Visit the Queen’s House in Greenwich, London. Home to an internationally renowned art collection, Inigo Jones’ architectural masterpiece is the first Classical building in the UK.

The iconic Armada portrait of Elizabeth I commemorates the most famous conflict of her reign – the failed invasion of England by the Spanish Armada in summer 1588. The painting is on permanent public display in the Queen’s Presence Chamber in the Queen’s House, on the site of the original Greenwich Palace, which was the birthplace of Elizabeth I.

Queen’s House guided tours

Come on a guided tour and discover the art, architecture and royal history that make the Queen’s House an unmissable royal attraction.
The tour will:

  • Discuss the history of Greenwich from a royal residence to today.
  • Guide you through the artwork on view, including works by Willem Van De Velde (both the Elder and Younger), J.M.W. Turner, Joshua Reynolds, William Hogarth and the Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I.

Commissioned by Anne of Denmark, the wife of James I, and built between 1616 and 1638, the Queen’s House was the first building in Britain built in the classical style as well as the only part of the royal palace complex at Greenwich still standing. The house was recently restored in time for its 400th anniversary with the addition of a major commission by the Turner Prize- winning artist Richard Wright.

Faces of a Queen

The Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I is one of the most iconic portraits in British history. Three versions of the painting survive, each offering a subtly different depiction of Queen Elizabeth I at the height of her power. Now, for the first time in their 430-year history, these three works are on public display together.

The Tulip Stairs

See the dramatic Great Hall and Tulip Stairs in Inigo Jones’s beautifully designed Queen’s House in Greenwich. The sweeping Tulip Stairs are one of the original features of the Queen’s House. This ornate, wrought iron structure was the first geometric self-supporting spiral stair in Britain. It is also the location of the Rev R. W. Hardy’s famous ‘ghost’ photograph taken in 1966, which appears to show two or three shrouded figures on the staircase – a phenomenon that has never been explained logically to this day.

Great Hall Ceiling

Admire Turner Prize winner Richard Wright’s elegant response to the geometric beauty of the Queen’s House.