Soho House
Soho House was the elegant home of industrialist and enterpreneur Matthew Boulton from 1766 to 1809. Carefully restored, this fashionable Georgian house features period room interiors with fine collections of ormolu, silver, furniture and paintings.
Soho House was once a regular meeting place for some of the greatest minds of the 18th century. Matthew Boulton (1728-1809) was a founding member of the Lunar Society, a group of great thinkers and inventors who met regularly at his home at Soho House. Boulton’s guests included James Watt, Erasmus Darwin, Josiah Wedgwood and Joseph Priestley.
What will I see at Soho House?
Highlights at Soho House include:
The Dining Room – a regular venue for meetings of the famous Lunar Society.
Displays of silver and ormolu produced in the Soho Manufactory – one of the first factories in the world.
Elegant Georgian interiors including many items of Boulton’s own furniture.
The stunning ormolu Sidereal clock made by Boulton and Fothergill, 1771-72.
The beautiful 18th century garden recreated using Matthew Boulton’s original planting lists.
Soho House can be booked for weddings – with civil ceremonies taking place in the famous Lunar Room.
Soho House Cafe
Soho House tea room serves hot and cold drinks, cakes and snacks including biscuits, chocolate bars, crisps and sweets. The airy tea room has patio doors that open onto the lawn where there are views of the house and gardens.
Soho House Shop
Soho House shop stocks everything from cards and giftwrap to minerals and fossils. Also on sale are a range of toys and games, history and local interest books, postcards and museum souvenuirs.
VISITORS INFORMATION:
Opening Times:
Open from Friday 2nd April to Sunday 31st October 2010
Open Tuesdays - Sundays.
Closed Mondays except for Bank Holidays
12pm - 4pm
Getting to Soho House
By Car
Soho House can be found just off the A41 Soho Hill/Soho Road in Hockley - a main route into central Birmingham. The house has its own car park
By Bus
The road is well-served by a number of frequent bus routes including the 74, 78 and 79.
History Bus
A free History Bus service will run on the first Sunday of every month beginning on May 2nd and continuing until 3rd October.
It will call at Aston Hall, Aston Manor Transport Museum, Soho House, the Pen Room, Sarehole Mill and Blakesley Hall. There is a small charge for admission to the Aston Manor Transport Museum, all other museums do not have entrance fees. Hop on and off to visit the museums you want to see without having to worry about taking the car or paying for the bus!
The History Bus will start from Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery at 11.30am and then at every hour until 3.30pm.
The bus will run on 2nd May, 6th June, 4th July, 1st August, 5th September and 3rd October.
Disabled Access
Soho House can be accessed via a ramp. Once inside the house, a lift connects all the floors.
The visitors centre, shop and gardens are also accessible for wheelchair users and the house has its own car park.
Baby care facilities are available.
Visitors can communicate in their own language to ask questions or receive information.
Address:
Soho Avenue (off Soho Road)
Handsworth
Birmingham B18 5LB