Two Temple Place
an astor's gilded secret, free in winter
An absurdly opulent neo-Gothic mansion built for an Astor, thrown open to the public for free every winter for one knockout exhibition.
Free to visit · Temple · Temple · WC2R 3BD
Opening: Free only during the annual winter exhibition · roughly late Jan to mid-Apr
Two Temple Place was built in the 1890s as the estate office of William Waldorf Astor, then the richest man in the world, and he spared no expense. Behind a quiet door on the Embankment is a riot of carved mahogany, stained glass, a hammerbeam roof and a staircase topped with silver-gilt figures from The Three Musketeers. It is one of the most lavish interiors in London.
For most of the year it is a private events venue you cannot get into. But every winter it hosts a single free public exhibition, usually drawing on collections from regional museums around the UK, and for those few months anyone can walk in for nothing and stand in that astonishing hall.
The exhibition is the excuse, but the building is the real reason to go. Half the visitors barely look at the art because they are too busy staring at the ceilings. It is free, it is central, and it is one of London's best-kept secrets precisely because the window to see it is so short.
Getting there: On the Victoria Embankment by the river, two minutes from Temple station when it is open, or a short walk from Embankment.
Best time to go: A weekday afternoon during the winter show. It is only open to the public for those few months, so check the dates before you make the trip.
Insider tip: Go for the house as much as the show, and look up constantly, the frieze of literary characters, the carved staircase, the stained glass over the great hall. It is only open during the winter exhibition, so if the dates line up with your visit, do not put it off until next time.
Official site: https://twotempleplace.org
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide