South West What's On

Blenheim launches all-new tour

From 15th February UNESCO World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace will feature a unique new visitor route into the Private Apartments, extending the Palace by five additional rooms.

Visitors will journey through some of the grandest rooms to unlock never before seen treasures, and follow in the footsteps of dukes, duchesses and their illustrious guests. The new extended tour will offer a new route through the Duke’s Bar into the corridor, as well as the Family Dining Room, The Smoking Room and the Duchess’s Sitting Room. Guests will then enter the spectacular Grand Cabinet, the most opulent room in the Palace normally reserved for special family occasions. The tour will then continue through the Palace Drawing Rooms, a route walked by royalty and the most important guests to the Palace.
Not only is the Grand Cabinet a treasure trove, but it's steeped in history as it was once used as a schoolroom during WWII by Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill, the daughter of the Duke of Marlborough and amongst the six Coronation Maids of Honour chosen to accompany Her Majesty the Queen at Westminster Abbey in 1953.
Family Treasures enhances the visitor experience by 20 minutes and features a host of priceless artefacts and collections including:
Smoking Room corridor

  •     Lalique fire screen
  •     9th Duke of Marlborough by Alfred Munnings
  •     Visitor’s book

 Dining Room

  •     Chimney piece designed by Vanbrugh and an experimental 8-day striking clock

Smoking Room

  •    The tapestries from the life of Alexander the Great, purchased by the 1st Duke in the early 18th century
  •    George Stubbs’ portrait of a tiger or, more correctly a tigress, a gift from Clive of India to the 4th Duke

Duchess’s Sitting Room

  • Portraits of Gladys Deacon by Giovanni Boldini and of Consuelo Balsan by Ambrose McEvoy; both wives of the 9th Duke of Marlborough
  • Two Ladies in a gondola in Venice by Sir Winston Churchill
  • An unusual clock designed by Benjamin Vulliamy (George III, 1787)

Grand Cabinet

  • The Savonnerie Carpet (c1750) from the famous Parisian carpet manufactory that was established under Louis XIII in 1615
  •  The Chamber Pot (1759) is Sevres and painted with fruit and flowers by Francois Binet (active 1750-1775).  Reputedly, it belonged to Marie Antoinette

Designed to showcase Britain’s Greatest Palace like never before, Family Treasures is one of three unique new visitor experiences at Blenheim Palace this year. 
An all-new ticketed Roof Top View platform experience, providing visitors with never seen before breathtaking views over the Estate including the famous Column of Victory as well as the surrounding Oxfordshire countryside and The Life Below Stairs experience, which will give visitors the opportunity to see the original Palace kitchens, are both set to open in Spring and will only be available for a limited time due to the launch of Blenheim Palace’s most ambitious restoration initiative to date, the historic roof project.
Blenheim Palace first opened its doors to the public 75 years ago to raise funds for essential roof conservation work to preserve the architecture and safeguard the heritage for generations to come. This pivotal £12M project is centred on restoring a significant section of the roof of Britain's Greatest Palace, ensuring it remains resilient against the elements that threaten its historical integrity.
To experience the new Family Treasures extended tour, visitors must have a valid Blenheim Palace Annual Pass or day tickets.
For information on the new visitor experiences at Blenheim Palace and to book tickets, visit www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/new-for-2025
To find out more about the roof restoration project, visit www.blenheimpalace.com/restoration

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