The Red House, Aldeburgh

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The Red House, Aldeburgh Former home of Benjamin Britten, his musical collections in The Archive and their beautiful garden.

Benjamin Britten was one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century. He wrote a vast amount of incredible music and wanted everyone to enjoy it – professional and amateur musicians, music enthusiasts, children and families. He was born in 1913 and raised in Lowestoft, and Suffolk was the backdrop for nearly his entire life. At The Red House in Aldeburgh he lived with Peter Pears, his muse and life partner, for nearly two decades until his death in 1976. As well as exploring Britten’s music, visitors to The Red House can find out more about his and Pears’ lives together. The House, with its classic 1950s/60s interiors, is a mix of formal and cosy, with an eclectic range of books, art, and furniture. The large gardens are for wandering around and enjoying the peace and quiet of this corner of Suffolk.

Still looking for half-term plans for your little ones? 👻Spooky Sounds returns to The Red House this Halloween for a spi...
18/10/2026

Still looking for half-term plans for your little ones? 👻

Spooky Sounds returns to The Red House this Halloween for a spine-tingling adventure. Discover spooky Suffolk tales and create your very own scary sound effects box to take your storytelling home with you.

End your session with a garden trail, hunting for clues to win a spooky prize!

Suitable for children aged 5–11. Tickets are limited, so be sure to book your place via the link https://bit.ly/4hXi4t3

Here at The Red House and Archive, we mark a century of Winnie the Pooh with a gift Britten received on the premiere of ...
16/10/2026

Here at The Red House and Archive, we mark a century of Winnie the Pooh with a gift Britten received on the premiere of Albert Herring.

‘Ben, In happy memory of the first première I have ever been to (of any kind) & with great gratitude, love George [Harewood], 20th June 1947'

15/10/2026

Meet Judith and Tracey, two members of our conservation team who volunteer their time to help care for the home of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears here in Aldeburgh.

Many of our volunteers work behind the scenes, often out of sight of visitors. When we’re closed, they’re busy cleaning the house, inspecting paintings, moving furniture between rooms and even dealing with the occasional spider that has made itself at home!

We’re now halfway through Behind the Scenes Month, so be sure to visit before we close for the winter season on Sunday 1 November.

We’re open Thursday to Sunday, from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

It's Behind the Scenes month, so while you explore The Red House, don’t miss our specially curated pop-up displays, desi...
13/10/2026

It's Behind the Scenes month, so while you explore The Red House, don’t miss our specially curated pop-up displays, designed to give visitors an insight into the work that goes into caring for and managing our founders’ home.

Our team and volunteers work behind the scenes every day to help preserve Britten and Pears' home and its stories for future generations. Stay tuned this month as we share more of the people and projects that help keep The Red House open.

10/10/2026

Meet Sam, one of our conservation volunteers, who works with a wonderful team behind the scenes to care for the home of Britten and Pears.

Sam’s favourite space at The Red House is Benjamin Britten’s Composition Studio, which remains almost exactly as he left it. Looking out onto the garden, it was here that Britten composed some of his most celebrated works.

Created especially for Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears in 1970, Mural by artist James Barker originally stood beside th...
05/10/2026

Created especially for Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears in 1970, Mural by artist James Barker originally stood beside the swimming pool at their home. When the Library extension was built in the early 1990s, the wall was incorporated into the interior of the new building.

The mural was later dismantled during preparations for Britten's centenary and stored in the Archive until it could be reassembled in its current position to the west of the Library.

The careful preservation of Mural is just one example of the work that goes on behind the scenes at The Red House. Discover more this month through special pop-up displays and documentary footage.

📸 Philip Vile

03/10/2026

“I can drown, but I am replaceable. This stuff isn’t.”
 
Join us this October for Behind-the-Scenes Month at The Red House and Archive.

Explore special pop-up displays, uncover the stories behind the collection, and learn how we preserve everything from historic furniture and treasured manuscripts to everyday local receipts.
 
The best part? You can enjoy all of this extra content and exclusive access for the same admission price as any other month.

To mark World Poetry Day, we're shining a light on the inspirations behind some of Benjamin Britten's best-known song cy...
01/10/2026

To mark World Poetry Day, we're shining a light on the inspirations behind some of Benjamin Britten's best-known song cycles. Britten drew on the sonnets of Michelangelo and the poetry of Thomas Hardy, using texts from volumes such as these to create some of his most celebrated works.

Do you have a favourite Britten song cycle inspired by poetry? Let us know in the comments.

Autumn has arrived at The Red House!Throughout October, visitors can explore the house, archive, gardens and more, while...
29/09/2026

Autumn has arrived at The Red House!

Throughout October, visitors can explore the house, archive, gardens and more, while also enjoying pop-up displays and exclusive documentary footage revealing how we care for and manage the treasures in our collection.

If you've visited us before, remember that your general admission ticket remains valid for a whole year from the date of purchase.
Book via the link https://bit.ly/4rtXy64

📸

For World Tourism Day, we're sharing some recent additions to the Archive from the family of Isador Caplan, Benjamin Bri...
27/09/2026

For World Tourism Day, we're sharing some recent additions to the Archive from the family of Isador Caplan, Benjamin Britten's legal adviser. These photographs capture familiar scenes along Aldeburgh beach and Thorpeness Meare and may have been collected during visits to Suffolk, offering a glimpse into the places so closely connected to Britten's world.

Do you have a favourite place here in Aldeburgh?

Address

The Red House, Golf Lane
Aldeburgh
IP155PZ

Opening Hours

Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

+441728451700

Website

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