The candlelit tour at Sir John Soane's Museum
A private 90-minute evening in Sir John Soane's house museum after it has closed, for up to 15 guests: a half-hour reception in the Library-Dining Room, then an hour through the rooms by candlelight with one of the museum's guides.
Sir John Soane's Museum, 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP
Why it is on the list
Soane left his house and collection to the nation by a private Act of Parliament of 1833, on condition that it be kept as nearly as possible as he left it at his death in 1837.1 It holds about 45,000 objects, over 30,000 of them architectural drawings.1 By day the museum is free, often has a queue at the door and limits numbers in its narrow rooms.2 The candlelit tour takes the whole house once it has closed, for your party alone, and shows the interiors by candlelight.3
It is the wrong choice for anyone who wants to film or photograph with flash, which the museum does not allow, or for a party that cannot leave its bags at the cloakroom.3 A group that would rather go in the morning can book an hour for up to 15 before opening, or on a Tuesday, when the museum is shut.3
How to get it
Write to the events team at events@soane.org.uk or call 020 7440 4279 and ask for the Candlelit Tour.3 It costs £1,500 plus VAT for up to 15 guests and runs 90 minutes, starting with prosecco and white wine in the Library-Dining Room.3 Two tours can run at the same time for a larger party.3 Ruinart champagne in place of the prosecco is £500 plus VAT for 15, and canapés are £1,000 plus VAT for 15, each with a charge per extra guest.3 The tour can be shaped around an interest (the history of art, architectural theory, Georgian and Regency social life) and given in other languages; say so when you book.3
Guests may not eat inside the building, wear stiletto heels or keep bags with them; bags go to the cloakroom, and there is no room for suitcases or large bags.3
Discretion
The museum is closed to the public for the tour, so the house holds only your party and its guides.3 Guests come in through the original front door of No. 13 on Lincoln's Inn Fields.2 Photography is allowed; filming and flash are not.3
Sources
- Sir John Soane's Museum - Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org, read 24 September 2026.
- Plan Your Visit | Sir John Soane's Museum. soane.org, read 24 September 2026.
- Private Tours | Sir John Soane's Museum. soane.org, read 24 September 2026.
Last checked 24 September 2026, against the venue's own pages. The next check is due by 23 December 2026.