Spencer House

The basics

Every Sunday, Spencer House tours take place throughout the day. Tours visit the eight State Rooms, including the early Regency-style Library, the mint-green Dining Room, Lady Spencer's Room, and the Music Room. Tours are the only way to visit Spencer House and can be booked online in advance via the official website. Group tours and special access tours can be arranged on request.

Things to know before you go

• There's a cloakroom at Spencer House where you can leave coats and bags free of charge.

• Photography is allowed.

• Lifts and accessible toilets make the house suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. The garden is not accessible, but you can admire it from the terrace.

• While you might bag a spot in the late afternoon if you turn up on the day, it's much better to book your Spencer House tour in advance on the website.

How to get there

Spencer House is located on St James’s Place, which can be accessed either via St James’s Street or through Queen’s Passage alleyway if walking from Green Park. The nearest London Underground station is Green Park, a 5-minute walk away; leave the station via the Buckingham Palace exit. Spencer House is a 10-minute walk from Buckingham Palace, so it's easy to combine visits to both.

When to get there

Tours of Spencer House take place every 30 minutes from around 10:30am until 4pm on Sundays, and typically last 75 minutes. The gardens are open from May through October, while Spencer House closes for maintenance in August. Tours tend to be quietest from mid-afternoon.

Upstairs Spencer House

The delights of Spencer House aren’t just confined to the lower floor. Upstairs, four interconnected rooms created an entertainment complex. Showpieces include the Ballroom, where grand paintings of mythological scenes complement a fine Turkish carpet; Lady Spencer’s Room, where oxblood red walls served as the backdrop for priceless gold-framed artwork; and the Painted Room, the earliest neoclassical painted room in Europe.