Fan Museum
Not just for fanatics
The Fan Museum, Crooms Hill, Greenwich
London explorers with more than a passing interest in the decorative arts may enjoy briefly immersing themselves in a recherché corner of the subject in this lovely pair of early Georgian houses on Crooms Hills, just a short distance from the touristic mayhem of historic maritime Greenwich.
The Fan Museum (which is, unsurprisingly, the only one of its kind in the world) was founded in 1991 by Dicky and Hélène Alexander, primarily to display Hélène’s own collection, which has since been augmented by charitably funded purchases.
Most of the museum is devoted to a permanent exhibition of fans through the ages, from the flat vellum rectangles of the Middle Ages through ornate folding fans from the 18th and 19th centuries to a (mercifully small) cabinet of desk fans, kitchen odour extractors and the like.
Upstairs there’s usually a special exhibition devoted to some particular aspect of fannery, such as advertising fans, fans from the world of music or sports, leisure and fans, to name a few of their more recent shows. Everything is tastefully displayed, although it’s a shame that all the exhibits are behind glass – but the reasons for this protectionism are obvious.
With the exception of the basement orangery (which can be hired for small functions), the house itself has been fannified in various ways, and there’s a little fan arrangement in the centre of the garden – and wrought iron fans adorning the railings beside the steps leading down to it. There are even fan tiles and fan soap in the loos.
The gift shop sells every conceivable style of (non-electrical) fan and a wide range of fan-related items and literature. My companion bought a fan that doubles as a bonnet, apparently one of their most popular items and available in a bewildering variety of colours and patterns.
