Photographic Services and Entertainment

“The magnificent house and collection on the famous architect.
One of London's best kept secrets!”

Corporate Entertaining at the Soane

This Museum was designed by one of Britain's greatest architects, Sir John Soane (1753-1837). Behind its white Portland stone original facade lies London's most unexpected interior, every aspect of which reflects its creator's architectural ingenuity and desire to create a poetic and inspirational setting for his superb collections. Its reception rooms, domestic in scale, are particularly suitable for small or medium sized dinners and receptions.

Picture: The Library Dining Room at the Museum (looking south)

Dinners
Maximum of 30 people: 7pm until 11:30pm

Pre-dinner drinks are served in the elegant Drawing Rooms on the first floor, decorated in the original 'Patent Yellow' colour with yellow silk curtains.

An optional pre-dinner short guided tour of the ground floor rooms can be given by a member of the curatorial staff.

Dinner is served in the candlelit ground floor Library-Dining Room. Mirrors surround the room and reflect the Pompeian red decoration, the Apulian vases, ceiling paintings and other works of art.

Hiring charge: £5,000

Receptions
Maximum of 80 people: 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm

These take place in the Library-Dining room. Guests may wander through the ground floor rooms of the Museum and visit the famous Picture Room with its two sets of paintings by William Hogarth, the Dome area and the Soane Gallery with its current exhibition.

Hiring charge: £5,000

We recommend a visit to the museum - not only will this permit you to appreciate the interiors, but will enable you to discuss your precise requirements. For an appointment or more information please contact Julie Brock on +44 (0) 20 7440 4263.

An Enduring Legacy

Sir John Soane established his Museum as a bequest for the public good, ensuring its continuation through a private Act of Parliament in 1833. He also left an endowment of £30,000 in support of the Museum.

Alas, it is now many years since the endowment could support all the activities needed to open the Museum to the public and keep the house and collections in good condition. Since 1947 the main source of income has been the government grant but this has been shrinking in recent years and the Museum has had to raise money to replace this. This year we aim to raise 21% of its costs from sales, from visitors' donations, and from Sir John Soane's Museum Society.

We in the Museum know how much visitors treasure the house and the collections which Soane left to the nation. People often ask us how they can help the Museum further. That is why we have decided to offer a Legacy Programme so that anyone putting their affairs in order to make a will, or if adding a codicil to their existing will, can consider remembering the needs of the Museum. It seems especially relevant to accept bequests because that is how the Museum first began - through Soane's own bequest.

Your legacy to the Museum would support the work that Soane began through his legacy and moreover it is a legacy which would endure to benefit the many thousands of people who will visit the Museum in all the years to come and the scholars and students who come to learn from, and research, Sir John Soane's wonderful collections.

The Museum can accept pecuniary bequests - that is, a defined sum of money or one that is index-linked - and residuary bequests - that is, the residue of your estate after all other bequests and costs have been met. We do ask that bequests are normally made without stating a specific purpose as the Museum's needs may change unforeseeably over time: no-one wants to see a generous bequest not being put to good use because it is restricted in some way.

At the right time the Museum will allocate your bequest to a defined purpose and record it as a lasting memorial. Nonetheless, should you particularly wish to make a bequest for some special purpose the Curator will be pleased to discuss this with you in confidence. The Trustees of the Museum very much hope that you will consider helping the Museum through your will. Although we all recognise that a will is a very personal matter, it would help if you could let the Curator know when you have made a bequest. This information will be kept strictly confidential and it gives the Trustees and Curator an opportunity to thank you.

A will is a very important document and we think it is a good idea to have it prepared professionally so that your wishes are left in no doubt. The Museum does not offer advice on making a will - we do not have the expertise or resources to do so - but a concise legacy leaflet is available which gives some information on making a bequest to help the Museum and which you could show to your solicitor or other advisor when making or amending your will.