Kenwood House, Historic house and art museum in Hampstead, England
Kenwood House is an 18th-century mansion in Hampstead, north London, now serving as an art museum. The two-story building shows a white facade with an Ionic column entrance and symmetrical wings, surrounded by parkland with views over the city.
William Murray purchased the property in 1754 and hired architect Robert Adam to remodel it into a neoclassical residence. Adam expanded the house between 1764 and 1779, adding the famous library and formal rooms in the Georgian style.
Visitors encounter today a collection of Dutch and British paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries hanging in drawing rooms with wooden panels and plaster ceilings. The rooms show how English country families arranged their artworks within private living spaces, with each room keeping its own character.
The estate opens its doors daily to visitors and entry is free, though some rooms may close for maintenance. From the nearest tube station, a 20-minute uphill walk through residential streets leads to the entrance, and comfortable shoes are recommended.
The library holds built-in bookshelves integrated directly into the walls, and its curved ceiling painting shows mythological scenes in pastel tones. Robert Adam designed this room as the centerpiece of his neoclassical concept, with each architectural ornament becoming part of a carefully planned whole.
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