COMPOSER Ralph Vaughan Williams's Dorking home is to open to the public for the first time.
The National Trust has announced that Leith Hill Place will open for a four-month trial season from July 26.
Work to prepare the 17th century house, once home to the Wedgwood family and visited frequently by Charles Darwin, and its estate has been in progress for the last few months and the trust is now appealing for appropriate items of furniture and musical instruments to go on display.
The property, used as boarding school accommodation for the last 30 years, was bequeathed to the nation in 1944, although it remained the Wedgwood family home until the 1960s.
Visitor operations manager Gabrielle Gale said: "Unlike most of our houses, Leith Hill Place has not been renovated or interpreted to reflect a certain time. It shows the interesting historical associations as it stands today."
Once open, it will offer music, art and natural science activities, tours of the attics and cellar, and a "drop-in space" with refreshments.
The house, located a 400m walk from the Tanhurst Lane car park, will be open Friday to Monday, from 11am to 5pm, until November 2.
The National Trust is recruiting volunteers to run the property, with an information session planned for June 15.
To find out more, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/leith-hill