14 June 2012
Keats House Blog
Following a hectic Keats Festival from 1st – 10th June, the museum is enjoying a brief period of calm before the influx of summer tourists and day trippers. Like many museums, summer is our busiest period and it’s always a fine balance between making the house accessible to the public and preserving the delicate interiors of the museum. In 2009 the museum was completely refurbished with funds from The Heritage Lottery Fund, but with a house this small the impact of thousands of visitors is already starting to show. We will be arranging a deep clean and fresh lick of paint for the winter months, but in the meantime we are working hard to promote our exciting range of summer events.
The vibrant gardens at Keats House become the setting for our annual Teddy Bear’s Picnics where we sing songs and read stories to families. This year these are taking place every Wednesday during the school holidays at 3pm. Arrive early to get a good spot!
We are also running our most ambitious programme of Regency Sewing Workshops, inspired by Keats’s fashionable fiancée Fanny Brawne who originally lived in the larger part of Keats House. You can make an entire Regency outfit from scratch and by hand, including bonnet, Spencer jacket and slippers. Everything you need to be the belle of the ball!
Finally, if the sun is shining and you fancy a lazy day in Hampstead, why not visit our garden? It is free to visit and something of a hidden gem in Hampstead. We recommend bringing a blanket, a well stocked picnic hamper and a chilled bottle of fizz. We can’t promise Nightingale song, but we can promise the peace and tranquillity of an English poet’s garden.
Author: Holly Booth, Interpretation Officer