The house of Sir John Soane (1753-1837), one of England's greatest architects, is a magical showcase of architectural brilliance, invaluable collections and an eccentric mind.

In 1833, by means of an Act of Parliament, Sir John Soane preserved the Museum which occupied No. 13 and the rear area of No. 14, stipulating that it be left "as nearly as possible in the state in which I shall leave it". The rooms now appear almost exactly as they did on the day of Soane's death.

The house was a brilliant PR opportunity for Soane; you could almost describe it as his elaborate portfolio. Trying to 'sell' himself, he took clients around to show them what he could do. This was pure genius, just like his inventions: it is impossible not to be moved by the sheer drama and mystery of the house. Peek through a window or in a mirror and you discover rooms within rooms, hidden stairways, statues emerging from the shadows, or invisible sources of light - it's simply magical.

When I visited the museum, I was guided around by Will Palin. "Soane loved the drama of architecture," Will explained as we entered the combined dining room and library (not having a dividing wall was almost unheard of during Soane's lifetime). This room, as all of the house, is about expanding the apparent space. The design is so that you're not sure where the room ends: "Soane pushed the boundaries of structures, using mirrors, glass and light to create the desired effect. For example, he used yellow glass in his windows to enrich the light and give the impression of a sunset in Rome," says Will.

The Study is a remarkable room, housing a splendid collection of antique marble fragments arranged as to draw the eye to the beauty of their form and the variety of carved ornament (see picture on previous page). "Soane didn't start collecting until he was around 40," says Will. "In 1790, he had the financial means to do so as he inherited a large property portfolio from his wife's uncle. He bought everything in London auctions and spent days arranging the fragments."

The scope of the eclectic collection is almost overwhelming, taking in china, busts, oil paintings, stained glass, architectural models, coins, death masks, skeletons, clocks, and alabaster frescoes.

The Picture Room is perhaps the most stunning room of all. The most famous works are the two series of pictures by William Hogarth (1697-1764). There are also works by, for example, Henry Fuseli and Sir James Thornhill. The Picture Room contains a total of more than one hundred pictures as the walls are, in fact, hinged screens that double the space of the room. Behind the screens are a watercolour, 'Kirkstall Abbey' by J M W Turner and fifteen drawings by Piranesi. But, as with all of Sir John Soane's Museum, the surprise doesn't end there. The screens open again, as if they are stage curtains, to reveal a statue of a nymph by Sir Richard Westmacott, dramatically lit by strong yellow light from above.

If you dare, you must visit the basement Crypt. It was intended to have an atmosphere reminiscent of Roman burial chambers or catacombs. The Sepulchral Chamber contains the sarcophagus of Pharao Seti I, one of the most important Egyptian antiquities ever to be discovered. The sarcophagus was purchased by Soane in 1824 after the British Museum refused the price of £2,000. "Soane celebrated the arrival with a three day party. He invited nearly a thousand guests and used more than three hundred oil lamps to illuminate the house. Even the burial casket was lit from within. The effect must have been breathtaking," says Will.

After visiting the peculiar The Monk's Parlour, a mock-gothic room which Soane pretended was the home of 'Padre Giovanni', you're stuck with the impression that Soane was, to say the least, very eccentric. How was he regarded during his lifetime? "He was much criticised, and the 'Soane style' was not revived until the 20th century," says Will. "But the Museum itself was always appreciated, and Soane was respected by other architects, a profession he regarded as the 'Queen of the arts' above sculpture and painting."

"This house was his little universe. After his wife's death in 1815, he kept adding things, knocking down walls, constantly rearranging objects... His sons didn't become architects and so he failed in his plan to start an architect dynasty. But he was a bricklayer's son and didn't want to go back to anonymity, so he decided to establish the house as a museum to which 'amateurs and students' would have access," explains Will. "This house became his legacy."

Sir John Soane's Museum
13 Lincoln's Inn Fields
London WC2
tel: 020 7430 0175
admission: free
open: Tuesday to Saturday inclusive, 10am - 5pm. Also on the first Tuesday of each month, 6 - 9pm. Closed Sunday, Monday, Bank Holidays and Christmas Eve.

Tired of the current election? Don't miss the Hogarth's Election Entertainment in association with Private Eye magazine in the Soane Gallery. The Hogarth series Election, a political satire with wonderful details, is considered to be among his very best work and the caricatures (many from Private Eye magazine) are equally sharp. This exhibition, open until August 25, is a joy.

By Lisa Bjurwald
Photographs © Martin Charles