Soane museum gets more Soanian

Sir John Soane’s Museum in London has completed a seven-year, £7m project to reinstate its founder’s original design. The architect bequeathed his Georgian house and eccentric art collection to Britain in 1833, stipulating that they be preserved as they were. But later curators restructured a number of the packed spaces and put items in storage. The Heritage Lottery Fund-supported project recently restored the catacombs, among other spaces, using Soane’s drawings and watercolours for reference. The museum has also opened two new areas: the Foyle exhibitions gallery and the underground kitchens, which host Below Stairs, a display of contemporary design commissions, until 28 January 2017.