The Sir John Soane Museum is one of those places you’d never know was there, until you walk past it at dusk one day and see a long line forming outside what looks just like an ordinary house. And it’s worth queuing for, because inside is one of the most atmospheric and fascinating houses in London – a building once the home of architect Sir John Soane (1753–1837). It’s been left largely as it was when he died, including a canopy dome, a crypt and a picture gallery hidden behind folding wooden panels. The house itself is beautiful, brimming with architectural and archaeological masterpieces and persona curiosities, but it truly comes alive in the evenings when the museum is lit only by candlelight. Check the website for after-hour events.
