Queen's House, Art museum in Greenwich Park, United Kingdom
Queen's House is an art museum in Greenwich Park, London, housed in a 17th-century classical palace that now serves as a historic house museum with painting collections. The building spans several floors with high ceilings, polished floors and large windows that bring natural light into the galleries.
James I commissioned architect Inigo Jones in 1616 to design the residence for Anne of Denmark, but construction was completed only after her death under Henrietta Maria. Jones brought Palladian architecture to England through this project and created a prototype for many later country houses.
The name recalls Anne of Denmark, for whom the residence was originally intended, though she never lived to see it completed. Visitors today experience how royal living quarters merge with gallery exhibitions, while the interior design shows how architecture and art presentation worked together in that era.
Admission is free and the building opens daily, with main galleries well lit and accessible via staircases with wide steps. Guided tours help with orientation through the different halls, and the rooms are not crowded, allowing visitors to look around at their own pace.
The central hall is laid out as a perfect square, with a curved spiral staircase that requires no central support. This technical achievement is considered one of the earliest examples of self-supporting construction in England.
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