Tom's Kitchen Somerset House

Visited as part of an open house event, with a guided tour. Wonderful location. It used to be called Denmark house. The Customs and HMRC used to be HQed here. The coffee place as well as the shop is very nice

+6

Visited Somerset House in Octobr 2025 to see the phenomenal 1-54 African Art Fair.... without doubt this was the most vibrant, inspiring and emotional artistic experience I've ever had! Looking forward to visiting again in 2026. Somerset House was the perfect venue allowing space for the myriad of diverse art from all over the Continent.

It’s coming up to Christmas and Somerset House is a lovely spot for some ice skating, great place and the set up is great, perfect place to go with family and friends over the festive period.

The experience was good we went around 10 oclock last slot so it was not so busy and they gave 45 mins to skelte but pro tip is in skelting always bandg your knees and take appropriate shoes according to your shoe size and be care gul fron people surrounding you if you are begngnet

+2

A fantastic experience during the Christmas season. The space is large, the music and overall setup are great, and the location is very central. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and would definitely recommend it.

Very nice ice skating ring, and well organised. FYI, each item you have with you must be checked in, 1st one is free, then £2 per item.

We booked ice skating for a Sunday evening at 7pm. Well organised and lovely setting. We had a great time. Pics taken during the break time whilst prepping the surface between sessions.

Somerset House delivers a powerful cultural experience in the heart of London. Its grand neoclassical architecture, open courtyard, and riverside views create an atmosphere of authority and elegance. The space feels alive with art, fashion, music, and bold creative energy. From striking exhibitions to seasonal events and the iconic fountains, every visit leaves a strong impression. Somerset House is not just a historic landmark—it is a living symbol of London’s artistic confidence, innovation, and timeless strength, where tradition and modern creativity stand proudly together.

It was really good!! I loved it, went in quickly and the employees were so Christmasy and showing holiday spirit!!! I got some skates which were too big and they are happy to give me a smaller size. As soon as e got on there were people from the place on the ice. It was 45 minutes I’m pretty sure and it’s the or red cat amount, I just got really tired as soon as it ended, perfect timing!!!!! All tickets were sold out, so I’m happy I booked in advance!!

Ice skating is great here. Arrive 20 min before your reservation and get your rental skates on. Most comfortable rental skates and very orderly process. Wear long socks. If you are a beginner, stay on the edges of the ice rink. There are push balance things for small kids. Be courteous and take photos in the corners or very center of the rink. Dress warm and wear a hat and gloves if you might fall. Restrooms, bar, chairs and tables, and food pop up stands. There is a Leon nearby for gf people. We had fun!

+6

You won't want to miss this historic place! Plus, enjoy a free daytime tour that brings the history to life—it's truly fascinating! The house regularly hosts art and music events that make each visit special. Don't forget to check out the charming, stylish café. And in winter, ice skating is an absolute must!

Skate here was genuinely amazing with the great vibes and ambience. The staffs are very friendly and helpful. Kids friendly with many facilities and affordable services. Get your lower price tickets near the end of the season! and it’s even not too crowded. They managed it well 👍🏻 thanks

Wow! Somerset House is a beautiful building, it’s well kept and a lovely environment. I came to visit the cute exhibition here and I really enjoyed it, the hello kitty cafe is ADORABLE and the food was so yummy. The actual exhibition was very interesting and was decorated really well, I definitely felt like it was worth the cost and it was an enjoyable experience! Can recommend! Also no wait but get there early

This was my first time ice skating, so I couldn’t skate properly - but I absolutely enjoyed the spectacular view at Somerset House! It’s simply stunning! This is hands down one of the most beautiful ice rinks I’ve ever seen in my life. Definitely worth adding to your bucket list!

Perfect spot for a refined event. I went to a talk on the LDB and it was great. If in the summer you can have a shower with your kids in the open fountain

Visited Somerset House to see Parov Stelar as part of the Summer Series. The courtyard is a really nice venue for such occasion, toilet facilities were good, the bars had plenty of staff and prices were reasonable (only slightly inflated on standard London prices).

This is an amazing space both as an example of Baroque architecture, art galleries and open public space. This building was until 2000 the record office of births, deaths and marriages in the UK and the Square was the staff car park. Enjoy this great space, just off The Strand to relax and enjoy the London seasons

Beautiful place with skate had cuple drinks watching everyone have fun on the ice.

We went to Somerset House last Christmas for a friend hangout, and honestly, it was such a good time! The whole place was decked out for the holidays – super festive! We tried some wine, hit the ice rink, just the perfect holiday vibe. If you’re planning to go around Christmas, here’s a few quick tips: definitely book your skating spot early since it fills up fast, and check out the Christmas Arcade for unique gifts (great for last-minute stuff). Oh, and grab a mulled wine by the rink – nothing better after a skate session. And don’t miss the huge Christmas tree for some pics! Honestly, Somerset House at Christmas is just a vibe – skating, drinks, holiday shopping, all in one spot. Perfect place to soak up the Christmas spirit!

Beautiful historical building to visit during the day. In the summer and during other seasons, they offer recurrent concerts in the inner patio. The acoustics is surprisingly good. There are several drinking and eating options. The shows are on time and end early, making it easy to work the following day.

Beautiful spot great gallery very helpful at desk. Remember to book a ticket for the private exhibitions to save yourself. Coffee was nice in cafe and sun was out

Somerset House is a stunning cultural hub in London, offering a mix of history, art, and architecture. The building itself is beautiful, with its grand courtyard that often hosts outdoor events, exhibitions, and ice skating in the winter. The art galleries and creative spaces inside always feature interesting and unique exhibitions, making it a must-see for art lovers. The riverside location adds to its charm, providing a peaceful spot to relax and enjoy the views. Whether you're attending an event or just exploring, Somerset House is a truly special place to visit in London.

A few weeks ago, we spent a fantastic day exploring Somerset House and The Courtauld Gallery, and it was an experience well worth recommending. Somerset House, with its stunning neoclassical architecture, has a fascinating history. Originally built in the 16th century as a grand palace, it has served as a royal residence, government offices, and even a naval base. Today, it’s a vibrant cultural hub, hosting exhibitions, events, and creative studios. Walking through the courtyard, we could just imagine the history embedded in its walls. Inside, we visited The Courtauld Gallery, which is housed within the building. The collection is incredible—from Manet’s “A Bar at the Folies-Bergère” to Van Gogh’s “Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear”, there’s something breathtaking in every room. The current exhibition was particularly interesting, offering a deeper insight into Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces. The gallery is a perfect size—big enough to be engaging but not overwhelming. It’s open daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and a ticket costs £9 on weekdays and £11 on weekends. One great perk is that teachers get in free with valid ID! Whether you’re into art, history, or just looking for a peaceful place to wander, Somerset House and The Courtauld Gallery are well worth a visit. The combination of history, architecture, and world-class art makes for a memorable London experience.

The New Wing (Main Entrance) overlooking Lancaster Place was built in the 1850's, when other wings were also added between 1831 and 1856. The original Somerset House began construction in 1776 after the earlier 17th Century, Royal Consorts Palace, on the same site, was demolished. Now housing a vast collection of Art orientated businesses, the building was once used to store hard copies of documents relating to Births, Deaths and Marriages.

I visited Somerset House during my last trip to London, and it quickly became one of my favorite places in the city. It’s not just an architectural landmark. It’s a place that feels alive with culture, creativity, and history all at once. The courtyard alone is stunning, especially when the fountains are on in the summer or when it turns into an ice rink during winter. It’s the kind of space where you can simply sit, relax, and take in the atmosphere.

I visited the London Design Biennale there. I loved all there, and seemed to me, there was an elevator to lift upstairs in case someone cannot get upstairs. I’m posting some pictures of that event.

+6

Are you worried that sea snakes may move into UK waters? Rising sea temperatures are causing all sorts of problems for marine creatures. Some are finding their environment destroyed by changes in salinity and temperature, which may potentially lead to migration to more temperate climates - such as British waters. Artist Dana-Fiona Armour has put some serious thought and study into what this means and has produced a unique sculpture to draw these themes home. Using scanning techniques the sculpture is based on real life sea snake scales, bringing together the temperature and salinity through the use of lighting. Watch it for 100 cycles. Each cycle covers actual data or predicted data for 1 year. It's a great setting for this intriguing sculpture, always very interesting to visit Somerset house. Enter via the Strand.

+6

Visited Somerset House to check out the ice rink (just as a spectator), and it was really lovely. The rink is large and beautifully set up, making it perfect for the festive season even if you’re not skating. There are kiosks around selling drinks, cookies, and other treats, plus a café nearby if you want to sit and warm up. A very apt and enjoyable winter visit.

Nice little rink. Best fit for those who just skate occasionally. I was visiting a “skate lesson” session and found coaches very supportive. It is nice that such an option exists.

+2

A very pretty building with an ice rink in winter and great for occasional gigs and specialist art exhibitions. Very handy for embankment station (or Aldwych if it ever re-opens). The courtyard is also lovely for a summer stroll looking over the river.

It’s an amazing place to spend your a day of your Christmas holidays in. It has a big ice ring, an amazing decorations and even a warm bar to stay for people who are not skating but unfortunately it has its own downs. We got the tickets almost a month before visiting (at least we thought tho) but turns out the card didn’t go through because they had some glitch on the website and our friends had to give us their ticket so at least one of us could skate. The other thing that I would say is they let WAYYYY to many people on at once people where crashing into each other cause there weren’t enough space But at all it’s a great place and very famous for being the original place of ice skating

Went to Photo London 10th Edition, one of the biggest and most prestige International Photography Fair in London annually. A big selection of work from world’s class photographers. The Discovery section is dedicated to emerging galleries and artists, with work from different perspectives. Photo London also host artists’ talks and lectures to discuss insight knowledge of the craft and business of photography. Nearest tube station - Holborn, Charing Cross and Covent Garden.

We went to see the CUTE exhibition as an avid Hello Kitty fan I was quite excited to see it. Yes it was definitely quite interesting and made me for back to my childhood especially it was the time of the rise of “cute” era. However I the Hello Kitty part was only a small part of the exhibit hence I was a tad disappointed but still enjoyed the experience. For the price the exhibition it was quite small and not a lot to see. What’s nice is we were able to go back in a few times to go around it. I do love that they have an online guide, where you scan the QR code and see some explanations in your phone browser. The shop at the end of the exhibit was underwhelming and quite pricey too. It’s generally well organised and staff were helpful.

I enjoyed my visit there as the central courtyard has lots of free seating for people to sit down and enjoy the view. The exhibition space was nice too but can be quite crowded. The downsides are most restaurants and cafes inside do not have gluten-free options for food or snacks.

Ice skating in an amazing setting with decent hire equipment but unfortunately there’s far too many people on the ice during the session so it’s not as good as it could have been!

I visited the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition at Somerset House with my brother and sister. While the venue itself is absolutely beautiful and the staff were very welcoming and professional, I was quite disappointed by the exhibition. The quality of the photographs and their presentation did not really meet my expectations. Despite the impressive setting, the exhibition didn’t feel worth it. A bit of a letdown, unfortunately.

+3

Ice skating - BEWARE that an adult must accompany children on the ice. The ticketing website lets you book just children’s tickets only!! (Apparently it’s in the terms and conditions somewhere….) I am not able to skate and had planned to take my kids into London on my own to skate here as a treat. Luckily my wife came at the last minute and we managed to buy her a ticket, otherwise I would have had two very upset children!

It didn't catch me at all...not sure why. Pretty weird exhibition with technology and some of the expenses were not appealing. Moreover, everything was busynand difficult to try... it was free but still, not sure how worthy... Perhaps other exhibitions will attract you ;)

I don’t recommend the ice rink as even though it’s in a beautiful location and with good lighting and music, skating sessions only last about 45 minutes. You need to buy a brand new ticket for each new session. It’s well organized and Somerset House has a good community mission but £23 is steep. I would like that they at least let you know that each skating session is 45 minutes.

Somerset House looked nice from the outside, but most of the rooms were closed when I went, so there wasn’t much to actually explore. Inside, there were a few stair installations by different creators, but it felt very minimal and underwhelming overall. The ice skating rink outside was probably the highlight — I didn’t skate, but the vibe was nice. Worth passing through, but not worth going out of your way for on a quiet day.

+2

An art center I greatly admire, a work of great importance to the entire world. I only recommend buying your tickets online, which isn't mentioned on the website, as you risk not being well received. Unfortunately, when I arrived yesterday at 5:15 PM for the Wayne McGregor exhibition, they wouldn't let me in because they had already closed for tickets purchased on the spot, and entry was only for pre-booked tickets – the old excuse that the system had stopped selling. It's disappointing, and I understand now that the world will be dominated by AI because humans think more about themselves than others. I sent a letter to Bloomberg because they sponsor the event, and it didn't run for the allotted time.

Probably the most stupid outdoor skating experience ever. First of all, the rink isn't that big but they're hosting way too many people that makes the rink super crowded each session. Second, headphones are not allowed and was told it is not safe to wear them, like why? They play music like 10 times louder, what do headphones to do with safety? Also the lighting sometimes can go super dim, how is that safe huh? What safety you guys talking about? Third, got flagged a couple times with a warning that I was going too fast that risks concerns of crashing other people.Those guards what they called pros were literally doing the same thing, hello? Plus Ayy, if you know skating, normally those who DON'T know how to skate are easy to crash into others, cuz they fall all the time. See I from Canada, I've been playing hockey my whole life, We been skating before we started to walk. Well was told someone was complaining, but look, if the rink isn't that big, maybe you should just reduce the number of people allowed on the ice for each session? I've been to the rink at Battersea, they aint got any of these problems, what are you guys even running this for, at £25 for 45 mins for an experience like this? If you looking for a great skating experience, go to the one at Battersea. Dont even bother with this one.

I had the exact same experience yesterday, and honestly it was extremely disappointing. The issues started even before we got on the ice — the Zamboni actually broke while they were cleaning, which meant our session started late and the ice still wasn’t properly resurfaced. On top of that, there were far too many people on the ice. One of the staff told me the capacity is 300, which is crazy considering that around 70% of the people there could barely stand on skates and were falling constantly. Despite being a professional ice hockey player who knows how to control speed and avoid people, I was told multiple times to slow down. When I asked whether there was an actual speed limit, no one could give a clear answer - just vague comments about “many complaints,” although every staff member had a different story. One even said I had a “final warning” before getting kicked out, which was ridiculous since I hadn’t knocked anyone over and was actually helping people get up while the so-called guards were busy taking photos of guests on the ice. It’s honestly absurd that beginners using their phones on the ice- which is genuinely dangerous - are fine, but a professional skater is treated like a problem. The whole experience felt unreasonable and poorly managed. We also got kicked off the ice five minutes early, then had to queue again at skate drop-off, only to be rushed out by security immediately afterwards. For the price they charge, this is just not worth it. Cute vibes, terrible execution. Save your money and go to Alexandra Palace instead - it’s a far better experience if you want to actually skate.