The museum is set in beautiful 18th-century Grade I-listed almshouses of the Ironmongers' Company, built in 1714 thanks to a bequest by Sir Robert Geffrye. Surrounding the museum is a walled herb garden, and a series of period gardens which show how domestic gardens have changed over time. The herb and period gardens are open from 1 April to 31 October.Inside the museum, evocative displays of London, middle-class living rooms and gardens illustrate homes and home life through the centuries, reflecting changes in society, behaviour, style and taste.The many aspects of home are brought to life through an imaginative and inspirational programme of special exhibitions and events throughout the year. The museum's popular Christmas Past exhibition is held annually each winter, with the eleven period rooms authentically decorated for the season.In addition, the museum's restored 18th-century almshouse, taken back to its original condition and offering a rare glimpse into the lives of London's poor and elderly in the 1780s and 1880s, is open to the public on specific days.
