The Freud family came to England as refugees, having escaped Austria following the Nazi annexation in March 1938. The Freuds were fortunate to be able to bring all their belongings to London. The heart of the house is Sigmund Freud’s study and his famous psychoanalytic couch. Freud spent the last year of his life here, and died in his study at Maresfield Gardens.

The house remained the family home until Anna’s death in 1982. Anna bequeathed the house to become a museum. The doors opened to the public in 1986.