Many many moons ago I worked here and then as now my favourite thing about this Collection is the building in which it is housed. Big and beautiful, this double fronted Georgian house is perhaps the most elegant and desirable on the Square, shame really that it sides onto the busy road that cuts Canonbury Square in half. Unconverted and empty for a long time, as it stood it was unsuitable to house both the collection of Italian Futurist works gathered over the years by Mr and Mrs Estorick and all the public spaces that were needed to make this into a public gallery. But with the addition of two extensions, large hall like rooms in the basement and at the back of the building the house was transformed into the perfect space. Public access to the building is through the side gate taking you straight into the back garden, sheltered by large London plain trees. Double doors open onto a seating area served by the small café offering coffees, cakes, sandwiches and salads where you can while away a spring or summer afternoon watching the slow trickle of patrons. The house is intimate, the collection specialised and sadly never in my time and I think still, not attracting the type of numbers it deserves. Modigliani, Morandi, De Chirico and Bala are all represented here- all the important names in Italian art at the turn and beginning of the last century. They are all to be found upstairs in the permanent collection. Downstairs, in the two spacious galleries, each with large French windows onto the garden, temporary exhibitions are shown. There was the exhibition of Italian motoring and film posters, all iconic images. And then an extensive retrospective of De Chirico's work, one painting a small adaptation of the last but all as fascinating as the next. If Futurist paintings do little to stir your soul go at least to enjoy the café, take your family, young or old or perhaps you are looking for the perfect venue for a wedding reception. Whatever your reasons for visiting I urge you to go and see what I'm talking about. read more