The Fan Museum is the only museum in the United Kingdom dedicated to the history of fans and the craft of fan making. Its extraordinary collections encompass fans from around the world dating from the 12th century to present day. Located in Greenwich within two Grade II* Listed townhouses built in 1721, the buildings were lovingly restored prior to the Museum’s opening in 1991. On the ground floor visitors can see a permanent display which serves as an introduction to the subject and covers some of the methods & materials used to make fans.
The floor above showcases the diversity of The Fan Museum’s collections, which cannot be displayed together for conservation reasons. These changing displays are themed around various inspirations that have caught the imagination of fan makers over the centuries - architecture, fashion, politics and fine art, for example. At the back of the Museum and looking out onto a beautifully landscaped private garden is an elegant Orangery decorated with a trompe l'oeil mural.