Blenheim Palace launches The Blenheim Story – a new permanent exhibition exploring its 300 year history

This month will see Blenheim Palace unveil a new, permanent exhibition, The Blenheim Story, which will shine a light on the 300 years of history of the Baroque Palace.

Visitors will learn why the Palace was first built and about its first residents. During the exhibition, visitors can discover the opening chapter of Blenheim Palace’s story, from the birth of John Churchill in 1650, the First Duke of Marlborough, to the completion of the Palace, over 75 years later.

Through a layered timeline around the room, visitors can find out about the key people who influenced the building of the Palace and discover their personalities and stories as well as their pivotal moments in history. They will be able to find out about the drama and friction of these historical figures’ relationships with one another and how this influenced British military history, the monarchy and the time it took to build Blenheim Palace – a turbulent period of almost 30 years.

The Blenheim Story is an introduction to the Palace and its history, where visitors will begin their experience inside the Palace before continuing on to the Palace State Rooms where they will be able to see the stories of these main characters in Blenheim Palace’s history represented in everything from the tapestries and portraits to the ceilings and statues.

Kate Ballenger, Keeper of Palace and Collections, said: “Known as ‘Britain’s Greatest Palace’, Blenheim Palace has a deep and fascinating 300-year history. We want all those who visit to know the reason why it was built, and the stories of all those that have lived in it over the years – and our new permanent exhibition will do just that. One of our aims is to keep the history of the palace alive, and shining a light on its illuminating past allows us to share this with all who visit, to enhance their experience.”

Entry to The Blenheim Story exhibition is included within the Blenheim Palace ticket, including Annual Pass or a Privilege Pass.

For more information and to book tickets visit, www.blenheimpalace.com/

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Blenheim Palace. For more information please contact Cab Campaign blenheim@cabcampaign.co.uk

About Blenheim Palace

Home to the Dukes of Marlborough since 1705, the Oxfordshire Estate was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

Set in over 2,000 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped parkland and designed by Vanbrugh in the Baroque style, Blenheim Palace is also the birthplace of one of Britain’s most famous leaders, Sir Winston Churchill and it was his father who described the vista, on entering the Estate from the village of Woodstock, as the ‘finest view in England’.