The Wallace Collection in London is the perfect way to combine a fun day of history, lunch and arts education -- with no weather impact because it's all indoors. The Wallace is currently hosting a must-see exhibition, "Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts" through October 22. This enchanting show compares 18th century French art to 20th century hand-drawn animation (Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast) with a helpful audio guide that gives insight into how the studio artists gained inspiration from French artisans. The Wallace itself is free of charge while the Disney exhibition has an admissions fee. My recommendation is to arrive by noon to tour the Disney exhibit, then head to the stunning covered courtyard for lunch at the French-inspired brasserie, then join the daily hour-long curated tour at 2:30 pm for a look at the Wallace's masterworks of painting, sculpture, furniture and more (you'll need to stop by the front desk to get a sticker because participation in the tour is limited to about 20 people). It was quite a treat to enjoy this special place!
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34007 posts
It has always been one of my favourite museums. Lovely staff too.
Posted by
Atlanta
2511 posts
Yes! The Wallace Collection is a favorite of mine. We stopped for a snack and tea in the tearoom. Simply delightful visit.
Posted by
Chicago
1334 posts
Agreed, it’s been a few years since I’ve been there, I believe it was closed for renovations for a while.
Quite a nice museum and the surrounding neighbourhood is also pleasant for a walk.
Posted by
Phoenix🌵
3098 posts
Thank you for the information. Wallace Collection was the first thing planned on my itinerary. But plans have changed a bit. Any idea how long we should allow to look at the exhibits, don’t know about Disney yet?
Posted by
OP
11 posts
As for time allocation ... I don't think we would have gleaned as much from the Collection if we hadn't participated in the afternoon highlights tour. That would be one hour, then you could spend a second hour on your own. I know every curator will have a different focus, but to make the connection that Rembrandt and his son, Titus, are gazing across the room at each other; and that one gallery holds more furniture owned by Marie Antoinette than any other museum in the country, are interesting tidbits that I would not have accumulated on my own (and the fact that we had just toured Versailles the day before made it even more relevant). Also, we were so taken by the Disney exhibition that we spent about 2 hours there -- the wall dedicated to Cinderella's transformation is magical and such a tribute to the collaboration of hand drawings and video.. And, make sure you watch the Collection's video about The Swing before you see it in person; you'll feel like you have insider information! I'm going to stop commenting now, I feel like I have already posted a spoiler alert. Enjoy!
Posted by
Winchester, UK
142 posts
I was there last month and it was lovely as ever. Glad you enjoyed it
Posted by
3462 posts
Thanks for posting. The Wallace Collection is one of my all-time favorite museums; and I have gotten considerable "museum cred" by recommending it to friends.