Baden-Powell House
Conference centre in South Kensington, London
About
Queen's Gate House, still commonly known by its previous name of Baden-Powell House, is a conference centre in South Kensington, London. It was built as a tribute to Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, and has served as the headquarters for The Scout Association, as a hostel providing modern and affordable lodging for Scouts, Guides, their families and the general public staying in London and as a conference and event venue.
The building committee, chaired by Sir Harold Gillett, Lord Mayor of London, purchased the site in 1956, and assigned Ralph Tubbs to design the house in the modern architectural style. The foundation stone was laid in 1959 by World Chief Guide Olave, Lady Baden-Powell, and it was opened in 1961 by Queen Elizabeth II. The largest part of the £400,000 cost was provided by the Scout Movement itself and the building previously included a number of tributes to the founder including hosting a small exhibition about Scouting, and a granite statue of Baden-Powell by Don Potter located outside the building.
Nearby
More to see within walking distance
Victoria and Albert Museum
Art museum in London, England
0.3 mi away
Science Museum, London
Museum in Kensington, London
0.2 mi away
Natural History Museum, London
Museum in South Kensington, London
0.1 mi away
South Kensington
District in London, England
0.3 mi away
Royal Society of Sculptors
Centre for contemporary sculpture in London
0.3 mi away
Ismaili Centre, London
Religious and cultural center for Ismailis
0.2 mi awayPlaces to eat nearby
Finding places to eat…
Traveler reviews
Tickets & tours
Tickets and tours for Baden-Powell House
We may earn a commission from some of these links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more
Photos from Unsplash, Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA); facts from Wikipedia; maps © OpenStreetMap contributors, weather from Open-Meteo. Huginn’s tips are AI-written — check prices, hours and entry rules before you go.