The Wallace Collection

Hertford House, a historic townhouse in Manchester Square. Opened to the public in 1900, the collection was bequeathed to the nation by Lady Wallace and contains an extraordinary range of fine and decorative arts assembled by the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace. Galleries filled with masterpieces by European painters, exquisite furniture, porcelain, armor, and decorative objects spanning several centuries. The museum’s intimate setting allows artworks to be experienced in rooms that closely resemble a grand private residence. The Wallace Collection is particularly renowned for its outstanding holdings of eighteenth-century French art and furniture, as well as paintings by masters such as Rembrandt, Titian, Velázquez, and Frans Hals. One of its most celebrated treasures is The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, a masterpiece of the Rococo period. Combining artistic excellence with the atmosphere of a historic mansion, the Wallace Collection offers a unique glimpse into the tastes and collecting ambitions of Britain’s aristocratic elite and remains one of the finest cultural attractions in London.