Press release

Handel Hendrix House cares for and presents to the public the homes of two of the greatest musicians ever to have lived in London.

Tickets are now on sale for Handel Hendrix House which re-opens at 10am on Thursday 28 May 2023 following a £3million refurbishment project – the ‘Hallelujah Project’ - began to open all of the house of composer G.F. Handel to the public for the first time by restoring the basement and ground floor. The re-opening of Handel Hendrix House is taking place 300 years after composer first moved in.

George Frideric Handel lived at 25 Brook Street in Mayfair from 1723 until his death in 1759. It was here that Handel wrote and rehearsed his greatest works, including Messiah and the coronation anthem Zadok the Priest, which was performed at the coronation of King Charles III. In 1968, Jimi Hendrix moved into an adjoining flat at number 23. Here, in the only place he said he felt truly at home, and where Hendrix entertained, inspired and collaborated with other icons of British 60s rock music.

As well as new displays and exhibitions about Handel and Hendrix, visitors will also enjoy live music and talks. Over the course of the opening week, visitors can hear harpsichordist Nathaniel Mander, recorder player Olwen Foulkes, guitarist Laurent Judson and a talk about Handel’s Coronation Anthems. A digital room guide is also included as part of a visit, and there will be Coronation-themed craft activities for families.

As Simon Daniels, Director of Handel Hendrix House commented:

“I am thrilled that, after years of planning and 18 months’ construction, we can finally look forward to welcoming visitors back to Handel Hendrix House next week. Through the Hallelujah Project we have restored the appearance and layout of Handel’s house for the first time since the building was converted to a shop in 1905. There is more to see at the museum than ever before, from a Georgian kitchen to fascinating new exhibitions and stunning 18th-century interiors, complemented by a fantastic programme of live performance and talks.”

The museum will be open Wednesday-Sunday (10.00-17.00, last entry at 16.00)

Tickets will cost: Adult ticket: £14; Child under 16: free; Student: £10; Groups between 10 to 20 people: 10% discount per ticket - get in touch with the museum for groups over 20 people.

Tickets can be booked in advance online at handelhendrix.org or in person at the museum on the day (subject to availability).

PRESS INFORMATION

Please contact:
Rachel Aked Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07790 732448

NOTES TO EDITORS:

We present these buildings as an evolving celebration of Handel and Hendrix’s lives, sharing their music, their stories, and our collections as a source of learning, enjoyment and inspiration for all.

Open to the public since 2001, Handel Hendrix House (formerly Handel and Hendrix in London) is a charity (The Handel House Trust, Registered Charity No. 1006009) and an accredited museum. We raise all our own funds. Through visitor admissions, learning programmes, digital, and live performances we share the lives, stories and music of George Frideric Handel and Jimi Hendrix with the widest possible audience.

Supporters of the Hallelujah Project include: the estate of the late Mark Ransom, the Band Trust, the Drapers' Company, Foyle Foundation, the Steel Charitable Trust, the Michael Uren Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, the Wolfson Foundation, and other generous donors.