See and Do

To marvel at the monumental scale of Stowe, first, you must discover where it began. Visit Stowe House throughout the year to see inside this Georgian pleasure palace and explore its ever-evolving history. You can purchase tickets for the house in advance online or at the Stowe House Visitor Centre. The Stowe House Preservation Trust is an independent charity that restores, maintains and opens the house to visitors.

Top Five Things to See in the House

A large rectangular room with no furniture. There are oak floorboards, a ceiling which glows gold and is covered in intrictae paintings from the eighteenth century, some of greek and roman myths, others of animals. The walls are covered with replica wallpaper of what was once original tapestries displaying scenes from roman myths. On the left are two fireplaces with tall overmantles. the dados, door frames, and wooden elements in the room are all gilded with gold. Bright sunlight comes through the many tall rectangular windows on the right side of the room.

State Dining Room

Recently returned to glory in 2023, this room once boasted white walls! Look a little closer and you’ll discover that they’re in fact decorated with wallpaper and not tapestries.

A wide oval shaped room has large columns all around in red marble effect. A huge domed rood with intricate coffers rises to a glass oculus. There are niches between the columns which contain life size large statues of roman goddesses or important political figures. There is a white marble floor.

Marble Saloon

Designed to imitate the Pantheon in Rome, this domed room is the heart of the house. A remarkable frieze depicts a roman procession with over 280 plaster figures and 14 and animals.

A large long rectangular library with mahogany bookcases all along the right hand side wall and south wall. Aview through the door on the other side of the room shows a connecting view through all of the state rooms. in the centre of the rooms are tables and chairs with lamps for studying/ The ceiling is covered in ornate plasterwork and has gold gilding. Three hanging glass lanterns shine.

State Library

There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere of a historic library. Thankfully, the original mahogany bookcases—with over 700 shelves, complete with their doors and brass grilles—remained in place despite many sales. Take a look along the gallery and see if you can spot the secret door!

A square room which is covered in blue silk damask wallpaper. the ceiling is blue and white with wooden intricate carvings and gold gilding. the floor is oak. a chandelier hangs from the ceiling. Portraits of prime ministers related to the Temple-Grenville family at Stowe hang on the walls.

Blue Room

Aptly named for the opulent silk damask lining the walls, this sumptuous room contains portraits of Temple-Grenville family members who reached for political highs and prime ministerial roles.

An entrance room with large wooden doors, twice human height with glass panels to enter. The ceiling is glowing gold and covered in paintings by William Kent showing roman gods to depict the months and astronomical symbols. A large bronze statue of the mercury stands in the room. There is a large lantern hanging from the ceiling and a doorway leading to a corridor. The view looks up from a curved stairwell

North Hall

The entrance and reception to the house immediately sets the tone and demonstrates the family’s desire to make first impressions count when guests arrive. The ceiling is by the famed artist, architect and designer William Kent.

Tours

If Walls Could Talk!

Choose from a Taster Tour lasting 20 minutes or the Full Story at 45 minutes with one of our friendly guides as they reveal fascinating stories of the rise of the Temple-Grenville family to scandal, intrigue and debt that led to their downfall. Learn how the estate was brought back to life—from the founding of Stowe School to the ongoing restoration efforts today.

Choose Your Tour Time

The Full Story

Experience the full story of Stowe’s rich and varied past as your guide takes you through four key chapters in its history. Hear captivating tales of the people who once lived here—from the visionary creation of the estate by Viscount Cobham, to the lavish spending and grandeur of the Dukes of Buckingham and Chandos, through its transformation into Stowe School, and the ongoing restoration efforts that continue to shape Stowe today.

Tour duration: 45 minutes

Taster Tour

Get the essential highlights of the house as our guide briefly explores the history of Stowe. On this tour you will see three of the historic State Rooms.

Tour duration: 20 minutes

Take Your Time

Explore the House at your own pace

If you enjoy the freedom of self-discovery, check the opening times for a day where you can explore at your own pace – these are usually during school holidays. The thrill of turning the corner and being met by dazzling ceilings and vast rooms will take your breath away. You’ll be given a map when you arrive in our Visitor Centre to help you find your way around.

Book tickets

Museum

Wonder through the interactive museum displays, discovering house and garden history before heading through to the state rooms.

On days when you don’t have much time or perhaps the house is closed, our Visitor Centre will be open for you to pop in for a short while to see inside the museum at a discounted ticket rate.

The David Wynne Collection

Born in 1926, David Wynne attended Stowe School from 1939 to 1943, where he furthered a love of nature instilled in him from an early age. David’s youthful vision of the world, surrounded by great architecture and even finer landscape, created his philosophy of being in touch with the essential and eternal questions of time, space, nature and even the essence of God. After wartime service in the Royal Navy, David returned to study at Trinity College, Cambridge, where his love of sculpture was encouraged and where he realised that in sculpture his talents, interests, indeed his being, lay.

In a long and distinguished career, his art has ranged from the figurative to the almost abstract, from portrait heads of important cultural figures to small-scale animals, from gates to fountains and from carvings in stone to casts in bronze. The scale and variety of his work over the past sixty years still astound his many admirers.

The bronze maquettes given by David to Stowe, reflect the varied range of his work and are exhibited throughout the building. They serve both to educate and to enhance the lives of the students and our visitors, we hope that you enjoy them.

Collection Highlights

Boy with a Dolphin

The Beatles

HRH Prince of Wales (Charles III)

Grizzly Bear

Leopard with Butterfly

Goddess of the Woods

Shaharastani

Standing Lovers

Boy with a Dolphin

The Beatles

HRH Prince of Wales (Charles III)

Grizzly Bear

Leopard with Butterfly

Goddess of the Woods

Shaharastani

Standing Lovers

A Memorable Day Out

Visit Us

All the essential info to plan your visit and book admission tickets ahead of time.

What’s on

You’re a culture vulture and want to level up your experience? From rooftop views to behind-the-scenes access to talks with historians, attend one of our events for the thrill of history.