Orleans House Gallery
Free public art gallery beside the Thames in Twickenham, built around a baroque Octagon Room of 1720 and the Richmond Borough Art Collection.
Alleen afzonderlijke secties laten voorlezen
Over het museum
Orleans House was built from 1710 as a villa on the Thames for James Johnston, joint Secretary of State for Scotland, to a design by the architect John James. In 1720 the architect James Gibbs added the baroque Octagon Room, a banqueting space intended for lavish entertaining. Its interior has rich plasterwork by the Swiss craftsmen Artari and Bagutti, and King George I, King George II and Queen Caroline are recorded as guests. The house takes its name from Louis Philippe, Duc d'Orleans, who lived here in exile between 1815 and 1817 and later became King of the French.
In 1926 the site was sold to gravel merchants, who demolished the main house and the link building. Nellie Ionides, a collector of oriental porcelain and local views, bought the surviving Octagon Room and stables to save them. When she died in 1962 she left the buildings, the grounds and her collection to the then Borough of Twickenham.
The gallery opened to the public in 1972. Today it shows changing exhibitions in a main gallery, a Study Gallery of local history and art and further spaces in the former stables, and it looks after the Richmond Borough Art Collection of about 4,500 works that cover roughly 300 years of life and art in the borough. It is run by Richmond Arts Service and sits in woodland and gardens on the riverside, with a café in the stables.
Hoogtepunten
- Baroque Octagon Room of 1720 by James Gibbs
- Richmond Borough Art Collection of about 4,500 works
- Study Gallery of local history and art
- Woodland and riverside gardens
- Stables Café in the former stable block
Vaste collectie
- Octagon Room – A baroque banqueting room of 1720 designed by James Gibbs, with a marble floor and ornate plasterwork; it is the main surviving part of the original house.
- Study Gallery – A display of local history and artwork from the Richmond Borough Art Collection, with seating and a volunteer on hand to introduce it.
- Opgericht
- 1972
- Beheerder
- Richmond Arts Service (London Borough of Richmond upon Thames)
- Bezoekers per jaar
- ca. 56.000
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
De toegang is gratis.
Admission is free and no ticket is needed. Donations are welcome.
Toegankelijkheid
- Rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift
- Aangepast toilet
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
- Hulphonden welkom
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
Step-free access is offered throughout the gallery, with a ramp at the entrance and a lift to all floors. There are three accessible toilets, and the nearest Changing Places toilet is in Kingston. The main gallery is entered down five steps or via a ramp on the outside of the building, and the courtyard has a gravel surface and uneven ground in places. Two Blue Badge spaces are near the entrance. Seating is placed throughout, portable chairs can be borrowed, large-print interpretation and visual guides are available, and a 360-degree online tour helps with planning. Assistance dogs are welcome in the gallery if they wear a tabard or harness; they must be kept on a lead.
Kinderen & gezin
Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen
- Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
- Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
- Verschoonruimte
Families can pick up a trail at the front desk, use a resource trolley or join family art sessions. Sensory and SEND resources and visual guides are available. Baby changing is available in the main toilets, including the toilets nearest the café. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
Orleans Park School bus stop · 10 min. lopen
Twickenham and St Margaret's stations (South Western Railway from London Waterloo) are each about a 10-minute walk away, and Richmond station is about 40 minutes on foot. Buses 33, 490, H22, R68 and R70 serve the nearest stop at Orleans Park School, a 10-minute walk away. Twickenham and Richmond stations have step-free access; St Margaret's does not. Hammerton's Ferry crosses the Thames between Ham House and Marble Hill Park, a short walk from the gallery.
Met de auto
Gratis parkeren
Limited free parking is available in the grounds and is reached only via Orleans Road; there is no vehicle access from Lebanon Park Road. Paid parking is available nearby on Orleans Road and at Marble Hill. Five bicycle rails are in the car park. Coaches should use the drop-off point on Richmond Road.
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
Use postcode TW1 3BL for satnav. Access via Riverside and the driveway can be limited at high tide.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café
- Museumwinkel
The Stables Café serves coffee, cakes, sandwiches and vegetarian and vegan dishes, with indoor booths and outdoor seating. A small shop is in the reception area. Eating and drinking are not allowed in the gallery spaces.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
- Ruimtes te huur
- Privéfeesten
- Zakelijke evenementen
- Bruiloften / trouwceremonies
Tot 60 personen.
The Octagon Room is licensed for civil weddings and holds up to 54 guests for a ceremony. The Coach House takes up to 60 people for afternoon receptions. Community, corporate, filming and photography hire are also offered.
Aanvragen & detailsJe bezoek plannen
| Aanbod voor scholen | ja |
|---|---|
| Fotograferen | Personal photography is allowed throughout the gallery except in some temporary exhibitions. Professional filming and photography can be arranged by hiring the Octagon Room. |
| Goed om te weten | Group visits can be arranged by email. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult, and the gallery may refuse entry to unaccompanied children under 12. |
