Dennis Severs' House — Museum Review | Condé Nast Traveler

"Zoom out. What’s this place all about? Fancy a trip back through time? Just around the corner from buzzy Spitalfields Market, there’s a beautiful old four story house in Spitalfields that is essentially a wonderful time warp. Eccentric American Dennis Severs bought the crumbling derelict building in 1979 and turned the whole thing into an amazing work of art, evocatively recreating the home life of different generations of a Huguenot family living from 1724 to 1919 (and living there himself at the same time!). Severs died in 1999 but the house is perfectly preserved and is one of the most incredible museums in London. A museum's permanent collection is its defining feature: How was this one? Severs collected antique furniture and artifacts to tell the story of the different generations of the imaginary Jervis family: each extraordinary room is based on a different period taking you from harsh poverty to affluent riches and back again. As you explore the atmospheric house, it feels like the family had just stepped out of each room as you arrive: there’s fresh food half-eaten on the table, the scent of powder and perfume still in the air, crumpled bed sheets and the sounds of Spitalfields street life gently humming in the background. There’s not much in the way of explanation in each room, instead Severs wanted people to just be fully immersed and let their imagination run wild. Exhibits keep us coming back. What can we expect? Nothing changes in Dennis Severs House and that’s the beauty of it – it’s a series of moments in time thoughtfully preserved. The whole place is lit by candlelight so it can get quite dark at points and tours are done in total silence which adds to the slightly creepy yet magical atmosphere. The attention to detail is astounding and what’s even more wild is to imagine Severs actually living in this space. You can see his old computer, hat and jacket dotted around if you look closely. Today it’s still inhabited by one of his friends, who sleeps in the master bedroom, but you won’t spot any trace of them. What did you make of the crowd? This is quite a niche museum: one for history fans, interior enthusiasts and those into theatrical spaces, but truly anyone visiting will be instantly immersed into the bewitching experience. There’s only a small number of people allowed in at one time and everyone is respectfully tip-toeing around peering into chamber pots and studying the ghostly paintings. Children are allowed in but there’s no touching or talking so they can get frustrated pretty quickly so maybe better for older kids. On the practical tip, how were the facilities? This is most definitely not an accessible space: there are steep stairs and uneven floors throughout. Only small bags can be brought in, don’t bring a pushchair and don’t even think about trying to come in floor-ruining high heels. There’s nowhere to sit down and no toilet available which doesn’t make for the most comfortable visit, but you’re only here for 45 minutes at the most. Any guided tours worth trying? On arrival, you’ll be greeted outside and given a little overview of the history of the house before being allowed in. There are strategically placed staff throughout to tell you which order to visit the rooms and presumably answer questions, although we didn’t want to break the rule of silence. Feel free to ask the person outside any questions on your way out. There are silent self-guided sessions on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, candlelit silent slots on Friday evenings but if you want to dive a bit deeper, there’s also a £75 immersive performance where you get a dramatic actor-led tour of the house. Gift shop: obligatory, inspiring—or skip it? Not so much of a gift shop as a gift shelf, there are a few bits and bobs for sale influenced by the house including candles and books, but not quite enough to recreate the vibe at home. Is the café worth a stop? There’s no space for even a toilet here, let alone a café, but luckily it’s right next to Spitalfields where there are plenty of places to grab a bite in the market and nice old pubs like The Ten Bells. Any advice for the time- or attention-challenged? You only get a 45 minute slot to explore but that’s plenty of time to have a good look around each of the rooms across the four floors and indulge in some fantastical time travel." - Sonya Barber