Name: Osborne House
Rating: 5.0

Osborne House

The Avenue, East Cowes PO32 6JX, UK

1-99 Years

Paid

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Description

Osborne House is the former seaside home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, offering a unique glimpse into royal family life. Located in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, it combines grand interiors, beautiful gardens and a private beach. This historic estate allows visitors to explore royal history in a peaceful and scenic coastal setting.

Visitors can explore the magnificent State Rooms, the private Family Rooms, and view works of art and objects from the Royal Collection. The estate also features Queen Victoria’s beach, the Swiss Cottage with its ‘Childhood at Osborne’ exhibition and museum, ornate terrace gardens, a Victorian walled garden, parkland, a Family Tree Trail and the Folktale Creature Trails for children. Food and drink options include the Orangery Coffee Shop, Victoria Hall Restaurant and the Petty Officers’ Café, along with picnic areas and a play area.

Advance online tickets cost £21.00/£19.00 for adults, £13.50/£12.20 for children (5–17 years), £19.00/£17.20 for concessions, £55.50/£50.20 for a family (2 adults, up to 3 children) and £34.50/£31.20 for a family (1 adult, up to 3 children). On the day tickets cost £25.00/£22.70 for adults, £16.00/£14.50 for children, £22.50/£20.40 for concessions, £66.00/£59.90 for a family (2 adults, up to 3 children) and £41.00/£37.20 for a family (1 adult, up to 3 children).

A visit to Osborne House offers an intimate look at the private world of Queen Victoria and her family. From grand royal rooms to relaxing gardens and a charming beach, there is something for all ages to enjoy. It is an ideal destination for history lovers, families and anyone wanting to experience a royal palace by the sea.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: No

Features

Explore the State rooms: Step into the sumptuous state rooms of Queen Victoria at Osborne, where the Queen of England entertained her important guests. Osborne was built specifically for Victoria and Albert, and its architecture and furnishings reflect their passions, taste and style. You can feel a real sense of history here. Heads of state, inventors, princes and princesses all walked these opulent corridors, when Osborne was at the centre of a vast British Empire.
Investigate the Family rooms: Peek into the private world of Victoria and Albert and their nine children, in the family rooms at Osborne. Visit the queen's sitting room and see the balcony where Victoria and Albert used to listen to nightingales on a summer's evening. See the queen's personal bath tub in the dressing room and, next door, the bedroom where she died, on 22 January 1901. Queen Victoria kept Prince Albert's private suite as it was during his lifetime. Many of the personal items he used at Osborne still lie where he left them.
Relax on Queen Victoria's beach: "We have quite a charming beach to ourselves," Victoria wrote in 1845, and it was here at Osborne beach that the Queen regularly bathed and her children learnt to swim. Why not take to the water yourself and paddle or swim from the sandy and shingle beach? Then relax with a mouth-watering ice cream or steamy fresh coffee from the café.
Discover the Swiss Cottage: Explore the world of the Victorian royal children at Swiss Cottage, thanks to the generous funding of several donors including the Heritage Fund. Discover the interests and personalities of each of the nine princes and princesses in the 'Childhood at Osborne' exhibition. Play where the royal children played, and step back in time to 1861 as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert join their offspring for afternoon tea. See fascinating objects from around the world in the museum; wander in between the royal children's vegetable plots; and enjoy a wildlife trail on your way to the beach.
Venture into the Gardens: Complementing the magnificent Italianate 'royal palace by the sea', are gardens and grounds at Osborne are filled with breathtaking views. Osborne's gardens offer a place to relax and discover seasonal colour throughout the year. Osborne's ornate terrace gardens, renovated in 2016–17 as part of a major conservation project, are a riot of tulips in spring. The mild Mediterranean climate allows stunning bedding displays in summer. Wander the Victorian walled garden with its espaliered fruit trees, and explore the wider parkland with its historic trees, many planted by Prince Albert.
Take the family Tree Trail: Osborne is teeming with countless fascinating trees, planted by the estate's former Royal inhabitants. Some trees were planted as scientific experiments, whereas others were done to mark special occasions such as birthdays and jubilees. Traverse our tremendous tree trail, touring 12 of the most noteworthy specimens dotted around Osborne's estate, and complete activities as a family as you go. Pick up a copy of the Family Tree Trail map at admissions, or print your own here. How many can you find? Don't forget to share your pictures with us afterwards.
Discover magical creatures: Looking for an adventure with your little ones? Uncover English folklore with our Folktale Creature Trails, where children can discover magical creatures from English myths and legends. Meet six unique creatures as you explore the site, and earn a special certificate marking your achievement when you complete the trail. There are some captivating audio stories to enjoy when you get home too.
Examine the Royal Collection: Many of the great paintings in the state rooms and Queen Victoria's belongings in the family rooms are still owned by the Royal family and are looked after on their behalf by the Royal Collection Trust. You can see more fascinating objects on loan from the Royal Collection Trust in the museum in the gardens at Swiss Cottage. Queen Victoria's children were avid collectors. They quickly filled up a room in the cottage with natural history specimens, fossils and antiquities, so a new separate museum, also in the Swiss-chalet style, was built nearby. The museum still remains with its contents of thousands of objects, including the first transatlantic telegraph message and a five-legged deer.

Facilities

Parking: Free parking 50m from reception centre, and additional parking a further 230m from the house entrance.
Food & Drinks: There are several options for food and drink at Osborne, including the Orangery Coffee Shop, Victoria Hall Restaurant, the Petty Officers' Café, the Gazelle Cake House or the Beach Pavillion.
Picnic Area: Enjoy a summer picnic at tables dotted around the grounds. There is also a family picnic area conveniently situated by the children's play-area.
Toilets: Toilets are situated near the admissions building, as well as beside the house in Magnolia Courtyard. You will also find toilets at the beach and at the Swiss Cottage. Baby changing facilities are also available near to the admissions point. Disabled toilets, with ramp access are located at admissions point and main house, Swiss Cottage and the beach. The beach toilets are located at the café.

What to see

Get an unforgettable glimpse into the family life of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at Osborne on the Isle of Wight.

From sumptuous interiors and art collections inside, to a peaceful beach and marvellous gardens outside, a day out at Osborne has something for everyone. Explore Osborne’s vast grounds, follow the interactive tree trail and find the unusual Swiss Cottage, where the royal children played, gardened, cooked and collected unusual objects in their own private museum.
Victoria and Albert bought and built Osborne to fulfil the queen’s desire for a ‘place of one’s own – quiet and retired’. Its dazzling interiors, art collection, gardens and grounds reflect their personal passions, taste and style. Don't miss the Victoria Hall Restaurant – one of four food and drink outlets you’ll find around the estate.
Get an intimate glimpse into royal life as you explore the grand house at Osborne, complete with beautiful works of art and furnishings from the Royal Collection. Wander among flower-filled gardens, discover the quirky museum in the Swiss Cottage, and relax on the beach where the royal children learnt to swim.

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Advance Online Tickets (With donation / Without donation)

Adult: £21.00 / £19.00
Child (5–17 years): £13.50 / £12.20
Concession: £19.00 / £17.20
Family (2 adults, up to 3 children): £55.50 / £50.20
Family (1 adult, up to 3 children): £34.50 / £31.20

On the Day Tickets (With donation / Without donation)

Adult: £25.00 / £22.70
Child (5–17 years): £16.00 / £14.50
Concession: £22.50 / £20.40
Family (2 adults, up to 3 children): £66.00 / £59.90
Family (1 adult, up to 3 children): £41.00 / £37.20

Pricing URL: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/osborne/prices-and-opening-times/

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Open Wed - Sun, 10am - 4pm (last entry at 3pm)

Address: The Avenue, East Cowes PO32 6JX, UK

Post Code: PO32 6JX

Council: Isle of Wight

County: Isle of Wight

By Car: From Fishbourne ferry, B3339 (Fishbourne lane), A3054 to Newport, A3021 to East Cowes. From Yarmouth ferry, A3054 to Newport, A3054 to Ryde, A3021 to East Cowes.
By Bus: Southern Vectis 4, Ryde E Cowes, 5 Newport – E Cowes.
By Train: Ryde Esplanade 7 miles, Wootton (IOW Steam railway) 3miles.
By Ferry: Ferry East Cowes 1 ½ miles (Wightlink 08713761000) (Hovertravel (023) 9281 1000 ) ( Red Funnel -0844 844 9988).