Start your journey of discovery
Delve into history, get tips from our experts, learn a new skill and go behind the scenes of your favourite places.
History
Find out more about people from the past, discover remarkable art and collections and brush up on your knowledge of architecture and gardens.
Seasonal highlights
The story of Easter in our collections
Take a closer look at some of the Easter objects in our collections. From a religious holy day to a time for family traditions, discover the origins of Easter and the symbolic egg.
Why were some medieval villages deserted?
In England, several sites of lost medieval villages can be found at National Trust places. Learn more about these abandoned villages.
Top tips for spring cleaning your home
Learn how to clean your house with tips and tricks from the National Trust experts who maintain and conserve historic houses and their contents.
Unearthing Britain's history: archaeology through the eras
Discover the different eras of British history through the archaeological artefacts and sites in our care. From stone circles in the Prehistoric Era to military remains of the 20th century, learn more about our ancestors and Britain's past.
Art and collections
Delve into one of the world's greatest collections of art and historical objects. From paintings to sculptures, there’s something for every art lover to discover.
Spring scenes in our collections
Spring's promise of new beginnings has been an inspiration to artists and designers for centuries. Discover spring through some of its most evocative depictions in the collections and objects we care for.
The art of illusion in historic houses
Learn about some of the misleading objects, paintings and architectural features in the historic houses we look after, and discover the truth behind these optical illusions.
See great masterpieces in National Trust collections
Masterpieces by Velázquez, Rembrandt, Hieronymus Bosch and El Greco can be seen in the collections at the properties in our care across the UK.
Country house communication through the ages
Learn how innovations in country house communication technology, from sprung bells to early telephones, transformed the ways servants could be called upon.
People
Read the stories of people from history and learn about their connections to the historic places in our care, from Beatrix Potter to the Beatles.
Remarkable women in history
Learn about the remarkable women in history linked to the places in our care, from the political player who helped make Charles II king, to the archaeologist who discovered a 7th-century Saxon ship burial.
Great women gardeners
Discover the legacies of women pioneers in gardening, from Edith, Lady Londonderry’s rare plants and symbolism, to Kitty Lloyd Jones, one of the first women to train as a professional horticulturalist.
Women’s stories from the First World War
The stories of women’s roles are less well known than soldiers’ tales from the trenches, but they all played a vital role in the First World War.
Architecture
Read up on architecture with in-depth articles about architectural styles, interior design through history and architectural structures.
What is Palladianism?
Learn how Palladianism combined classically symmetrical exteriors with lavish interiors and went on to gain huge popularity with renowned architects in England in the 18th century.
What is a Dovecote?
Dovecotes were built by wealthy and aristocratic families from the Norman period onwards and doves were kept for both food, feathers and as status symbols.
Top tips for maintaining your own ‘manor’
Find out from our team of building surveyors how you can keep your own ‘stately home’ maintained to a National Trust standard this year.
Gardens and landscapes
Discover the history of the natural landscapes around you. From glasshouses to sunken lanes, understand more about how these gardens and green spaces were formed.
The history of daffodils
Discover the history behind the daffodil, including how it came to be one of the UK's favourite flowers, where it came from and how to classify its many varieties.
History of glasshouses, orangeries and garden sheds
Discover the evolution in garden buildings, from exclusive hothouses for rare new finds to the cornerstones of every garden today.
What was the open space movement?
Open space campaigners sought to preserve countryside for recreation. Discover the history of the movement and how it inspired our work.
