Name: Home of Charles Darwin - Down House
Rating: 5.0

Home of Charles Darwin - Down House

Luxted Road, Downe, Orpington BR6 7JT, UK

1-99 Years

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Description

Down House is best known as the home of Charles Darwin. Darwin lived here with his family for 40 years, worked on his revolutionary theories, and wrote On the Origin of Species – the book which shook the Victorian world and has influenced scientific thinking ever since.

Visit, and you’ll find Darwin’s work and personality reflected throughout the house and grounds. A handheld tour lets you explore at your own pace. It includes commentaries by experts along with animations, film footage, games and narration by David Attenborough. The house’s extensive gardens were Darwin’s ‘outdoor laboratory’ and the place where he made many of his discoveries. Interactive panels help bring his experiments to life.

Price starts from £16.50 for Adults, £10.00 for Children(5-17 years) and £26.50 for Family(1 adult, up to 3 children). If you are looking for Best place for day out with kids and families then this is the perfect destination offering fun, adventure, and unforgettable memories for everyone.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: No

Features

Things to see and do at Down House: Find out more about what you can look forward to at Down House. Here are the highlights you can look forward to, from the gardens that inspired his groundbreaking theory to the greenhouse in which it was tested, and the study where he wrote it all down.
Stand in Darwin's Study: Stand in the study where Darwin wrote 'On the Origin of Species'. The room remains structurally unaltered from Darwin's time, restored to the original 1870s arrangement and 1921 decoration.
Step into Charles and Emma's Bedroom: More than 100 years after it was dismantled and dispersed, English Heritage has recreated Charles and Emma Darwin's bedroom. This was the bedroom in which the revolutionary scientist died in 1882 and where, for 20 years, he enjoyed reading and resting, where he recovered from various illnesses and where he kept an eye on his experiments in the garden from the room's large bay window.
Explore Darwin's Gardens: The gardens at Down House were Darwin's 'outdoor laboratory'. He spent many hours here making observations and conducting his experiments.
Examine the exhibition: Dig deeper into Darwin's work through our exhibition and interactive guide. The award-winning exhibition on the first floor of the house covers Darwin's life, his scientific work, and the controversy it provoked.
Take the Sandwalk: Explore the Sandwalk, the famous 'thinking path' that formed the basis of Darwin's daily walks around his estate.
Discover Darwin's family life: Wander the rooms in which Darwin lived a loving life with his family. Visit the drawing room and see the piano treasured by his wife Emma. Learn about the boisterous, liberal upbringing enjoyed by their many children.
Discover magical creatures: Looking for an adventure with your little ones? Uncover English folklore with our Folktale Creature Trails, where children can discover magical creatures from English myths and legends.
See inside Darwin's greenhouse: Darwin's hothouse and greenhouse provided the perfect specialised growing environment needed to rear exotic plant specimens to use in his experimentation.
Enjoy the Beekeepers Display: Bees provide a perfect case study for Darwin's theories. After exploring the greenhouse, look out for our beekeepers display. You can even take a peek inside a living hive. Read about the different types of bees, and learn about the valuable work they do as pollinators.
Gardens: Down House features a beautiful garden full of loose drifts of flowers, lush meadowland and mature trees. There is also a kitchen garden, including Darwin’s ‘Experiment Bed’, a hot-house, and beyond this, a wooded Sandwalk, where Darwin paced daily while working out his theories.
Exhibition: An award-winning exhibition on the first floor of the house covers Darwin’s life, his scientific work, and the controversy which it provoked. It features many previously unseen objects, with highlights including manuscript pages from the 'Origin of Species'; Darwin’s hat, microscope and notebooks; and a copy of 'Das Kapital' inscribed to him by Karl Marx. This exhibition can be accessed by the central stairs or by lift.

Facilities

Parking: Free parking 50m from Down House. Please try and use public transport wherever possible. There is one coach bay which needs to be booked in advance.
Food And Drink: The tearoom serves a selection of sandwiches, snacks, soups, ice-creams hot food as well as hot and cold drinks.
Toilets: There are separate male and female toilets near the tearoom, the female toilet has a cubicle with a toddler seat insert for younger visitors. There is an accessible toilet, which includes a baby changing table. An adult changing table is also available at the property.
Dogs: Dogs are not allowed because Down House is a 'Site of Importance for Nature Conservation', meaning that it contains many important protected species such as fungi. Assistance dogs are welcome however.

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Advance online tickets:

Adult: £16.50 With donation & £15.00 Without donation.
Child (5–17 years): £10.00 With donation & £9.00 Without donation.
Concession: £14.50 With donation & £13.10 Without donation.
Family (2 adults, up to 3 children): £43.00 With donation & £39.00 Without donation.
Family (1 adult, up to 3 children): £26.50 With donation & £24.00 Without donation.
Member: Free.

On the day tickets:

Adult: £19.50 With donation & £17.70 Without donation.
Child (5–17 years): £12.00 With donation & £10.90 Without donation.
Concession: £17.50 With donation & £15.90 Without donation.
Family (2 adults, up to 3 children): £51.00 With donation & £46.30 Without donation.
Family (1 adult, up to 3 children): £31.50 With donation & £28.60 Without donation.
Member: Free.

Pricing URL: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/home-of-charles-darwin-down-house/prices-and-opening-times/

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Open Daily: 10am - 5pm (last entry at 4pm)

Address: Luxted Road, Downe, Orpington BR6 7JT, UK

Post Code: BR6 7JT

Council: Bromley

County: Greater London

Road Access: Down House is on Luxted Road in Downe; off A21 or A233. The site is within the Ultra Low Emission Zone.
Bus Access: TfL bus R8 from Orpington passes (except Sunday); TfL bus 146 from Bromley North & South terminates in Downe village 1/2 mile from property.
Train Access: Orpington 3 3⁄4 miles (then R8 Bus, Bromley South 5 1⁄2 miles (then 146 bus)
Bicycle Access: Find your cycling route to the Home of Charles Darwin at sustrans.org.uk, the National Cycle Network. There are bike racks available at this site.
Parking: Free parking 50m from Down House. Please try and use public transport wherever possible. There is one coach bay which needs to be booked in advance.