It's free to enter, it sits in one of London's most beautiful Georgian gardens, and it contains Hampstead's finest local museum. So why does almost nobody visit Burgh House?
Burgh House is a beautiful 18th-century house in the heart of Hampstead Village, home to the Hampstead Museum, an art gallery, a charming café, and a lively events programme, all free to enter. This complete visitor guide covers everything you need to know to plan your visit to one of Hampstead's most delightful attractions.
- Burgh House is a Grade I-listed Queen Anne house (1704) on New End Square
- Free entry to the house, Hampstead Museum, and gallery
- The Buttery café offers lunch, cakes, and afternoon tea with a garden terrace
- A regular programme of concerts, talks, and exhibitions
- A short walk from Hampstead Underground station
- Perfect for combining with the village and the Heath
Visiting Burgh House
Burgh House, built in 1704, is one of Hampstead's finest historic buildings and one of its most welcoming attractions. This Grade I-listed Queen Anne house, with its handsome brick façade and beautiful garden, sits quietly on New End Square in the heart of the village, and inside, it offers a museum, an art gallery, a café, and a rich programme of events, all free to enter.
For visitors, Burgh House offers a perfect combination: a chance to understand Hampstead's history, enjoy art and architecture, and relax in a lovely café, all in one charming historic setting. It is an ideal starting point for exploring the village and one of the best-value cultural attractions in London.
What to See and Do
The Hampstead Museum
The Hampstead Museum tells the story of Hampstead, its evolution from rural village to fashionable spa town to celebrated neighbourhood, its spa heritage, the writers and artists who lived here (from Constable to Keats), and the story of Hampstead Heath. It is the ideal way to understand the village before exploring it.
The Art Gallery
A changing programme of exhibitions, often featuring local and regional artists, continues Hampstead's tradition as a home for art. Well worth seeing alongside the museum.
The Buttery Café
The Buttery is one of the village's loveliest refreshment spots, coffee, lunch, cakes, and a charming afternoon tea, served in a historic setting with a delightful garden terrace for summer. Affordable and atmospheric, it is a highlight of any visit.
Events and Concerts
Burgh House hosts a regular programme of concerts, talks, lectures, and family activities. The intimate music room makes for especially atmospheric concerts. Check the programme for what's on during your visit.
The House and Garden
The house itself, its panelled rooms, fine staircase, and Queen Anne architecture, is a pleasure to explore, and the walled garden is a peaceful retreat in the heart of the village.
Robert Hayes, who leads heritage walks in Hampstead, always includes Burgh House. "It's the perfect introduction to the village," he said. "Free entry, a museum that explains the whole history, a gallery, and a café with a garden terrace in a 300-year-old house. I send people here first, spend an hour in the museum, have lunch in the Buttery, then go and explore the village armed with the context. It transforms the visit. And it's free, which still astonishes people. It's one of Hampstead's best-kept secrets, hiding in plain sight on New End Square."
Planning Your Visit
Opening Times and Entry
Burgh House is open to visitors on most days, though hours vary, check the Burgh House website before visiting, especially for the museum and gallery. Entry to the house, museum, and gallery is free. The Buttery café has its own opening hours.
Getting There
- By Tube: Hampstead station (Northern line) is a short walk away. From the station, head into the village and follow signs or a map to New End Square.
- On foot: Burgh House is in the heart of the village, easily combined with exploring Hampstead's streets and the Heath.
How Long to Allow
Allow an hour or two to enjoy the museum, gallery, and house, plus time for refreshment in the Buttery. Longer if there is an event or concert.
Combining with the Village and Heath
Burgh House is perfectly placed for a wider day in Hampstead:
1. Start at Burgh House: The museum, gallery, and house, to understand the village.
2. Lunch at the Buttery, or explore the village for brunch.
3. Explore the village: Flask Walk and Church Row, Fenton House, Keats House.
4. The Heath: A walk to finish, perhaps to Kenwood or Parliament Hill.
Practical Information
- Address: New End Square, Hampstead, NW3
- Built: 1704 (Queen Anne); Grade I-listed
- Includes: Hampstead Museum, art gallery, the Buttery café, events
- Entry: Free (house, museum, gallery)
- Opening times: Vary, check the Burgh House website
- Nearest Tube: Hampstead (Northern line)
- Best for: Local history, architecture, a café stop, families
Burgh House is one of Hampstead's most delightful and welcoming attractions, a beautiful Queen Anne house offering a museum, gallery, café, and events, all free, in the heart of the village. Whether you come to learn the story of Hampstead, enjoy the art and architecture, attend a concert, or simply have lunch on the garden terrace, it rewards a visit richly. Make it the start of your Hampstead day, and you will discover the perfect introduction to this remarkable village.
