Royal Hospital Chelsea
The Wren-designed home of the Chelsea Pensioners, with a free interactive exhibition on its history and guided tours led by the pensioners.
Alleen afzonderlijke secties laten voorlezen
Over het museum
The Royal Hospital Chelsea was founded by Charles II, with the royal warrant issued in 1681, as a home for old and wounded soldiers, and Sir Christopher Wren designed its main buildings, including the chapel and the Great Hall. The first pensioners moved in in 1692. Its residents, the Chelsea Pensioners, still live there, and the hospital is still a retirement and nursing home for about 300 veterans.
The hospital has been a focus of national events over the centuries. The Duke of Wellington lay in state in the Great Hall in 1852, and the Chelsea Flower Show has been held in the South Grounds since 1913. Bombing in the Second World War destroyed part of the site, including an early 19th-century infirmary designed by Sir John Soane, and new buildings were added later, among them the Margaret Thatcher Infirmary, completed in 2008.
Visitors today can see an interactive exhibition in the Soane Stable Yard that explains the hospital's history and the lives of the pensioners, and they can join guided tours led by a Chelsea Pensioner. A separate museum tour shows the treasures of the Wellington Hall collection, and services are held in the Wren Chapel on Sundays. The hospital is an independent charity and relies partly on donations.
Hoogtepunten
- Free interactive exhibition on the history of the Royal Hospital
- Guided tours led by a Chelsea Pensioner
- Wren Chapel and Great Hall
- Treasures of the Wellington Hall museum tour
- Café, gift shop and post office in the Soane Stable Yard
Vaste collectie
- Interactive Exhibition – A free exhibition in the Soane Stable Yard about the history of the Royal Hospital and the lives of Chelsea Pensioners through the centuries.
- Treasures: Wellington Hall Museum – A museum collection that is not open to the public and can only be visited on a booked guided tour.
- Opgericht
- 1682
- Beheerder
- Royal Hospital Chelsea
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
De toegang is gratis.
| Kinderen & jongeren | £ 17,50Child price for the public guided tour. |
|---|---|
| Groepen (vanaf 10 pers.) | £ 25 p.p.Private group tour for at least 10 people: £25 per adult and £15 per child. |
| Public guided tour led by a Chelsea Pensioner (adult) | £ 30Child ticket £17.50; maximum 25 guests; usually about 90 minutes. |
| Treasures: Wellington Hall museum tour (adult) | £ 15Child ticket £7.50; the museum can only be seen on this tour. |
Entry to the interactive exhibition is free and no ticket is needed. Guided tours must be booked and paid for online in advance. Date changes need at least four weeks' notice and a £2.50 rebooking fee, and tickets are non-refundable.
Toegankelijkheid
- Rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift: geen informatie
- Aangepast toilet
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
- Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
The guided tour is wheelchair accessible and a spare wheelchair can be borrowed. Accessible toilets with baby changing are available.
Kinderen & gezin
Beperkt geschikt voor kinderenAanbevolen vanaf 14 jaar
- Doe- en voelstations
- Verschoonruimte
Guided tours are recommended for ages 14 and over; younger children may join if parents email beforehand. The exhibition is interactive. Accessible toilets include baby changing.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
Sloane Square station
Sloane Square station (District and Circle lines) is the nearest underground station. Bus 170 from Victoria and Roehampton stops outside the hospital, and buses 11, 137, 211, 360 and 452 stop a short walk away.
Met de auto
Geen eigen parkeerplaats bij het museum.
On-street parking is very limited and resident parking schemes apply. The nearest public car parks are at Cheltenham Terrace in Chelsea and Cumberland Street in Pimlico. Coach parking is available for the length of a private group tour.
Visitors should arrive at Chelsea Gate.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café
- Restaurant: niet aanwezig
- Museumwinkel
- Wifi
The Café by Heidi Bakery in the Soane Stable Yard has indoor seating and a cobbled courtyard, is pet friendly and offers customer Wi-Fi. The gift shop is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00, and there is a post office on site.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
- Ruimtes te huur
The hospital offers venue hire through its events team.
Aanvragen & detailsJe bezoek plannen
| Rondleidingen | ja · duur ca. 1,5 uur |
|---|---|
| Goed om te weten | Tours usually last about 90 minutes and can take up to two hours. They start in the Soane Stable Yard, reached via Chelsea Gate, and groups arriving more than 30 minutes late may be refused entry. Services in the Wren Chapel are held on Sundays and everyone is welcome. |
