Tim Knox’s term as Director of Sir John Soane’s Museum, almost eight very successful and busy years, has seen the complete restoration of Nos. 12 and 14 Lincoln’s Inn Fields to accommodate new facilities for the Museum and, most vitally, re-established the principle of putting Soane’s arrangements back exactly as he had them in 1837.

 

In his time, Tim saw the Picture Room, the Shakespeare and Tivoli Recesses, as well as various other arrangements in the Museum, restored, and he leaves the fully planned and funded reinstatement of the private apartments and other features that will form phases 2 and 3 of Opening up the Soane project as an integral part of his legacy as Director.

 

Whilst we are very sad that Tim’s move to the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge means he won’t be here to see these final restorations take place, we want to wish him the very best in his new role.

 

Instead of contributions for a leaving present for Tim, he has asked that to mark his Directorate of the Soane Museum, that those who can help might make a donation towards the publication of a book on Soane’s collection of architectural models. Not only are architectural models a particular passion of Tim’s, but it is his vision of Opening up the Soane that will allow us to fully restore Soane’s own Model Room (opening 2014) where this unique historic collection will be displayed as Soane left it.

 

The book, to be written by Deputy Director and Inspectress Helen Dorey, will be a comprehensive record of the model collection, and a fitting tribute to Tim’s time here at the Soane, so please do help if you can.