. Tickets bought on the day cost more (adult £18.10 off-peak and £20.00 on standard days). The prices exclude the optional donation, which raises the amount shown by about 10%. English Heritage members enter free.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: not available
• Easy-to-read materials: not available
• Audio description: no information

Paths are compacted gravel and there is wheelchair access, with wheelchairs available to borrow. Stairs lead to the first floor and a lift is beside the tearoom. Accessible toilets and an adult changing area are available. The Sandwalk has uneven ground and some areas can be slippery when wet. Induction loops are available at the shop and tearoom, and the audio guide works with hearing aid T-coils; film subtitles and transcripts are provided. Braille guides are available, and large-print guides and page magnifiers can be borrowed from the shop. There are two Blue Badge bays in the car park, and visitors can be set down outside the house if they call in advance. Assistance dogs are welcome. Seating is provided throughout the house and garden.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area: not available

Free family discovery trail sheets are available at the main desk, and a family guide is published online. Children can try on Victorian-style clothes in the dressing closet in the main bedroom, look into an observation beehive and visit the greenhouse with insect-eating plants. There is no play area, but the lawn outside the house offers space to play. A baby changing table is in the accessible toilet, and a toddler seat is in the women's toilet. Special family events are held on selected weekends.

Getting there & parking

The house is on Luxted Road in Downe, reached from the A21 or the A233; the satnav postcode is BR6 7JT. The site lies within the Ultra Low Emission Zone. Bicycle racks are provided.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

The tearoom is in the old kitchen, with indoor seating and a patio, and serves hot and cold drinks, cakes and light meals, including vegetarian and gluten-free options. A gift shop is at the entrance and a second-hand bookshop is on the first floor. Picnics are only allowed in a designated area near the tennis court.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit