The Wallace collection is an art treasure trove, a gem which people often miss. It is the collection of the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace which was given to the nation in 1897. It is beautifully displayed in period rooms in Hertford House, the family mansion which evokes their lives and tastes. It is one of the most significant collections of fine and decorative arts in the world.
Until 29th November 2026 there is a special opportunity to also view a very special collection of paintings by Winston Churchill. It is appropriate that the Wallace Collection should host this retrospective because Odette Pol- Roger, the great granddaughter of Richard Wallace was a friend of Churchill as well as the doyenne of his favourite champagne house. Fifty seven paintings which trace Churchill's development as a painter are brought together for the first time. Churchill started painting after the disastrous Dardanelles Campaign in World War I and found that it helped to relieve his bouts of depression, from that time on wherever he travelled to he took his paints with him.
A guided tour of the Wallace Collection is also included on this special tour. The collection is particularly famous for its French 18th Century paintings and decorative arts and there is also a fine collection of paintings from 14th century to late 19th century including works by Titan, van Dyck, Rubens, Hals, Verlásquez, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Canaletto.