BLENHEIM PALACE

**WEBSITE:** WWW.BLENHEIMPALACE.COM
**LOCATION:** WOODSTOCK OX20 1PP, UNITED KINGDOM
**NEAREST AIRPORTS:** HEATHROW AIRPORT, 1 HOUR DRIVE

For those who watched The Favourite starring Olivia Coleman, did you wonder at the moment when Queen Ann gifted Blenheim Palace to her lover Lady Marlborough, why did I never receive such a gift? Well, at least you can go and see what you should expect for your next birthday.

It is one of the largest houses in the UK and the only residence dubbed ‘palace’ out of royal hands. It is monumental and was built to rival Versailles. Not just big for the house itself, but also the surrounding estate. Located in Oxford, it has two thousand acres of legendary ‘British countryside green’ flanking it. It is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill (you will be reminded of that at almost every corner) and full of Baroque drama. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

Maurizio Cattelan exhibition views, 2019. Courtesy of Blenheim Art Foundation.

So why is Blenheim Palace afforded an entry on a site which specialises in Modern and Contemporary Art destinations? In 2014, the Blenheim Foundation was launched with an exhibition of the works of Ai Weiwei. The stately rooms serving as ornate gallery spaces to contrast the contemporary work, and the celebrated “Capability” Brown landscape as an outdoor backdrop. Attracting new audiences usually being the key motivator of such projects, the driver behind this foundation is Lord Edward Spencer-Churchill, brother of the 12th Duke of Marlborough, who is himself an avid art collector. The exhibitions are an annual event and at the time of writing, there have been six, each two to three months long.

Ai Weiwei exhibition views, 2014. Courtesy of Blenheim Art Foundation.

As the artists need to battle with the architecture for attention, the exhibitions need to be spectacular or risk being absorbed into the scenery. The most recent announcement has been an exhibition of painter Cecily Brown (delayed for Covid-19). Prior to this, the foundation has staged Maurizio Cattelan (the gold toilet he installed at the Palace for the duration of the exhibition was stolen, which gained much media attention), Yves Klein, Jenny Holzer, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Lawrence Weiner, and, as already mentioned, Ai Weiwei.

Yven Klein exhibition views, 2018. Courtesy of Blenheim Art Foundation.

When you go, make sure to schedule a full day trip so that you have enough time to walk around the grounds enjoying the lake, take a ride on the mini train, run through the Marlborough Maze, see the rooms, and do the ‘downstairs’ tour in comfort. There are several befitting eating options with an elegant Orangery Restaurant, and three Cafe style eateries, one specialising in Pizza, which are more family and budget-friendly.

BLENHEIM PALACE

For those who watched The Favourite starring Olivia Coleman, did you wonder at the moment when Queen Ann gifted Blenheim Palace to her lover Lady Marlborough, why did I never receive such a gift? Well, at least you can go and see what you should expect for your next birthday.