When I first stepped inside the foyer of Sir John Soane's Museum, I had no idea what to expect. My brother had located it in our guidebook, suggesting an outing to explore this somewhat less-known museum. From the outside, this gallery simply looks like another nice but plain townhouse in a nice neighborhood. From my first step into the magnificently decorated foyer, though, I was shocked and thrilled by all I found there, perhaps simply because I had not been expecting much.
First off, the house is furnished and decorated in a beautiful traditional style and lit naturally through large windows and skylights. Narrow passageways and crowded rooms form a maze of wonderful hallways and rooms in what looks from the outside to be a tiny home. Soane, an architect, was a collector, and this townhouse takes the unique approach of simply filling the walls and rooms with his treasures. One of the walls even switches to reveal more art. As I learned, this relatively small museum houses plenty of surprises. The coexistence of a large Egyptian sarcophagus and a cork model of the Parthenon exemplify the quirkiness of this collection. There are just a few items that are especially noteworthy (such as Hogart's "Rake's Progress"), but the clutter and casualness of the place produce a wonderful combination. If you can, get one of the knowledgeable workers to tell you about the house and the pieces - there are sometimes guided tours - because even the most ordinary appearances become extraordinary in this magical museum.