"Whilst in London, we recommend ..." - Culture and Heritage guide to the capital of England

The British Museum

"Free to the world since 1753, the British Museum houses one of the greatest collections of human cultural history.

Whether you?re coming to see real-life legends like the Rosetta Stone and Easter Island statue, or iconic objects such as the earliest known image of Christ, the following pages will help you make the most of your visit."

The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London
WC1B 3DG

Location - here

Nearest tube stations: Holborn, Tottenham Court Road, Russell Square.

Opening times

Great Court

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 09.00?18.00
Thursday, Friday, Saturday 09.00?23.00

Galleries

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 10.00?17.30
Thursday and Friday 10.00?20.30
including special exhibitions

The British Museum is free to all visitors.
A charge may be made for special exhibitions.

http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/

I went in there whilst at London Film and Comic Con, it's a great place to wander around, has art/archaeology from most ancient world cultures (and later), some quite stunning stuff
It's also near Forbidden Planet, so you could do a trip to both and get culture and Star Wars shopping in one trip.

 

Yeah lol! I actually wandered quickly through each one, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Greek/Roman, not sure if I found Aztec. I was carrying the SW poster book with me I had got from Forbidden Planet, weighed a ton, so I had to break off my speed tour lol. But there is a lot to see there

 

Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road
London
SW7 5BD

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/

Great place to go if you like Natural History. It has Dinosaur stuff, mammals & reptiles and birds etc....and also an Earthquake simulator & Darwin Galleries. Look out for the life-size Blue Whale model and the robotic T-Rex

Science Museum
Cromwell Road
London
SW7

Good place to go if you like Science & technology. They have a space explorartion area with genuine rockets and an Apollo capsule. They have Cars and V2 rockets, and aeroplanes.
Also has a Rollercoaster simulator and a mini IMAX theatre

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/


Victoria & Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
London
SW7 2RL

Place of fashion and world culture. If you like clothes this is a place to go, also has scultures and armour from various continents.



All are on the same road, all can be accessed from South Kensington Tube Station

 

Hey, there's nothing wrong with getting stuck in the Egyptian part of the BM!

(And I'm not pointing this out because I'm a sucker for Old Egypt, oh noooo.... )

 

National Portrait Gallery
St Martin's Place
London WC2H 0HE
Recorded Information
020 7312 2463
BT Type Talk 18001
Fax 020 7306 0056
www.npg.org.uk


The nearest underground stations to the Gallery are: Charing Cross 230 metres, Leicester Square 195 metres, and Embankment 490 metres.

Open daily 10am - 6pm
Late night opening Thursday and Friday until 9pm

Last admission to paying exhibitions is 45 minutes before the Gallery closes.

Closing commences 10 minutes prior to the stated time.

The Gallery is closed 24-26 December.

ADMISSION

Entry to the building is free.



I love to see the faces of the people you read about, as well as looking at the stunning fashions and art work

 

The museum of London
http://www.molg.org.uk/english/

Museum of London
London Wall
London EC2Y 5HN
Map: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/MOL+MAP.htm
Nearest tube Barbican, St Paul's, Mooregate (furthest)

Admission is free

Mon to Sat: 10am-5.50pm
Sun: 12pm-5.50pm
Last admission: 5.30pm

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[b]The imperial war museum[/b]
http://www.iwm.org.uk/
Lambeth Road
London SE1 6HZ
[b]Map:[/b]http://london.iwm.org.uk/server/show/nav.00b002001

[b]Opening times:[/b]
Open daily (except 24, 25 and 26 December) 10.00am - 6.00pm

Free entry except for special exhibitions.

[hr]

[b]National Maritime Museum[/b]
http://www.nmm.ac.uk
National Maritime Museum,
Greenwich,
LONDON SE10 9NF
[b]Map:[/b]http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/conMediaFile.8066

Admission is free
Queen's House and Royal Observatory are open from 10.00 to 17.00, seven days a week. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.

During the summer months, the Museum and the Observatory remain open until 18.00.

The Caird Library is open Monday?Friday, between 10.00?16.45. Visiting on Saturday is by appointment only and the Library is closed for an additional hour between 13.00?14.00.

[hr]

[b]The Charles Dickens Museum[/b]
http://www.dickensmuseum.com
48 Doughty Street
London WC1N 2LX

[b]Opening times:[/b]
Mondays - Saturdays
10.00-17.00
Sundays
11.00-17.00
Last admission is 30 minutes before closing time.

[b]Admission Charges:[/b]
Adults: £5.00
Students: £4.00
Seniors: £4.00
Children: £3.00
Families: £14.00 (2 adults & up to five children)

[b]Map: [/b]http://www.dickensmuseum.com/printmap.htm

[hr]

[b]Hampton Court Palace[/b]
http://www.historicroyalpalaces.org/webcode/hampton_home.asp
Hampton Court Palace
East Molesey
Surrey
KT8 9AU

Times and prices vary so would be easier to just look - http://www.historicroyalpalaces.org/webcode/content.asp?ID=7

[hr]

[b]Tower of London[/b]
http://www.tower-of-london.org.uk/webcode/tower_home.asp
HM Tower of London
London
EC3N 4AB
England

[b]Times:[/b] roughly 9-5
[b]Prices:[/b]
Adult = £15
Child (under 16) = £9.50
Concessions for students and seniors over 60 = £12
Family (2 adults and up to 3 kids) £43

 

Is the Imperial War Museum the place where they have airplanes hanging from the ceiling? I remember being to such a museum when I was 11, and I thought it was great.

 

I haven't been there in years but that does sound familiar so it probably is that one as I can't really think of any other museums that it would be in.

 

Yep, the Imperial War Museum has lots of planes and a great art section on the top floor

London Eye

ba-londoneye

or

Londonnet-London eye

Get a great view of London on one of the hottest tourist attractions in town!
Tickets will be about £13 per adult in 2007 and best to book online to avoid the hefty queues. It's open for large parts of the day, including night time.
Nearest tube/train stations are Westminster and Waterloo, about 5 mins walking distance and easy to spot.

I hope to go onit in a few weeks and will report back!!

 

^

I hate that thing, I refuse to go on it because it has ruined the London skyline

 

I think it looks great (especially at night) and very iconic. I wont post the massive list of design and architectual awards it's won

 

I know what it looks like at night, it was about 30 mins walk from my house. I still think it looks hidious

 

Canada House Gallery
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canada-europa/united_kingdom/

The Canada House Gallery stages temporary exhibitions of historical and contemporary art and artefacts. There is also an information centre, where visitors can sample Canada and Canadians via computer terminals, a reference library and reading room, and music-listening posts featuring the works of Canadian singers, songwriters and musicians.

Located in Trafalgar Square
London, SW1Y 5BJ

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[b]Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms[/b]
http://cwr.iwm.org.uk/

Clive Steps
King Charles Street
London SW1A 2AQ
United Kingdom

[b]Opening: [/b]9:30am - 6.00pm (last admission 5.00 pm)
[b]Admission:[/b]
Adult: £11.00
Children (under 16): FREE
Senior citizens: £8.50
Students: £8.50

[b]Map:[/b] http://cwr.iwm.org.uk/server/show/nav.00f002002

[hr]

[b]Buckingham Palace[/b]
http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page555.asp
The Official Residences of The Queen
London SW1A 1AA

[b]Open daily[/b], 09:45 - 18:00 (last admission 15:45)

Buckingham Palace operates a timed-ticket system, with admission every 15 minutes throughout the day.

[b]Prices

The State Rooms, Buckingham Palace*
(includes an audio tour)[/b]

Adult £14.00
Over 60/Student (with valid ID) £12.50
Under 17 £8.00
Under 5 Free
Family £36.00
(2 adults, 3 under 17s)

[b]A Royal Day Out *
Combined ticket for the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, The Queen's Gallery and the Royal Mews
(available 26 July - 24 September only)[/b]

Adult £25.00
Over 60/Student (with valid ID) £22.00
Under 17 £14.00
Under 5 Free
Family £64.00
(2 adults, 3 under 17s)

*The purchase of these tickets allows you to register on your first visit for a year's unlimited admission.

[hr]

[b]Clarence House[/b]
http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page2262.asp

Clarence House, which stands beside St James's Palace, was built between 1825 and 1827 to the designs of John Nash for Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence. He lived there as King William IV from 1830 until 1837. During its history, the house has been altered, reflecting the changes in occupancy over nearly two centuries.

It was the London home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1953 until 2002 and was also the home of The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, and The Duke of Edinburgh following their marriage in 1947.

Today Clarence House is the official London residence of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. It is open to the public during the summer months each year.

[b]Opening hours[/b]
1 August - 8 October
Open daily 10:00-17:30 (last admission 16:30)
Closed 10-17 September

[b]Prices
Clarence House[/b]
Adults £7.00
Under 17s £4.00
Under 5 free

[b]Watercolours and Drawings from the Collection of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
The Queen's Gallery[/b]
Adults £7.50
Over 60/Student £6.50
Under 17 £4.00
Under 5 free
Family Ticket £19.00
(2 adults, 3 under 17s)

[b]HMS Belfast[/b]
http://hmsbelfast.iwm.org.uk/
HMS Belfast is a 6-inch gunned, 32-knot Edinburgh-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. The Navy's heaviest ever cruiser, she served in World War II and is now berthed on the River Thames near Tower Bridge in London serving as a museum ship. The ship is administered by the Imperial War Museum as the last of the nation's big-gun warships.

Morgan's Lane
Tooley Street
London SE1 2JH
[b]Map:[/b] http://hmsbelfast.iwm.org.uk/server/show/conMediaFile.1137

[b]Opening times:[/b]
1 March - 31 October:
10.00 am - 6.00 pm (last admission 5.15 pm)

[b]Admission[/b]
Individuals
Adult: £8.50
Children (under 16): FREE
Senior citizens: £5.25
Students: £5.25
Concessions: £1.00

Group rates (10 or more)
Adult - £ 6.50
Children (under 16): FREE
Senior citizens: £4.50
Students: £4.50

[hr]

[b]London Dungeon[/b]
http://www.thedungeons.com/
It recreates various gory historical events in a style which attempts to make them appealing to the younger generation. Some of the more than 40 exhibits include 'The Great Fire of London

 

Meh Kids!

 

The Globe Theatre
http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/

The Globe Theatre is the Shakespeare place. You know the one

Open all year round, Shakespeare?s Globe Exhibition is the world?s largest exhibition devoted to Shakespeare and the London in which he lived and worked. Housed in the vast UnderGlobe beneath the theatre, the exhibition explores the remarkable story of Sam Wanamaker?s struggle to rebuild the Globe and brings Shakespeare?s world to life using a range of interactive displays and live demonstrations.
Find out how special effects were produced in Shakespeare?s time; join the cast and add your voice to a scene played by Globe actors; watch a sword-fighting display; see a working printing press in action or discover how actors are dressed in Elizabethan clothing.

There are tours, or you can watch a play

Shakespeare's Globe
21 New Globe Walk
Bankside
London
SE1 9DT

Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday
10am-6pm (8pm on performance days)

Sundays from May 5 onwards
10am-5pm (7pm on performance days)

http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/navigation/showpage.asp?l1=3&l2=2&l3=3&l4=0 for prices and stuff.

I can't remember the prices for the tours though

 

I really recommend the Korean Gallery at the BM - not only it looks good but if the weather this year is anything to go by, you'll be thankful for the air conditioning they have On the oher side Medieval rooms feel like a microwave oven.

Some classics:

The National Gallery (free)
Location
Trafalgar Square
London WC2N 5DN
Tube stations: Charing Cross, Leicester Square
Opening hours
Daily 10am-6pm
Wednesday 10am-9pm
Site
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/
What's there
Paintings from the late Gothic/early Renaissance era to the beginning of the 20th century. House of some of the most famous paintings in art history, including a cartoon by Leonardo that by itself is worth the visit. Also keep an eye on their temporary exhibitions (rather small in scale but featuring the greatest names) - although it's best to either book online or arrive very early to see those.

Tate Britain (free)
Location
Millbank
London SW1P 4RG
Opening hours
Daily 10am-5.50pm
Website
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
What's there
As it says on the tin - British art, old and new. Great collection of works by Turner, if you're a fan.

Tate Modern (free)
Location
Bankside
London SE1 9TG
Opening hours
Sunday to Thursday, 10am-6pm
Friday and Saturday, 10am-10pm
Website
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/
What's there
Modern art, from 20th century onwards. And a fantastic setting - a factory converted into a museum, with a huge hall that sometimes features a monumental art installation.

Royal Academy
Location
Burlington House
Piccadilly
London W1J 0BD
Tube: Piccadilly Circus, Green Park
Opening hours
Daily (except Fridays) 10am-6pm
Friday 10am-10pm
Website
http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/
What's there
Prestigious, high profile exhibitions; check the website to see what's on. Best to book online; admission is £11 (£7 for students, £3.80 for 12-18y.o)

 

Seconding the Globe. It's a stupendous theatre and it's only about five minutes' walk from Tate Modern, so you can go to the gallery and then a play in the evening

Also recommending The National Theatre

Where: On the South Bank, 15 mins or so from the Globe and Tate Modern
Nearest tube: Waterloo (same side of the river), or Embankment (other side of the river but actually closer).
Nearest mainline rail: Waterloo (same side), Charing Cross (other side)

Prices: it's free just to go in and wander about. Obviously if you want to see a play you have to buy a ticket Prices vary, but they do a damn good £10 (=$20) deal for students with ID.

Other stuff: there's almost always an exhibition of some sort outside (free), a really nice café, free music in the foyer, and the best theatre bookshop anywhere. They have copies of every play you can think of, theatre books, drama textbooks, DVDs, videos, posters, programmes, T-shirts, mugs, magnets and Rubik cubes

Also about 30 seconds away from the National Film Theatre, which has a superb café if nothing else.

NT Website

 

Dude, these are a lot of suggestions! You guys are doing a great job, I'm already thinking of skiping the Berlin FF meeting and coming straight to London like, a year earlier...

 

The IMW ROCKS! (Elephant and castle)


So does RAF Hendon With S for Sugar who is a century Lancaster. (Collindale N. London)

(and for ghost hunters - beware - Sugar is a battery eater! I've had a grand total of 12 cameras die trying to get photos, It never fails.)



PS - Both are FREE

 

London had a skyline?

 

yes, called nice old buildings. It now has an oversized big wheel now plonked in the middle of London

 

Wow... Lots of possibilites...