London Festival of Architecture: Building Leighton House
Thursday 11 June 2026, 1-2pm
Join exhibitions curator Hannah Lund for a fascinating tour of Leighton House, the remarkable studio-home of Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton.
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 Hannah Lund
Hannah Lund, Curator of Exhibitions and Displays at Leighton House and Sambourne House, is currently focused on the future exhibition programme and the interpretation of both historic houses. She joined the museums full-time in 2018 to work on a project to rationalise the reserve collection. Between 2019 and 2022 she was responsible for developing displays and interpretation as part of the museum’s capital project Hidden Gem to National Treasure. Hannah studied History of Art at Edinburgh University, completing a Research Masters in British material culture in 2017.
For updates on all of our upcoming events sign up to our museums e-newsletter.
Ticket options
Thursday 11 June 2026, 1-2pm
Join exhibitions curator Hannah Lund for a fascinating tour of Leighton House, the remarkable studio-home of Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton.
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 Hannah Lund
Hannah Lund, Curator of Exhibitions and Displays at Leighton House and Sambourne House, is currently focused on the future exhibition programme and the interpretation of both historic houses. She joined the museums full-time in 2018 to work on a project to rationalise the reserve collection. Between 2019 and 2022 she was responsible for developing displays and interpretation as part of the museum’s capital project Hidden Gem to National Treasure. Hannah studied History of Art at Edinburgh University, completing a Research Masters in British material culture in 2017.
For updates on all of our upcoming events sign up to our museums e-newsletter.
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