The Wallace Collection, Art museum in Manchester Square, London, United Kingdom.
The Wallace Collection is an art museum located inside Hertford House on Manchester Square in London, spread across several floors of a Georgian townhouse. The rooms are arranged in period settings, with European furniture, paintings, sculptures, armor, and ceramics displayed side by side in densely hung galleries.
The collection formed during the 19th century through several generations of the Hertford family, who acquired art and furniture in Paris and London. After Sir Richard Wallace died, his widow donated the ensemble to the British nation in 1897 on condition it remain forever at Hertford House.
The name honors Sir Richard Wallace, who inherited the collection from his ancestors and made it accessible to the British public. Visitors today see mostly French furniture and artworks originally made for aristocratic salons and royal residences.
Admission is free and the house opens daily from 10 am to 5 pm, with entrances from both Manchester Square and Hereford Street. The galleries span multiple floors, so allow at least two hours to explore the different rooms at a comfortable pace.
The armor collection includes several suits made for tournaments and combat in Renaissance Europe. The ground-floor gallery also holds a rare 18th-century French longcase clock equipped with mechanical automata.
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