London Festival of Architecture: Building Leighton House
Thursday 11 June 2026, 1-2pm
Join Senior Curator, Daniel Robbins, for a fascinating tour of Leighton House - the remarkable studio-home of Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896).
Over more than thirty years, Leighton worked closely with architect George Aitchison to design a home that was both a working studio and a dramatic setting for art. Aitchison—President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (1896 to 1910) created in Leighton House his most significant surviving work. At the heart of the house lies the spectacular Arab Hall, designed to showcase Leighton’s collection of tiles from Turkey, Syria and Iran.
The tour will also include a visit to the exhibition The Arab Hall: Past and Present, where Aitchison’s original presentation drawings reveal how this extraordinary interior was first conceived. Presented to mark 100 years since the house opened as a museum, this multidisciplinary exhibition explores the history, design and enduring fascination of one of Victorian London’s most remarkable interiors.
Useful Information
- Group will gather in the reception area of the museum, for a start time of 1pm.
- The tour includes access to the historic house and exhibition galleries.
Meet Daniel Robbins
Daniel Robbins is the Senior Curator of two of London's most significant house museums, Leighton House and Sambourne House. He was responsible for the award-winning project to restore the historic interiors of Leighton House completed between 2008-2010 and he has also successfully led the Hidden Gem to National Treasure redevelopment focused on the additions made to the building in the twentieth century . Formerly with Glasgow Museums, he has organised many exhibitions and contributed to numerous catalogues and publications around nineteenth-century art, architecture and design. Daniel is an accredited lecturer for the Arts Society and has lectured across the UK and internationally including the Frick, New York and the Ponce Museum in Puerto Rico, where Leighton's celebrated Flaming June can be found.
For updates on all of our upcoming events sign up to our museums e-newsletter.
Ticket options
Thursday 11 June 2026, 1-2pm
Join Senior Curator, Daniel Robbins, for a fascinating tour of Leighton House - the remarkable studio-home of Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896).
Over more than thirty years, Leighton worked closely with architect George Aitchison to design a home that was both a working studio and a dramatic setting for art. Aitchison—President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (1896 to 1910) created in Leighton House his most significant surviving work. At the heart of the house lies the spectacular Arab Hall, designed to showcase Leighton’s collection of tiles from Turkey, Syria and Iran.
The tour will also include a visit to the exhibition The Arab Hall: Past and Present, where Aitchison’s original presentation drawings reveal how this extraordinary interior was first conceived. Presented to mark 100 years since the house opened as a museum, this multidisciplinary exhibition explores the history, design and enduring fascination of one of Victorian London’s most remarkable interiors.
Useful Information
- Group will gather in the reception area of the museum, for a start time of 1pm.
- The tour includes access to the historic house and exhibition galleries.
Meet Daniel Robbins
Daniel Robbins is the Senior Curator of two of London's most significant house museums, Leighton House and Sambourne House. He was responsible for the award-winning project to restore the historic interiors of Leighton House completed between 2008-2010 and he has also successfully led the Hidden Gem to National Treasure redevelopment focused on the additions made to the building in the twentieth century . Formerly with Glasgow Museums, he has organised many exhibitions and contributed to numerous catalogues and publications around nineteenth-century art, architecture and design. Daniel is an accredited lecturer for the Arts Society and has lectured across the UK and internationally including the Frick, New York and the Ponce Museum in Puerto Rico, where Leighton's celebrated Flaming June can be found.
For updates on all of our upcoming events sign up to our museums e-newsletter.
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