Museums & Arts · Our pick in London
Somerset House
A palace for the arts
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Harry Mitchell · CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Somerset House
Somerset House is a grand neoclassical building between the Strand and the river, begun in the 1770s. Today it is an arts and cultural centre, with exhibitions, events, cafés and a terrace over the Thames. Its courtyard has fountains in summer and an ice rink in winter, and The Courtauld Gallery occupies the Strand wing. Temple and Covent Garden stations are a short walk away.
Why it's on our list
- Fountain courtyard
- Exhibitions
- Winter ice rink
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Somerset House before you go.
Hotels nearby
The closest hotels in our guide to Somerset House, as the crow flies.
- One Aldwych0.1 mi2 min walk
- Strand Palace Hotel0.1 mi2 min walk
- The Savoy0.1 mi3 min walk
- Corinthia London0.4 mi8 min walk
- Rosewood London0.5 mi10 min walk
What’s nearby
Distances from Somerset House are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations
- TempleDistrictCircle0.1 mi3 min walk
- Covent GardenPiccadilly0.3 mi7 min walk
- EmbankmentDistrictBakerlooNorthernCircle0.3 mi7 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Temple Place0.1 mi3 min walk
- Taxi rank, Russell Street0.2 mi4 min walk
Black cabs can also be hailed in the street: a lit yellow TAXI sign means the cab is available.
Key sights
- Covent Garden0.2 miWalk 5 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Trafalgar Square0.5 miWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- London Eye0.5 miWalk 11 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Leicester Square0.5 miWalk 11 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- The British Museum0.7 miWalk 14 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Westminster Abbey0.9 miWalk 18 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Buckingham Palace1.3 miWalk 26 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 13 min
- The Shard1.4 miWalk 28 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 13 min
- Tower of London1.8 miWalk 36 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 16 min
- Harrods2.1 miWalk 43 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 19 min
Main rail terminals
- Charing Cross0.4 miWalk 9 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Waterloo0.6 miWalk 11 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- King’s Cross St Pancras1.4 miWalk 28 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 13 min
- Euston1.4 miWalk 28 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 13 min
- London Bridge1.5 miWalk 29 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 14 min
- Victoria1.5 miWalk 30 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 14 min
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)1.5 miWalk 30 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 14 min
- Liverpool Street1.6 miWalk 32 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 15 min
- Paddington2.5 miCycle 16 minCar or taxi 22 min