Name: Apsley House
Address: 149 Piccadilly, Hyde Park Corner, London, W1J 7NT
Telephone: 0207 499 5676

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Apsley House

We’re excited to announce that we’re planning to reopen our sites in the coming weeks. We’re really looking forward to seeing you again. On 13 June we will reopen the first phase of our sites, with a significant number of further sites reopening in early July. We hope to have all sites open again by August. We’ll be sharing more information on how you can book your visit as soon as we can, and will be announcing which sites are reopening in advance of this. The first sites to reopen will be announced around 10 June, and we'll let Members know by email ahead of this.

View from the south east of Apsley House floodlit at night with silhoette of the Wellington Statue to the left

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Waterloo Gallery at Apsley House, London

Entrance hall of Georgian Apsley House, London

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Address

149 Piccadilly, Hyde Park Corner, London, W1J 7NT

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Apsley House Timeline

1771Adam House

Henry Bathurst, Baron Apsley, commissions architect Robert Adam to build him a new house at a cost of £10,000.

Find out more about the history of Apsley House

1807Wellesley Ownership

Richard Wellesley buys Apsley, spends huge sums on it, winds up facing bankruptcy and separates from his wife.

1817Duke of Wellington

Richard's younger brother, Battle of Waterloo hero the Duke of Wellington, anonymously buys Apsley House to resolve his brother's financial woes.

1820First Renovations

Wellington employs architect Benjamin Wyatt to design the State Dining Room. He holds his magnificent annual Waterloo Banquet here every 18 June until the Waterloo Gallery takes over.

1828Prime Minister

The Duke becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

1830An Expensive Bill

When Wyatt presents the Duke with a massive construction bill for £64,000, nearly three times his original estimate, the Duke calls a halt to alterations.

1830sWaterloo Gallery

Major works at Apsley continue, including the stunning Waterloo Gallery, hung with paintings captured from the Spanish Royal Collection and donated by grateful tsars and kings.

Read a description of Apsley House

1852Death of Wellington

The Duke dies at Walmer Castle, Kent.

1853Open to the Public

Wellington's son and heir, the 2nd Duke, opens a 'Museum Room' to the public, displaying his father's gifts and trophies.

1943Gift to the Nation

After the 6th Duke dies from battle wounds, the 7th Duke offers Apsley House to the nation, together with much of the 1st Duke's important art collection.

See highlights from the collection at Apsley House