Tour of Inspirational Houses in Kensington.
Visit Sambourne House & Leighton House with our specially tailored tour on Thursday 14th May 2026
Visiting beautiful houses is a great way to get inspiration for your next miniature project & there are a couple of incredible houses right next door to Kensington Town Hall, so no need to travel far from our show.
Our tour of Leighton House & Sambourne House will take place on Thursday 14th May, the day before the Kensington Dolls House Festival Summer Show begins. We hope visitors can travel to London early to join us for this unique day.
The tour will include entry to both Leighton and Sambourne House, guided tours of both properties and travel between venues by taxi. (Lunch is not included but there are numerous cafes & snack bars on Hugh Street Kensington)
A LDF Tour Guide will be on hand to make the day run as smoothly as possible.
Leighton House (100 year Anniversary)
Leighton House Museum is the former home of the Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896). The only purpose-built studio-house open to the public in the United Kingdom, it is one of the most remarkable buildings of the nineteenth century, containing a fascinating collection of paintings and sculpture by Leighton and his contemporaries.
From modest beginnings Leighton House grew into a ‘private palace of art’ featuring the extraordinary Arab Hall with its golden dome, intricate mosaics and walls lined with beautiful Islamic tiles. Many of the most prominent figures of the Victorian age were entertained here; including Queen Victoria herself .
2026 is the 100th Anniversary of Leighton House becoming a public museum and miniature house builders Mulvany & Rogers have created a miniature version that will be displayed at our Summer Festival on May 15 & 16, making this the perfect time to visit this decorative house.
Sambourne House
From 1875, 18 Stafford Terrace was the home of Punch cartoonist Edward Linley Sambourne, his wife Marion, their two children and their live-in servants. The house gives an insight into the personal lives of the Sambourne family, and also provides a rare example of what was known as an ‘Aesthetic interior’ or ‘House Beautiful’ style. After the deaths of Linley and Marion Sambourne, the house was preserved by their descendants. In 1980 it was opened to the public by the Victorian Society
Spaces on this tour are VERY LIMITED! We recommend you book your spot as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.
The tour will run from 10.00am – 3.30pm
PLEASE NOTE: There are lots of steep stairs in Sambourne House & no lift, so this tour is not suitable for people with mobility issues.
Cost £80.00
WE CANNOT TAKE ANY BOOKING FOR THIS TOUR AFTER 30TH APRIL 2026
CLICK HERE to book your space (follow links for tickets for the May Show & the tour is shown at the bottom of the list of tickets), or you can book directly with us via EMAIL
