Sir John Soane's Museum

Perhaps the finest small museum in London, this is the former home of Sir John Soane (1753-1837), the architect who built the Bank of England (although not most of the present structure). With his multiple levels, fool-the-eye mirrors, flying arches, and domes, Soane was a master of perspective and a genius of interior space -- his picture gallery, for example, is filled with three times the number of paintings that a room of similar dimensions would normally hold. One prize of the collection is William Hogarth's satirical series The Rake's Progress, a satire on mid-18th-century politics. Soane also filled his house with classical sculpture: The sarcophagus of Pharaoh Seti I, found in a burial chamber in the Valley of the Kings, is here.

Insider's tip: On the first Tuesday evening of every month, this most evocative of collections ups the ante by giving visitors the chance to explore its labyrinthine confines by candlelight. Expect to wait in line for at least 1 hour.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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