Leighton House: Pay What You Want on the First Monday of the Month

On the first Monday of every month you can walk into Leighton House and pay nothing at all. Not a reduced rate. Nothing, if that is what you choose.

“Pay what you want when you visit Leighton House on the first Monday of each month from 10am to 1pm. This means you can pay above the standard ticket price, the same or nothing at all.”

Three hours, once a month, against a standard adult ticket of £14.

Three conditions, all of which matter:

“Tickets are only available at the door.” Advance online booking is not available on Pay What You Want days.

Not available for group bookings.

Not available on Bank Holidays. Since the offer falls on a Monday, that rules out the first Monday in May, the last Monday in May, the last Monday in August, and Easter Monday where it lands first in the month. Check the calendar before you go.

There is a second quirk that makes this day unusually good. Monday is the one day Leighton House is open and its sister museum is not, so the building is working to a quieter rhythm anyway.

Parts of Leighton House are free any day

You do not need a ticket at all for four areas, which is worth knowing if you are passing.

The gift shop. The De Morgan Café. The garden. The Tavolozza Drawings Gallery.

So a free visit means the garden, a coffee and a drawings gallery. The ticket buys the historic interiors and the temporary exhibitions.

One hard rule on the garden: “Leighton House Garden closes at 5pm without exception.” The house closes at 5.30pm, so the garden shuts half an hour earlier, and the wording leaves no room for negotiation.

Free tours every afternoon, but not guaranteed

Volunteer-led and included with any admission, including free entry.

Leighton House: Wednesday to Sunday, 2.30pm to 3.15pm.

Sambourne House: Wednesday and Saturday, 3pm to 3.45pm.

The caveat is honest: “Tours are limited capacity and operate on a first-come, first-served basis. These tours are not guaranteed and depend on volunteer availability.”

Note that Monday is not on the tour list, which is the trade-off against the Pay What You Want morning.

The two museums close on different days

They are run by the same team, eight minutes’ walk apart, and their opening days do not match. This is the single most common way to waste a trip here.

Leighton House: open Monday and Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5.30pm. Closed Tuesday.

Sambourne House: open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5.30pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Last entry to both is 4.30pm, and the museums reserve the right to refuse admission after it.

So on a Monday, only Leighton is open. On a Tuesday, neither is. If you have bought a joint ticket, that matters: “If you have a joint ticket, allow enough time to visit both museums.” A Monday joint ticket is half wasted.

What everything costs, and whether the joint ticket is worth it

Leighton House: adults £14, concessions £10, children 6 to 18 £6.

Sambourne House: adults £12, concessions £10, children 6 to 18 £6.

Joint ticket: adults £23, concessions £16, children £8.

Work out the saving and it is better for everyone except full-price adults. Separately the two adult tickets come to £26, so the joint saves £3. For a concession it is £20 separately against £16, a £4 saving on a smaller base. For a child it is £12 against £8, a third off.

A National Art Pass gets 50 per cent off entry at either house or on the joint ticket, with proof needed on arrival. That makes Leighton £7 and the joint ticket £11.50, which beats every other discount here.

RBKC employees pay £7, on the door only, with a valid employee card.

The concession list is wider than most, and the last one is rarely named:

“Visitors aged 18 to 25 years old. Full-time students (all ages). Visitors with disabilities. Job seekers.”

Students of any age, and job seekers, both qualify. Proof is required on arrival.

Free entry covers children aged 6 and under, accompanying carers, Blue Badge Guides, members of The Friends, accredited press, and ICOM and Museums Association members. Press passes must be arranged in advance by email.

One booking note that catches people: “online same-day tickets are not available.” Book ahead, or buy at the Welcome Desk. There is no booking online on the morning of your visit.

Nothing bigger than 55 by 40 by 20cm

A firm limit at both houses, and at Leighton there is nowhere to leave anything.

“All suitcases and bags larger than 55cm x 40cm x 20cm are not permitted at either museums.”

They also advise against large backpacks in the historic rooms, and explain why: “This also helps to preserve the delicate fabric of the historic interiors.”

There is no cloakroom at Leighton House at all. Sambourne has a limited number of secure lockable racks, with very limited space and no cloakroom either.

Worth noting that this limit, 55 by 40 by 20cm, is tighter than the 55 by 40 by 25cm allowed at Two Temple Place. A cabin bag that passes there may not pass here.

Photography is allowed, with four things banned

More permissive than several London houses, and the line is equipment rather than intent.

“Photography for personal use is allowed in both houses with hand-held cameras and phones.”

Then the exclusions: no flash, and “Tripods, monopods, gimbals and lighting is not permitted in the rooms.”

So a proper camera is fine as long as you hold it. Gimbals are specifically named, which rules out the stabilised walkthrough video. Commercial shoots go through the Venue Hire team.

For comparison, Dennis Severs’ House bans photography entirely and God’s Own Junkyard bans DSLRs while allowing phones. Leighton House is the most relaxed of the three.

No pets, including in the garden and the café

Worth reading in full because it is broader than the usual rule.

“Pets are not allowed inside Leighton House and Sambourne House, including outdoor spaces and the De Morgan Café at Leighton House.”

Outdoor spaces included. So the garden and the café terrace are both out, which is unusual: most museum cafés with outdoor seating allow a dog there.

Only guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs are admitted.

Leighton is step-free throughout. Sambourne is seven steps at the door

The two houses are at opposite ends of the accessibility scale, and the detail is published plainly.

Leighton House: “enter via the ground floor reception, entry is step-free.” Inside, “There are platform and passenger lifts at Leighton House which provide step free access to all floors of the museum.” Gender-neutral and accessible toilets with baby change on the lower ground floor. Benches, seating and portable folding stools available.

Sambourne House: “enter via the seven steps in the reception room on the lower ground floor, entry is not wheelchair accessible.”

And the honest consequence: “Two gender-neutral toilets are found on the lower basement level without step-free access. Unfortunately, due to the historic nature of this museum, there are currently no accessible toilets or baby change facilities.”

No accessible toilet and no baby change at all at Sambourne. Very limited public seating, with a small number of folding stools.

On buggies, the split is again clear. At Leighton, buggies can be used on all floors of the new wing and in the Learning Centre, but not in the historic house. At Sambourne there is no buggy access, and the parking arrangement comes with a warning: “any buggy or pushchair must be carried down a short, steep flight of steps to reach the basement reception.”

Access enquiries go to the museums by email ahead of a visit.

No parking at either, and Sunday is free on the street

“There is no onsite parking or drop-off parking at either museums.”

Not even drop-off. Metered parking nearby operates:

Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6.30pm. Saturday 8.30am to 1.30pm. Sunday: free.

So Sunday street parking costs nothing, and Saturday is free after 1.30pm. Holland Park Car Park, pay and display, is a 10 minute walk from either house.

Getting there

Leighton House, 12 Holland Park Road, London W14 8LZ.

Sambourne House, 18 Stafford Terrace, London W8 7BH.

From High Street Kensington on the District and Circle: 10 minutes to Leighton, 5 minutes to Sambourne.

From Holland Park on the Central line: 15 minutes to both, through Holland Park itself. That is the nicer walk.

From Kensington Olympia on the Overground: 8 minutes to Leighton. This is the closest approach to Leighton House.

Buses 9, 23, 27, 28, 49 and 328 stop on Kensington High Street, Earls Court Road or by the Design Museum.

Cycle racks sit outside the Leighton House visitor entrance, in limited numbers. Sambourne has none of its own, with racks along Kensington High Street instead, and Santander docks are in the immediate area.

What you are going to see

Leighton House was the home and studio of the Victorian painter Frederic, Lord Leighton, built as a working artist’s house rather than a family one.

The rooms the museum leads with: the Arab Hall, with its golden dome, the Narcissus Hall, the Silk Room and the staircase hall. The Arab Hall is the reason people come: a tiled, domed interior built around a collection of Islamic tiles, in a house in Kensington.

Sambourne House, at 18 Stafford Terrace, was the home of the Punch cartoonist Edward Linley Sambourne, and survives as a largely intact late Victorian middle-class interior. It has a soundscape installation in the historic dining room, and a stained glass window and drawing room among its set pieces.

2026 is the museum’s centenary year, marked as 100 Years of Leighton House, with an exhibition programme including Magic and Mess: The Artist’s Studio Revealed.

Facilities, briefly. Leighton has a gift shop at reception, the De Morgan Café on the ground floor with garden access, and a garden open in good weather. Sambourne has no café and a small gift shop.

How to plan it

Cheapest visit: the first Monday of the month, 10am to 1pm, pay what you want. At the door, not online, and not on a Bank Holiday.

Free any day: the garden, café, shop and Tavolozza Drawings Gallery.

Best discount otherwise: a National Art Pass, at 50 per cent off.

Concessions include students of any age and job seekers.

Both museums in one day: Wednesday to Sunday only, eight minutes apart, on a £23 joint ticket.

Tuesday: both are closed.

Monday: Leighton only, and no volunteer tour.

Free tour: 2.30pm Wednesday to Sunday at Leighton, first come, not guaranteed.

Garden closes at 5pm, half an hour before the house.

Last entry 4.30pm.

Bags: nothing over 55 by 40 by 20cm, and no cloakroom at Leighton.

Photos: hand-held only, no flash, tripods, monopods or gimbals.

Wheelchair user: Leighton is step-free throughout. Sambourne is not accessible at all.

Driving: Sunday street parking is free. There is no parking at either museum.

Leighton House

Address

12 Holland Park Road, London W14 8LZ

Nearest

Kensington Olympia 8 minutes, High Street Kensington 10 minutes, Holland Park 15 minutes through the park. Buses 9, 23, 27, 28, 49 and 328

Hours

Monday and Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5.30pm, last entry 4.30pm. Closed Tuesday. The garden closes at 5pm without exception. Sambourne House, under the same management eight minutes away, is open Wednesday to Sunday only

Booking

In advance online or at the Welcome Desk. Same-day online tickets are not available, and Pay What You Want tickets are sold at the door only

Price

Adults 14 pounds, concessions 10, children 6 to 18 at 6. Joint ticket with Sambourne House 23 pounds adult, 16 concession, 8 child. National Art Pass holders get 50 per cent off. Free for under 6s, carers, Blue Badge Guides and Friends members. Pay What You Want on the first Monday of each month from 10am to 1pm

Standing

The home and studio of the Victorian painter Frederic, Lord Leighton, holding the domed Arab Hall, the Narcissus Hall, the Silk Room and the staircase hall. 2026 is its centenary as a public museum

How to get in

Pay What You Want runs on the first Monday of each month from 10am to 1pm, at the door only, excluding group bookings and Bank Holidays, and you may pay nothing. The gift shop, De Morgan Cafe, garden and Tavolozza Drawings Gallery are free any day. Free volunteer-led tours run Wednesday to Sunday 2.30pm to 3.15pm, first come and not guaranteed. The garden closes at 5pm without exception while the house closes at 5.30pm. Leighton is closed Tuesday while Sambourne House closes Monday and Tuesday, so a joint ticket only works Wednesday to Sunday. Bags over 55 by 40 by 20cm are refused and there is no cloakroom. Hand-held photography is allowed without flash, tripods, monopods or gimbals. Pets are banned including in the garden and cafe. Leighton is step-free to all floors by lift; Sambourne has seven steps at the entrance and no accessible toilet or baby change.

Where to go next

Holland Park is the walk between the stations and the houses, and Notting Hill covers the area just north.

Dennis Severs’ House is the other great preserved interior, and free museums covers what never charges.

Questions we get asked

Is Leighton House ever free?

Yes, in two ways. On the first Monday of each month between 10am and 1pm it runs Pay What You Want, where you may pay above the standard price, the same, or nothing at all. Tickets are at the door only, with no advance online booking, and the offer excludes group bookings and Bank Holidays. Separately, the gift shop, De Morgan Café, garden and Tavolozza Drawings Gallery are free to visit any day without a ticket.

How much is Leighton House?

Adults £14, concessions £10 and children aged 6 to 18 £6, with under 6s free. A joint ticket with Sambourne House is £23 for adults, £16 concession and £8 for children, which saves £3, £4 and £4 respectively against buying separately. A National Art Pass gets 50 per cent off, making Leighton £7. Concessions cover 18 to 25 year olds, full-time students of any age, visitors with disabilities and job seekers, with proof needed on arrival.

What days is Leighton House open?

Monday and Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5.30pm, with last entry at 4.30pm. It is closed on Tuesday. Note that Sambourne House, run by the same team eight minutes' walk away, is closed on Monday as well as Tuesday, so a joint ticket only works Wednesday to Sunday. The Leighton House garden closes at 5pm without exception, half an hour before the house.

Are there free tours at Leighton House?

Yes, volunteer-led tours run Wednesday to Sunday from 2.30pm to 3.15pm at Leighton House, and Wednesday and Saturday from 3pm to 3.45pm at Sambourne House. They are included with paid admission or any free-entry eligibility, but are limited in capacity, operate first come first served, and are not guaranteed because they depend on volunteer availability. There is no tour on a Monday.

Can you take photographs in Leighton House?

Yes, for personal use, with hand-held cameras and phones. Flash is not permitted, and tripods, monopods, gimbals and lighting are not allowed in the rooms, which rules out stabilised walkthrough video. Commercial shoots go through the Venue Hire team. That makes it more permissive than Dennis Severs' House, which bans photography entirely.

Is Leighton House wheelchair accessible?

Leighton House is, fully: entry is step-free via the ground floor reception, and platform and passenger lifts reach all floors, with accessible and gender-neutral toilets and baby change on the lower ground floor. Sambourne House is not: entry is up seven steps, there is no step-free access, and there are no accessible toilets or baby change facilities at all. Accompanying carers go free at both.

Is there parking at Leighton House?

No, and no drop-off parking either. Limited metered street parking operates Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6.30pm and Saturday 8.30am to 1.30pm, and is free on Sunday and after 1.30pm on Saturday. Holland Park Car Park, pay and display, is a 10 minute walk from either museum.

Can you take a dog to Leighton House?

Only guide, hearing and assistance dogs. The ban is broader than most museums: pets are not allowed in the outdoor spaces or the De Morgan Café either, so the garden and café terrace are both out.