The Wallace Collection in London
– Luxe Art in a Great Town House

The Wallace Collection in London is located in Hertford House, a great town house on Manchester Square.

Originally built around 1776 as Manchester House for the 4th Duke of Manchester, it was said to have been built there because of the fine duck hunting nearby.

The lease to the house was acquired in 1797 by the 2nd Marquess of Hertford and was inhabited by members of that family up until the time it was turned into a public museum in 1900.

The Wallace Collection is essentially a family collection, containing objects collected over the years by generations of the Seymour-Conway family, the Marquesses of Hertford.

Sir Richard Wallace was the illegitimate son of the 4th Marquess of Hertford; he inherited the collection and bought the lease to Hertford House as a place to display it.

The entire collection was given to the nation by Lady Wallace, his widow, so that it could be enjoyed by the public.

The collection remains intact, just as it was when it was donated.

The Wallace Collection is one of the most valuable private art collections every given to the nation, and occupies 25 galleries of the house.

They are famous for their collection of 18th century French paintings; it is indeed one of the finest collections of French art.

There are works by Van Dyke and Rembrandt, Rubens and Titian.

There are collections of gold boxes and miniatures.

The Wallace Collection of princely armour is one of the best in Britain, with pieces from Europe, India, and Persia.

There is a wonderful collection of Sevres and Meissen porcelains, as well.

Throughout the house, fine furniture and sumptuous décor and fittings remind you that this was once a grand home.

Admission to the Wallace Collection is free, and as it is a bit off the beaten path you are not likely to encounter crowds.

Many guidebooks don’t even list it, which is a terrible shame because it is one of the most interesting and vibrant museums in the city.

The Wallace Collection in London gives you a glimpse into the life of an aristocratic family and the decadent surroundings that accompanied such a life.