Apsley House was the London residence of the Dukes of Wellington and still feels more like an aristocratic townhouse than a conventional museum. It stands at Hyde Park Corner, looking over one of London's busiest junctions, with rooms that preserve the scale and confidence of the first duke's public life.
The collection includes paintings, sculpture, medals, swords, and military trophies linked to Wellington's career. The oddest highlight is a nude statue of Napoleon, commissioned by the emperor himself and later bought by the British government after Waterloo as a gift for Wellington.