By Alaric 
One of the best things to do in Greenwich is see the famous Tulip Stairs at the Queen’s House.
This 17th-century royal villa by Inigo Jones was a pioneer for its time and houses the first geometric self-supporting spiral staircase in Britain.
It’s now an art museum that you can visit in Maritime Greenwich with sweeping views of the River Thames.
During your visit, you can view and capture the famous staircase and learn about the resident ghosts.
Here is how to visit the Tulip Stairs in London at the Queen’s House in Greenwich!
Introducing the Queen’s House in Greenwich
The Queen’s House is a jewel in the crown of the Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It was built on the site of the former Palace of Placentia. This was the birthplace of many notable Tudor rulers such as King Henry VIII, Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I.
It was built in the 17th century on the orders of King James I for Queen Anne of Denmark, a keen patron of the arts.
It was a gift of apology to Anne from James as he swore at her for killing his favourite hound.
At the time, the white villa was a pioneer in design created by Inigo Jones. Many say that this was the first classicist building created in the UK.
Anne died before it was fully completed so King Charles I completed the house and it was gifted to Henrietta Maria.
Unfortunately, it was damaged in the English Civil War and had to be reconstructed.
When the Royal Naval College was being built, Mary II ordered the construction to not block the view of the River Thames and so it has remained unobstructed ever since.
Today, it’s a Grade I listed building and stunning art gallery in London that is famous for the Tulip Stairs.
The Tulip Stairs
This incredible villa is filled with priceless portraits including the Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I.
But, most people visit the Queen’s House to see the captivating Tulip Stairs which is one of the original features of the building.
It’s an ornate, wrought iron staircase created by Inigo Jones and was the first geometric self-supporting spiral staircase in Britain.
They copy a Venetian model and the stone treads perfectly lock into each other into the wall so it requires no central structure.
This is why you have a fabulous winding view from the bottom that is naturally lit with a skylight.
The shape of the stairs is dramatic in a pristine white with a smalt blue railing decorated with flowers.
A Tulip or a Lily?
The spiral railing of these steps is what gives the staircase its curious name.
If you look at the blue railing, you can see a pattern in the design which includes flowers.
Although the common theory is that these are tulips many people believe these are lilies, the royal flower of France.
Charles I gifted this mansion to his French Queen Henrietta Maria, so it makes sense that the lilies were in honour of her heritage.
The Queen’s House Ghost
One of the curious things that makes the Tulip Stairs famous is a photo that was taken by Reverend R. W. Hardy in 1966.
The retired priest and his wife visited the house and took a photograph when the staircase was empty.
When he returned home to Canada and developed the prints the photo revealed three ghostly figures ascending the stairs.
This photo was meticulously studied but there was no rational or scientific explanation for the spectres.
This has since prompted several paranormal investigations and others have reported ghostly sightings over the years.
Who knows, you may see something spooky when you go!
How to visit the Queen’s House in Greenwich
The Queen’s House is located in Greenwich. It’s close to the Royal Naval College, Royal Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory.
If you’re travelling by public transport in London, you can take the DLR service to the Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich station and walk over in around 10-15 minutes.
Or, you can travel by Uber Boat to the Greenwich Pier which will drop you off near the Cutty Sark.
It is open from 10 am – 5 pm daily and is completely free to visit.
It’s not as well known as the Naval College’s Painted Hall so it’s quite a peaceful museum.
Sometimes parts of the house will be closed for events or renovations. See their closures page for details.
Highlights of the Queen’s House
Don’t make the mistake of visiting The Queen’s House just to see the Tulip Stairs.
Although they are a highlight, there are plenty of treasures to see here that make it worth visiting.
It doesn’t take a long time to visit but you could easily spend hours here if you wanted to. There’s so much exquisite art and artefacts to admire!
1. Art Galleries & Maritime Treasures
There are a plethora of rooms in this museum. Some contain temporary exhibitions whilst others are permanent collections.
All the rooms have a maritime theme and include royal figures and exploration.
You’ll also find lots of timeless nautical treasures including celestial globes, naval medals, ships, coins and crockery.
There are pieces from nearly every historical period too. From the Tudors, Stuarts, Hanovarians and Victoriana.
2. The Queen’s Presence Chamber
My favourite room in the Queen’s House had to be the Queen’s Presence Chamber painted in a stunning vermillion.
On the ceiling, you’ll see an ornate mural which has endless details. It was commissioned by Henrietta Maria for her ‘House of Delights’.
This is also where you’ll find the stunning Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I.
Plus several paintings of important Tudor figures such as Robert Devereux, Richard Drake, Philip II of Spain and Sir Thomas Seymour.
3. The Great Hall
The Great Hall in The Queen’s House is often nicknamed the ‘Perfect Cube’.
Along with the Tulip Stairs, this is another element of Inigo Jone’s masterpiece that makes this royal villa so famous.
The large square room has an original monochrome marble floor with large windows that have commanding views over the Thames.
Originally, the ceiling had a large mural painted by Orazio Gentileschi called Allegory of Peace and the Arts which celebrated the reign of Charles I.
It was later removed by Queen Anne and given to Sarah Churchill. It now hangs at Marlborough House.
In its place is a Turner Prize-winning ceiling mural by Richard Wright commissioned in 2016.
4. King’s Presence Chamber
Another one of my favourite rooms in the house was the King’s Presence Chamber.
It’s painted entirely in cobalt blue with ornate gold filigree details and it’s a wonder to behold!
On my visit, there was an incredible portrait of James II when he was still Duke of York and he is painted as Mars, the God of War.
I was spellbound by this piece by Henri Gascar as he looks utterly majestic!
5. Exit via the Tulip Stairs
Although you can see the bottom of the Tulip Stairs from the Great Hall, these will be roped off to you so you don’t miss any of the other exhibitions.
You’ll walk down this spiral staircase at the very end of your visit after you’ve seen all the art galleries.
Make sure you’ve seen everything you want to see in the museum before you head there as it’s a one-way visitor route.
To get the famous spiral view of the Tulip Stairs stand right at the bottom in the centre of the detailed circle and look up towards the skylight!
Top tips for photography
There are lots of beautiful compositions to capture the Tulip Stairs.
The first will be the view as you’re looking down at the stunning details on the floor below. But, the most famous view is looking up the Tulip Stairs from the bottom.
It’s quite hard to capture as you’ll need to get low. So, have a wide-angle camera lens on hand or use the wide-angle option on your phone.
Visitors also use the staircase to exit the museum, so you may need a little patience if it’s a busy day.
You also can’t use tripods in the museum or anywhere on the outer grounds.
Is the Queen’s House free to visit?
Yes, visiting the Queen’s House and Tulip Stairs is completely free in London.
I was pleasantly surprised by this but most of the museums in London are free to visit.
You can pop in at any time but they do recommend booking a ticket online to guarantee entry as it can be quite popular.
If you did enjoy your visit please consider leaving a donation which helps towards the conservation of the museum. You can donate when booking your ticket or there are contactless donation points dotted around the building!
Are you looking for more things to do in Greenwich?
After your visit to the Queen’s House, there is plenty to do in the Royal Borough of Greenwich to keep you busy.
Just behind the Tulip Stairs is the Royal Greenwich Observatory and you can visit the National Maritime Museum next door.
You can also visit the Cutty Sark clipper ship. Constructed in 1869, this ship was the fastest of its time and sailed to China to collect tea.
The Maritime theme can be found all over this area and the Royal Naval College is a sight not to be missed.
This is a Film & TV favourite and can be seen in many productions like Bridgerton, Poldark, Cruella, Skyfall & Pirates of the Caribbean.
You can buy a ticket for their Painted Hall or visit some free attractions like the Chapel of St Peter and St Paul and wander around the campus.
You can sail over the River Thames in one of the Uber Boats or, further along, you can visit the O2 Arena.
Visit the Royal Docks to take to the skies on the London Cable Cars!
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