Apsley House

Over het museum

Apsley House was designed by the architect Robert Adam and built between 1771 and 1778 for Lord Chancellor Henry, Baron Apsley. It stood at the formal entrance to Hyde Park on Piccadilly, as the first house after the toll gate, and so became known as Number 1, London. In 1807 it passed to Richard, Marquess Wellesley, and in 1817 his younger brother Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, the victor of Waterloo, bought it to help settle the family's debts.

Wellington enlarged the house in two phases in the 1810s and 1820s with the architect Benjamin Dean Wyatt, adding the State Dining Room and the 28-metre Waterloo Gallery, where the annual Waterloo Banquets were held. The rooms filled with paintings, sculpture, silver and porcelain, many given to him by grateful European rulers. Most of the paintings came from the Spanish royal collection and were captured after the Battle of Vitoria; 83 of them still hang in the house.

After Wellington died in 1852 his son opened a Museum Room to the public. In 1947 the 7th Duke offered the house and a large part of the collection to the nation under the Wellington Museum Act, and the house opened as a museum in 1952 under the Victoria and Albert Museum. English Heritage has cared for it since 2004. Part of the building is still a residence of the Dukes of Wellington.

Hoogtepunten

• Waterloo Gallery with Wellington's painting collection
• Paintings by Velázquez, Goya, Rubens, Titian and Bruegel
• State Dining Room and the Portuguese Service
• Museum Room and basement gallery with medals, shields and memorabilia
• The Waterloo Shield presented to Wellington in 1822

Vaste collectie

• The Wellington Collection – About 200 works of art, including 83 paintings from the Spanish royal collection, with Meissen and Sèvres porcelain and a large collection of silver.
• Museum Room and basement gallery – Medals, shields, trophies and memorabilia of the first Duke of Wellington, including the Waterloo Shield.

Opgericht

1952

Beheerder

English Heritage

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Prices depend on the date and are lowest when booked online until midnight the day before (off-peak adult £10.79; standard days £12.32; peak days £13.85). Tickets bought on the day cost more, with an adult gate price from £12.70. Prices shown exclude the optional Gift Aid donation. English Heritage members enter free.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie

Access is very limited for visitors with impaired mobility: there is a cobbled forecourt, five steps to the front door and no ramp, and the only lift is reached by eight steps down; it serves the first floor. There are three steps down to the basement gallery, so visitors are advised to bring a companion and to phone before visiting. Chairs are placed in the Dining Room, the Piccadilly Drawing Room, the Waterloo Gallery and the Red Striped Drawing Room. Some rooms are dimly lit to protect the contents. The multimedia guide is descriptive enough for visitors with a visual impairment, is offered with a British Sign Language option and has induction loops. Limited free parking for visitors with disabilities must be booked in advance; the spaces are 5–15 metres from the entrance. Assistance dogs are welcome.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour

The multimedia guide has a section for children marked 'family', available in English and French. Family tickets are offered.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

Sat nav postcode W1J 7NT. The house is next to the entrance to Hyde Park. Cycle routes can be planned through Sustrans.

Service & horeca

• Museumwinkel
• Garderobe: niet aanwezig

Shop with items on the first Duke of Wellington, art, architecture and the Battle of Waterloo. There is no bag storage for security reasons; the largest bag allowed is 56 × 45 × 25 cm. There is no picnic area, but Hyde Park is close by. Toilets are available.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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