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Monday 23 January 2017

SIR JOHN SOANE'S MUSEUM .......



Last Tuesday ... a beautiful blue sky winter's day ... very best friend's, recently retired ... 

SO ...

we took ourselves off to Sir John Soane's Museum.




The home of neo-classical architect John Soane, the Sir John Soane Museum holds the collection of paintings, antiquities and drawings that he amassed, along with his models and projects.




Situated on the north side of Lincolns Inn Fields, Soane demolished and rebuilt three houses between 1792 and 1812.
Your visit begins in the kitchens ... rooms that would not look out of place today ... 



... you then move into the Catacombs, a subterranean space filled to the brim with sculptures, plaster casts, marble fragments of architectural decoration, Greek and Roman bronzes, mosaics, vases, Greek and Roman busts, heads from statues, fragments of sculpture, tiles and stained glass and so much more.





Located in the centre of the museums catacombs, The Sepulchral Chamber houses the sarcophagus of Seti 1, one of the most important Egyptian antiquities ever to be discovered. The surrounding walls of the chamber are adorned with sculptures from Soane's vast and varied collection.  Looking up from the Sepulchral Chamber, the visitor gazes at the Dome, the central light well where Soane created a full height tribune to display his choicest antiquities ...




I bought the above 3-d card as a reminder of our visit ... you needed an o-level in engineering to put it together !!! { slight exaggeration !! }




Next is the Picture Room ... Soane's ingeniously designed gallery has walls composed of large ' moveable planes ' that allow it to house three times as many items as a space of this size could normally accommodate - it's like seeing hidden treasure inside walls. When the Picture Room was first opened it housed more paintings than the entire collection of the National Gallery.




A wonderful place to visit and ....... 

IT'S FREE !!!!!!! ... we also walked around eight miles so it was not only educational but we had our daily dose of exersise too !!!  





On the way back to the station, we popped into The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel for a nose !!!
A beautiful building, outside and in , luxuriously Gothic ... I wouldn't mind spending a night or two there !!




XXXX





image 1: via jarmundo, image 2: via soane.org, image 3: via design boom, image 4: via the spaces, image 5: via my art prints, image 6: via htc experiments, images 7 & 12: via pinterest, image 8 : via daily mail, image 9: via me, image 10 : via life on sundays, image 11: via tdclassicist, image 13: via dressing room interiors, image 14: via indulge, image 15: via rose mount flooring

Jackie
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31 comments:

  1. Hello Jacqueline, What a delightful museum and the volume of treasures is mind boggling. I would love to see the picture room. It seems like one could spend days here.
    The St Pancras Hotel topped off your day. Hope you have many more soirees with your newly retired friend.
    Helen

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    1. You would love it Helen .... the picture room especially. .... and, I've always loved the St Pancras building ... I love a bit of Gothic !! Our friend's ( husband and wife ) have just retired so it's lovely to share these places with them. XXXX

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  2. I must say that I much prefer the Severs house! As for the St Pancras hotel, I'd like to join you. I don't think I've ever seen it; maybe because I never used St Pancras station. The carpet alone is a miracle.

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    1. I think Cro, being the artist you are, you would really enjoy it. It's completely different to Dennis Severs house.
      .... and the St Pancras hotel is just up my street ..... because it is so large, it lacks a bit of atmosphere but the Gothic features make up for that. XXXX

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  3. I would like to see the catacombs; quite unexpected in my imagination of the museum. The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel has been stunningly restored and is quite the perfect picture at night; I stay opposite it when in London.

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    1. The Catacombs are a real surprise Rachel .... they were the stables and coach houses and, the way he designed it is something you don't expect to see in a house built in the 1800's.
      I've always loved the St Pancras building and have always wanted to have a look inside. XXXX

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  4. Love the yellow room. Think I just found the pop of colour I need for the new bedroom..

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    1. Hi Jessica ..... that is quite an acid yellow and, although it's been renovated is the colour it was when John Soanes lived there.
      Hope your decorating is going well and I look forward to before's and after's !! Spring won't be long in coming so I'm sure you will be itching to get out there !!! XXXX

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  5. I love that museum and visit it as often as I can. I would like to stay in the Temple district of Lincolns Inn - at one point this was possible because I know a barrister who was in charge of the accomodation. He has now retired...

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    1. Isn't it wonderful Tom ..... and such a surprise .... we were going to fit in Dr. Johnson's house as it's quite near but, we didn't have time so we will have to do that another day.
      It is lovely around Lincoln's Inn ..... we had a quick bite to eat in the square gardens .... the view from the museum windows is so pretty .... no wonder he wanted to live there ..... I also love that he adored his wife ! XXXX

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  6. I am SO envious Jackie - I've been wanting to go to the museum for years but haven't had time when in London for such short visits. It will remain on my list though in hopes I'll make it some day.
    Do they allow you take photos inside?

    The hotel looks awesome and, like you, I "love a bit of Gothic".
    Happy week - Mary

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    1. Hi Mary .... well, I am often envious of you so we're even !!!!! It's an amazing house .... you're not allowed to take photographs ( I have been known to sneak a few photos in the past but I have been told off so I don't do it now !!!!)
      I have always loved the Gothic style .... we have Gothic shaped windows in our conservatory as our nod to that period .... I've always wanted to go into the St Pancras hotel .... it has been beautifully renovated.
      Enjoy your week too Mary. XXXX

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  7. What a fabulous place to visit. A vacation in itself. I had not heard of him and will have to google about him. You sure know how to have fun.

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    1. Oh Donna .... it's amazing .... you would never think that it was behind the facade !!
      Have a little read about him .... he was a very clever man.
      There are so many places to visit in and around London so there is more fun to be had !!!!!

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    2. Oooops .... I forgot my XXXX !!!!! XXXX

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  8. Wowww..lovely.....enjoy the week Darling ...love Ria x ❤️

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  9. This is very interesting, Jackie and I enjoyed the details in the photos.
    Greetings Maria x

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    1. Thanks Maria ...... it really is interesting and very enjoyable to go round. It's also in a really nice part of London so it was a nice day out !!
      Hope you are well Maria and enjoying January even though it's rather cold !!! XXXX

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  10. I visited Sir John Soane's house in 2008 and would love to see it again, now that they have reworked some things. Back then they made you put your handbag inside a plastic bag, which you then carried around with you during your visit. When you left, you returned the plastic bag to the attendant at the door. Are they still doing that?

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    1. Hi Iris and many thanks for your comment .... it's lovely to see you here !! I always love your comments on other blogs !!
      They are gradually opening up more and more of the house and are working on more rooms as we speak !!
      .... and, yes, you do still have to put your bag in a plastic bag and I can see why they do that. Knowing me, I would definitely have knocked something with mine !!
      Have a good week Iris. XXXX

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    2. I have sneakily been coming here for a while. You have such beautiful posts. I never commented before because it is a little bit intimidating to hang with the cool people. Heehee, but now I've dipped my toes in.

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    3. Oh Iris , you soppy thing !!!! I'm just very ordinary... I just like pretty pictures !! Haha !!
      I hope that you will be back and ALWAYS comment ..... you have the BEST comments. XXXX

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  11. I WOULD LOVE THIS PLACE........the HOTEL TOO!
    FREE?How do they maintain it?
    THANK YOU for the TOUR.............I give it a TEN!
    XX

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    1. You must go when you come over Elizabeth .... you will love it. XXXX

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  12. This place is still on my list to visit...it looks amazing. We are so lucky to have so much to do and see in this country aren't we? St Pancras is quite the place too....we sat and had lunch there once, and quite fancied staying the night too!

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  13. Hi Libby ..... we are SO lucky. We will only scratch the surface !!
    It's such a great place to visit and is in a lovely part of London .... and it's free !! Hahahaha
    I've always wanted to have a look inside the hotel part of St Pancras .... such a beautiful building. I've been in the Champagne Bar and caught the train but this is the first time I've seen the hotel. XXXX

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  14. Well, the only thing I can think to top all this is:
    Houston is HOSTING THE SUPER BOWL NEXT WEEKEND :)'S
    Yeah, that's about it.
    I love you, J. But, you know that !!!

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    1. That's exciting Marsha ..... I'm sure that there are lots of places to visit in Houston too.
      Love you right back !! XXXX

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  15. The Sir John Soane's Museum is a treasure trove of spectacularly beautiful objects and furnishings. When I was there, though, I somehow missed the Catacombs! The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel is pretty amazing too.

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  16. I had no idea this place existed let alone so near to me. I'm arranging a trip immediately.

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