Kenwood House

When visiting a historic house, you may expect to wonder round a fancy building and take a stroll through the gardens, but Kenwood House definitely delivered more than this! Paintings by world famous artists including Reynolds and Vermeer line the walls as if it were the National Gallery. However, the jewel in its crown is most certainly the self-portrait of Rembrandt. The knowledgeable volunteers described the context and drive behind this piece and others, which created a very memorable experience. 

Rembrandt, Self-Portrait with Two Circles 1665-1669.

Vermeer, The Guitar Player 1670-1672.

Out of the many historic houses I have visited, Kenwood had the most unexpected and interesting historical past. The 1st Earl of Mansfield, its most noted previous occupant, played an important role in the abolition of slavery, the story of which was depicted in the 2014 film Belle. The diverse group of volunteers were extremely passionate about this story and described how its occupants affected the lives of many people throughout the country.

Kenwood House library

It was nice to see that rooms such as the library were recreated in their original style during recent restoration work. Those ice-cream colours really make great photographs!

There was a whole room dedicated to jewellery and buckles. Many museums have low lighting to protect objects, and I usually end up straining my eyes, which was unfortunately the case here. I'm curious, does anyone else find low light levels a problem when visiting museums? I like the idea of placing the dehumidifier unit within a pretty box (seen below) to make it more aesthetically pleasing.

Dehumidifying unit.

On the hottest day ever in the UK, this house was a surprisingly good destination. There were plenty of trees for shade and many choices of ice cream, including two vegan options, which is a rare find! Additionally, the cafe provided a good selection of food for fussy eaters. As one of them myself, I am often left to choose from soup or a packet of crisps, but at Kenwood there was a selection of simple appetizing dishes and sides. These little extras made the visit a fantastic day out, but you certainly need a whole day to conquer both the house and gardens! Parking was easy for somewhere so close to central London, but the nearest tube is around a 20min walk up a hill.