House & displays
Chatsworth is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, and has been passed down through 16 generations of the Cavendish family. The house architecture and collection have been evolving for five centuries.
The house has over 30 rooms to explore*, from the magnificent Painted Hall, regal State Rooms, newly restored Sketch Galleries and beautiful Sculpture Gallery. In the Guest Bedrooms, meet an Edwardian Lady's Maid who will be revealing the secrets of her mistress's suitcase of clothes, or dress up in one of our period costumes.
Chatsworth has one of Europe's most significant art collections. The diverse collection has grown with each generation to live here, and the Devonshire Collection encompasses Old Masters, contemporary ceramics, artefacts from Ancient Egypt, modern sculpture and computer portraits to name but a few. The Old Master Drawings Cabinet opened in 2012 to showcase selections from over 2000 pieces within the collection, many of which have not been publicly displayed within living memory. Find out more about the Devonshire Collection.
We hold events in and around the house all year, and some highlights include the annual Florabundance festival, exhibitions in the New Gallery, and Christmas at Chatsworth, when the lower floors of the house are festively decorated while conservation work is undertaken on the upper floor.
This year, restoration work as part of the masterplan is now taking place inside the house, in particular the grotto and chapel corridor, and unfortunately these rooms will not be open to visitors.
*Please note that each year during the Christmas season, the State Rooms and Sketch Galleries are closed for annual conservation.
