Somerset House

Somerset House is a major arts and cultural centre on the Strand, at the southern edge of Covent Garden where the neoclassical buildings meet the River Thames. A registered charity, it describes itself as the home of cultural innovators and London's working arts centre, and it hosts a broad public programme across its galleries, courtyard and riverside spaces throughout the year.

The present complex was begun in 1775 to designs by Sir William Chambers, and its storied network of neoclassical, Georgian-era buildings once held public records such as wills and birth certificates, which it no longer holds. Today it is home to the UK's largest creative community, with artists, makers, creative start-ups and arts organisations working in residence through Somerset House Studios, Makerversity and the coworking spaces of the New Wing. The Courtauld Gallery, with its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painting, occupies the Strand block.

What Somerset House on the Strand offers visitors

The programme runs to exhibitions, commissions, tours, art fairs, talks, screenings and festivals, alongside live music in the Summer Series and comedy in the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court. In summer the courtyard fountains become a playground; in winter the same space is given over to the ice rink. Historical highlights tours run on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with family-friendly tours on Saturdays, and there are cafes, restaurants, a shop and venue hire throughout the site.

What to expect on a visit

The site is open daily from 8am to 11pm through the Strand entrance and the New Wing, with The Courtauld Gallery open 10am to 6pm; the Victoria Embankment entrance is best for the Embankment Galleries. Entry to the courtyard and terraces is free, with tickets for exhibitions and events. It is the largest of the Covent Garden attractions and sits a ten-minute walk from Benjamin Franklin House on Craven Street.