Keats House

About the museum

Keats House was built around 1814 to 1816 as a pair of semi-detached houses called Wentworth Place. Charles Wentworth Dilke and Charles Brown moved in during 1816, and from late 1818 to May 1820 the poet John Keats lodged with Brown. This was his most productive period, and Brown later recalled that 'Ode to a Nightingale' was written under a plum tree in the garden in the spring of 1819.

In 1819 the Dilke family left and the Brawne family took over their half of the house. Keats became engaged to Fanny Brawne and moved into the Brawne half in 1820, before leaving England for Italy, where he died in 1821. The two houses were later converted into a single dwelling and had a number of owners.

In the 1920s the house was threatened with demolition but was saved by public subscription, and it opened to the public as the Keats Memorial House in 1925. After a closure from 2007, a restoration part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund reopened it in 2009. Today it is managed by the City of London Corporation, and visitors can see the rooms where Keats lived, a changing programme of exhibitions and the garden.

Highlights

• The Regency house where John Keats lived from 1818 to 1820
• Rooms associated with Keats and Fanny Brawne
• Garden where 'Ode to a Nightingale' is said to have been written
• Free volunteer-led tours of the ground floor on selected afternoons
• Free digital guide with audio description for each room

Permanent exhibition

• Keats House – The rooms where John Keats lived and worked, including his parlour, with displays on his life, his poems and Fanny Brawne.

Founded

1925

Operated by

City of London Corporation

Admission & discounts

Art Pass holders enter free. The garden is free to visit, and the shop can be visited without a ticket. Payment is by card only. Current exhibitions are included in the admission price.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

Paths to the house are step-free (bonded gravel and York stone), and the rear entrance under the veranda has a small slope. Most ground-floor rooms are wheelchair accessible and one room is reached by a ramp from outside on request, but the stairs to the basement and upper floor are not step-free. A low-level touchscreen on the ground floor shows the other rooms. An induction loop is at the Welcome Desk and in the events rooms, large print guides are available, and there are seats in every public room. The accessible toilet with baby changing is in the garden. One disabled parking space is on site and must be booked in advance. Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Baby changing facilities

The house runs family events such as the Kids at Keats sessions, and visitors aged 18 and under are free.

Getting there & parking

Coaches can drop off passengers at the end of Keats Grove; the nearest coach parking is near Regent's Park.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Small shop (card payments only). Food and drink may not be brought into the house, and there are many places to eat nearby.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The house can be hired; details are on the venue hire page of the City of London website.

Plan your visit