In southwest London is a former royal residence that’s today the home of the government’s national measurement standards laboratory — and will be open to the public for one day.
Bushy House (c) NPL
This is Bushy House, home to the National Physical Laboratory, and although most of the work is now done in a large modern estate nearby, they still own Bushy House as a private building.
But they have one open day a year — which this year is Saturday 20th May 2023.
Bushy House was the residence of William, Duke of Clarence (William IV) and his mistress Dora Jordan from 1797, and was offered to the Royal Society by Queen Victoria in 1900 as a location to establish the NPL. The open day offers visitors the chance to glimpse inside the house, which dates back to the 1660s, including an array of historic photos and artefacts.
Doors will be open from 10am to 4:30pm, and you can arrive any time you want during the day. Science demonstrations, including their liquid nitrogen show, will be running between 11am and 3pm.
Tickets are free and can be booked from here.
Getting to Bushy House
Access to Bushy House is via Cannon Gate, which is just off Cobbler’s Walk, off Chestnut Avenue in Bushy Park. It’s about a 15 minute walk from Teddington railway station.
Accessibility
Note that there is very limited access for people with disabilities and no dogs are allowed (with the exception of guide and assistance dogs).
