Kenwood House
Kenwood pairs a serene heathland setting with interiors orchestrated by Robert Adam like music in plaster and light. The famed Library, all pale hues and delicate ornament, sets an elegant tone for visiting rooms. Upstairs, a compact masterpiece display includes Rembrandt's late self-portrait and Vermeer's rare Guitar Player. Portraits by Gainsborough and Reynolds complete an unusually luminous survey of European painting. Outside, sweeping lawns and water vistas frame the house like a living landscape painting. Entry is free; volunteers add context with generous, well-paced insights. See the Library first, then the Picture Gallery, and finish with a slow garden loop.
Opening Hours
What's not to miss inside?
Adam Library
Robert Adam’s neoclassical showpieceRemodelled c.1764-79, the library’s pale colours, apsed end and intricate plasterwork reveal how Adam turned rooms into ‘harmonies’ of architecture, furnishings and light.
📍 Ground floor, south wing
Rembrandt Self-portrait
Late work by RembrandtPainted in the 1660s, the ageing artist studies himself with thick, luminous paint; every ridge of brushwork shows how he built light from darkness.
📍 First floor, Picture Gallery
Vermeer Guitar Player
Rare Vermeer in BritainJohannes Vermeer’s c.1672 canvas catches music mid-note. It was famously stolen in 1974 and later recovered, adding a modern chapter to its quiet scene.
📍 First floor, Picture Gallery
Capability Grounds
Picturesque heathland settingSweeping lawns, woodland and water frame the house like a landscape painting, refined in the late 18th century to give long, unfolding views over London.
📍 Gardens and lake, outdoors
Inspire your Friends
- Johannes Vermeer’s ‘The Guitar Player’ was stolen from Kenwood in 1974 and later recovered.
- Robert Adam’s remodelling created the signature library interiors between the 1760s and 1770s.
- Kenwood’s art includes a late Rembrandt self-portrait painted in the 1660s.
- The house sits on the edge of Hampstead Heath with long views towards central London.
