During the experience, visitors will journey through some of the grandest rooms to unlock unique treasures, and follow in the footsteps of dukes, duchesses and their illustrious guests. The new extended tour will offer a new route through the Duke’s Bar into the corridor, as well as the Family Dining Room, The Smoking Room and the Duchess’s Sitting Room.
Guests will then enter the spectacular Grand Cabinet, the most opulent room in the Palace normally reserved for special family occasions. The tour will then continue through the Palace Drawing Rooms, a route walked by royalty and the most important guests to the Palace.
Over the years, The Grand Cabinet has been used variously as a drawing room, sitting room and even as school room for the 10th Duke younger children. The room holds many treasures passed down through the generations, including a full-length portrait of Caroline, 4th Duchess of Marlborough, by George Romney (1779) that hangs above the fireplace, or a beautiful French Savonnerie carpet (c.1750), based on a design originally produced for the Queen’s Bedchamber at the Palace of Versailles.
The Family Treasures experience enhances the visitor experience by 20 minutes and features a host of priceless artefacts and collections including:
Smoking Room corridor
- Lalique fire screen
- 9th Duke of Marlborough by Alfred Munnings
Dining Room
- Chimney piece designed by Vanbrugh, carved by Grinling Gibbons
- A rare skeleton timepiece, English, early 19th century, attributed to John Moxon
Smoking Room
- The tapestries from the life of Alexander the Great, purchased by the 1st Duke in the early 18th century
- George Stubbs’ (1724 – 1806) portrait of a tiger or, more correctly a tigress, a gift from Clive of India to the 4th Duke
Duchess’s Sitting Room
- Portraits of Gladys Deacon by Giovanni Boldini and of Consuelo Balsan by Ambrose McEvoy; both wives of the 9th Duke of Marlborough
- Two Ladies in a gondola in Venice by Sir Winston Churchill
- An unusual clock designed by Benjamin Vulliamy (George III, 1787)
Grand Cabinet
- A gilt bronze and crystal chandelier in Louis XVI style.
- The Chamber Pot (1759) is Sevres and painted with fruit and flowers by Francois Binet (active 1750-1775). Reputedly, it belonged to Marie Antoinette
Designed to showcase Britain’s Greatest Palace like never before, Family Treasures is one of the new unique new visitor experiences at Blenheim Palace this year.
The Roof Top View platform experience provides visitors with never seen before breathtaking views over the Estate including the famous Column of Victory as well as the surrounding Oxfordshire countryside and Life Below Stairs, an immersive experience giving visitors the opportunity to see the original working Victorian Palace kitchens. Both of the new experiences are available alongside the launch of Blenheim Palace’s most ambitious restoration initiative to date, the historic roof project.
This year, Britain's Greatest Palace is marking 75 years since first opening its doors to the public with a summer of celebration, featuring ‘75 Things To Do’ and more across the Palace, Park, Gardens and its family attraction Adventure Play. From history lovers to young families and adventure seekers, the summer-long anniversary celebration promises something exciting for everyone.
Admission to the new Family Treasures extended tour is included with a valid Palace & Gardens Ticket or Palace and Play Pass, which grants access to both Blenheim Palace and Adventure Play for a full year, making it fantastic value to enjoy all that Britain’s Greatest Palace has to offer.
