At a Glance

The Wallace Collection on Manchester Square opened to the public in 1900 after Sir Richard Wallace's widow gifted the 18th-century Hertford House and the family's century-long collection to the nation. No work may ever leave; the interior remains a preserved aristocratic house. Free entry.

A Century of Collecting

Four generations of Hertford marquesses and Sir Richard amassed French 18th-century art, Sèvres porcelain and armour after the French Revolution put royal holdings on the market.

Must-See

• Frans Hals — The Laughing Cavalier (1624).
• Rubens — Rainbow Landscape (1636).
• Fragonard — The Swing (1767).
• Velázquez — Lady with a Fan.
• 2,400 European, Ottoman, Indian, Japanese arms.

Visiting Tips

Bond Street tube. Free. 2–2.5 hours. Open daily. Restaurant inside the atrium is a London classic.