Somerset House

Somerset House has a rich history stretching back over 500 years. Today we see one of the finest 18th century buildings in London transformed in the late 20th century into an international centre for contemporary arts and culture.

Over the centuries the various buildings which have existed on this site have served in turn as royal palace, ambassadorial residence, military barracks, public pleasure-garden and administrative quarters of the Royal Navy; a museum and home to learned societies and art institutions; and as Civil Service and Inland Revenue offices only vacated as recently as 2013.

In recent times Somerset House has enjoyed a renaissance that has turned it into a much-loved London landmark. Its intriguing history and colourful past are the backdrop to a large and vibrant creative community and a popular public cultural programme.

The first Somerset House to occupy the site was completed in stages between 1547 and 1619, and was replaced by the second and present building which was started in 1776 during the reign of King George III. Remains of the original buildings are now buried beneath The Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court, and some are still visible under the basement of the East Wing.

William Chambers was the architect of the present building but he never saw it completed. The final addition was not made to the building until 1857, in the reign of Queen Victoria.

In 2000, this landmark building began its reinvention as a cultural powerhouse for today, advancing a new generation of creative thinkers.

Today, we offer a diverse and dynamic programme of contemporary arts and culture. Our exhibitions profile the work of today’s boldest creative minds, with The Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court hosting a thrilling series of outdoor film, music and skating events. Our learning programme fosters skills and knowledge in the arts and cultural industries while Somerset House Studios promotes work that pushes bold ideas, engages with urgent issues and pioneers new technologies. We are also home to The Courtauld Gallery and Institute, and King’s College, London.

Summer Series with American Express. "One of London's finest open-air venues." - I newspaper. Metronomy on stage, 2018

An established part of London’s festival scene, Summer Series with American Express returns annually with eleven-nights of established and emerging artists. The world-class talent showcased each year reflects Somerset House’s commitment to curating a mix of both international and homegrown artists. The Roots, 2018

Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset House takes place for two weeks annually in August, with a carefully-curated and distinctive selection of classic films, contemporary hits, cult favourites and red-carpet premieres, presented under the night sky.

A large-scale art installation by artist John Gerrard in Somerset House’s The Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court on the occasion of World Earth Day.

Thresholds by Mat Collishaw, presented at Somerset House in 2017, used the latest in VR technology, to restage one of the earliest exhibitions of photography in 1839, when British scientist William Henry Fox Talbot first presented his photographic prints to the public at King Edward's School, Birmingham.

In 2017 the exhibition, North: Fashioning Identity, explored the truth, myth and the spaces in-between in visual representations of the North of England.

A multi-sensory exhibition Perfume: A Contemporary Journey Through Contemporary Scent presented at Somerset House in the summer of 2017 featured ten extraordinary perfumes and their pioneering creators, who have radically changed our perceptions of fragrance over the last 20 years.

Inviting visitors to experience a vibrant new perfume scene, the contemporary cult perfumes shaking up scent culture and the unseen works of art worn on our skin. Contemporary perfume provocateurs are dispensing with traditional high gloss communication concepts, gender boundaries and conventional notions of good taste.

An installation for Dark Ride by Killian Wells.

Since its launch in October 2016, Somerset House Studios has established itself as a game-changing incubator of creative talent, the number of artists working on site growing from 65 to 85 over the past year.

New residents in 2017/18 included experimental rapper and performance artist Gaika, artist and writer Laura Grace Ford, DJ and producer Nabihah Iqbal, and collaborative artists and filmmakers Iain Forsyth and Jayne Pollard.

Somerset House is home to the largest and most diverse collection of creative organisations, freelancers, artists, makers and thinkers in London.

The Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court is centred around our iconic fountains and surrounded on all sides by 19th century buildings.