Pitzhanger Manor
What Visitors Say
I went specifically to see the Howard Hodgkin exhibition which is stunning. It’s spread across the gallery space and the main house. The house itself is clearly very beautiful and has been very lovingly restored with lots of information to give context. I particularly loved how the outside still feels like the original landscape so you really could be deep in the countryside as opposed to the urban environment. It’s a 10 minute walk from the tube and I recommend getting there early as it was very busy after 11am so clearly popular. I’m looking forward to going back for the Claire Woods exhibition in the autumn.
A masterclass in neoclassical architecture and contemporary art. This is a magnificent architectural gem and cultural hub located in the heart of Ealing. Originally the country retreat of the renowned architect Sir John Soane, the estate stands as one of his most significant surviving works, meticulously restored to showcase his visionary style. Designed and built between 1800 and 1804, the manor served as a dream home where Soane could entertain friends and display his vast collection of art and antiquities. Its architecture features his signature use of light, mirrors, and bold colors. The staff, particularly at reception, were exceptionally helpful and welcoming. The site seamlessly blends heritage with contemporary art, featuring a professional gallery that hosts a rotating program of world-class exhibitions ranging from sculpture to digital media. Lovely Rachel, a volunteer, led a tour of the house and provided deep insights into the restoration process and Soane's personal life, highlighting unique architectural details like the canopy ceilings and the walls intricate paintwork. I loved it and be back. Definitely recommended 👌🏼.
Visited for the first time to see Howard Hodgkin exhibition…loved every second spent there. Yes, it was a working day, no crowds…straight check in, a cosy reception/cafe & shop…a wonderful main gallery space with the eye catching skylights…just a perfect space. And, the rest of the house, the extensions with fab neoclassical interiors by Sir John Soane… All was packed in the most enjoyable experience. It brought light and colour to my day, which was an overcast rainy January Thursday. Coming back in spring for the gardens…
Lovely combination of art gallery gardens and grand manor house.A great coffee shop too. Gardens are attractive even in February. Can't wait to return in summer
Went to see Howard Hodgkin with my friends. I wasn't too familiar with him. In the gallery part of the exhibition the emotions in some of the paintings felt intense. When you go into the Manor, the colour in the paintings combined with the architecture, colour and light make his works sing. We really enjoyed that we could walk around in relative peace and enjoy all the paintings and the manor itself. Staff in the gallery are very knowledgeable, you do get a real sense of how people lived in the spaces and the gardens.
Highlights
Soane’s Light Experiments
Prototype moves later perfected at Dulwich and Lincoln’s Inn FieldsClerestories and shallow domes wash walls with daylight so paintings glow without glare.
Gallery rooms and stair hall
Country House, Urban Park
Architecture designed as a viewfinderFramed vistas turn the lawn into a ‘room’ beyond the threshold—Soane designs your gaze, not just the house.
South front onto Walpole Park
Contemporary Dialogues
Old shell, new ideasAbout five exhibitions a year riff on Soane’s obsessions—light, memory, illusion, craft.
Temporary exhibition spaces
Opening Hours
Fun Facts
From 1901 the manor served as Ealing’s public library—Soane’s house became a book stack before its modern restoration.
Soane sold Pitzhanger in 1810, barely five years after completing it; the house is both manifesto and brief fling.
Top-lit rooms here prefigure the lighting strategy that made Dulwich Picture Gallery a model for later museums.
