The Cosmic House is the first Post-Modern house in the UK to be given Grade I listed status (meaning it must be preserved). Once the private residence of the late Maggie and Charles Jencks, the eccentric home opened to the public in September 2021 as a "cultural laboratory" and museum. From the outside, it doesn't necessarily stand out from all of the other large brick and … [Read more...] about Exploring The Cosmic House in London
Columns
New Royal Academy Exhibition: Treasures from Spain and the Hispanic World
Presented in the Main Galleries at the Royal Academy in London from 21 January 2023, Spain and the Hispanic World celebrates the unrivaled collection of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library in New York. This landmark exhibition presents a visual narrative of the history of Spanish culture. It brings together outstanding works from Spain and colonial Latin America, from … [Read more...] about New Royal Academy Exhibition: Treasures from Spain and the Hispanic World
The Fiver – Five of the Biggest Fan Conventions to Attend in London
Fan conventions allow a group of fervent supporters to get together and enjoy their favorite shows, films, literature, and more. Often as not, you’ll see the attendees dressed up in the costume of their favorite characters. These conventions are also great opportunities for the fans to interact with their favorite stars by getting autographs or taking photos with the guests. … [Read more...] about The Fiver – Five of the Biggest Fan Conventions to Attend in London
The Fiver – Five Live-Action Family Films Set in London
In the history of cinema, films of all genres have taken place in the United Kingdom’s capital city. Naturally, this includes a number of films aimed at children and families with stories that range from the fantastical to the heartwarming. These films can also be a good way to introduce your kids to the city before you travel there, and they can excitedly point to iconic … [Read more...] about The Fiver – Five Live-Action Family Films Set in London
The Fiver: Five Things to Buy Before Your Trip to London
Trying to figure out what you need to pack before a trip can always be a struggle. Sometimes that also means figuring out what you need to buy before you leave. Do you need toiletries that’ll get past TSA? Should you buy those theater tickets before trying to hit the West End? There can be a lot of decisions to make when it comes to answering these questions, and we’re here … [Read more...] about The Fiver: Five Things to Buy Before Your Trip to London
The Fiver: Five Things to Do in London on New Year’s Day
2023 is coming and it’s time to start planning how we’re going to celebrate. Of course, most events you’ll look up focus on New Year’s Eve, be they concerts, parties, or other creative ways to count down to midnight. When you wake up in the morning and you’re not too partied out from the night before, there are plenty of things you can do in London to ring in the new year and … [Read more...] about The Fiver: Five Things to Do in London on New Year’s Day
Guest Post: From a London Cabbie – The lost property conundrum
Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt from a new memoir written by London Cabbie David Styles, where he chronicles interesting stories as he worked London's streets. He has kindly provided Londontopia an excerpt. The book is available on Amazon and most other bookstores. The lost property conundrum: Although today mobiles seem to be the most common property left in … [Read more...] about Guest Post: From a London Cabbie – The lost property conundrum
Exploring Sutton House National Trust in Hackney – A Tudor Wonder
Sutton House is a National Trust property in Hackney. That would be unusual enough but it's a Grade II* listed Tudor manor house. Yes, there's a Tudor house in east London. Despite its misleading Georgian frontage, this 16th-century home has nearly 500 years of history. A rare example of a Tudor red-brick house, it was built by a courtier of Henry VIII. It has been home to a … [Read more...] about Exploring Sutton House National Trust in Hackney – A Tudor Wonder
The Fiver: Five of the Best Places to See Christmas Trees in London
Oh, Christmas tree! Oh, Christmas tree! Ever since it was made popular by German immigrants in the United States and Prince Albert in the United Kingdom, it has been arguably everyone’s favorite Christmas decoration. Oftentimes decorated with ornaments, lights, and tinsel, you’ll see this symbol of Christmas not only in homes and flats across London, but also in major public … [Read more...] about The Fiver: Five of the Best Places to See Christmas Trees in London
The Fiver: Five Things to Look Forward to in London this Christmas
Even though Thanksgiving has yet to happen here in the States, the Christmas season is upon us both at home and abroad. In London, November is when the holiday really kicks into gear as the streets become lined with decorations, and many Christmas events help residents and visitors to get into the spirit of the season. In our first real post-pandemic Christmas, you can expect … [Read more...] about The Fiver: Five Things to Look Forward to in London this Christmas
Exploring Leighton House Museum – London’s Palace of Art
Leighton House Museum is the former home and studio of the leading Victorian artist, Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830–1896). When you arrive the formal red brick exterior leaves you unprepared for the 'Palace of Art' inside. About Leighton House Designed by his friend, the architect George Aitchison RA (1825–1910), this is the only purpose-built studio-house open to the … [Read more...] about Exploring Leighton House Museum – London’s Palace of Art
The Fiver – Five Unusual Transportation Methods in London
Getting around London can be a hassle for many, especially if you traverse the city by car. This is why many turn to public transport, including busses, cabs, ride share, Boris Bikes, and the London Underground to move about. However, these are not the only ways to get around, and there are means of transportation available that you may never have considered. We’re going to … [Read more...] about The Fiver – Five Unusual Transportation Methods in London
Exploring The Red House – William Morris’s Iconic Arts and Crafts Home in London
Red House is a significant Arts and Craft house in southeast London that was designed for William Morris. A lavishly decorated and thoughtfully designed villa, it is now a National Trust visitor attraction. Red House lay along the ancient pilgrims' route to Canterbury and Morris cast himself in the role of genial Chaucerian host. He encouraged a stream of artistic … [Read more...] about Exploring The Red House – William Morris’s Iconic Arts and Crafts Home in London
Open House London – Exploring The Fog House in Clerkenwell – A Very Private Home
Each September, Open House London offers opportunities to visit buildings that are often not available to the general public. The Fog House was an excellent example of what makes Open House so wonderful. It is someone's home, so we would never get inside without the generosity of the owner and the Open House team's negotiations. This converted and extended small industrial … [Read more...] about Open House London – Exploring The Fog House in Clerkenwell – A Very Private Home
Open House London: Exploring 75 Grosvenor Street and its amazing roof gardens
Open House London is an annual architecture festival that allows us to go inside buildings that are often unavailable to the public. I like to visit a variety of places which is how I discovered this Mayfair office. You could walk past and think it's just another row of Georgian townhouses but going inside, I saw the incredible work of the developers transforming three … [Read more...] about Open House London: Exploring 75 Grosvenor Street and its amazing roof gardens
Exploring Euston Fire Station during Open House London
Open House London gives an annual opportunity to visit buildings that are not usually open to the public. I've often walked past Euston Fire Station and wondered what it was like inside, so I booked a tour. Euston Fire Station is a Grade II listed late Victorian red brick building. It's in the Arts and Crafts architectural style, dressed with Portland stone. It is close to … [Read more...] about Exploring Euston Fire Station during Open House London
New Exhibition at British Museum Report – Hieroglyphs: Unlocking Ancient Egypt
The British Museum has a major exhibition on hieroglyphs open from 13 October 2022. Two hundred years after the language was deciphered, Hieroglyphs: unlocking ancient Egypt marks this important moment in our understanding of ancient history. It explores the inscriptions and objects that helped scholars unlock one of the world's oldest civilizations. Egypt was a superpower … [Read more...] about New Exhibition at British Museum Report – Hieroglyphs: Unlocking Ancient Egypt
Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of Imagination – Latest Blockbuster Exhibition at the Science Museum
This is the most ambitious exhibition the Science Museum has ever staged. Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of Imagination places visitors at the heart of a genre-defying interactive science fiction story. Through over 70 objects, visitors uncover fascinating connections between significant scientific innovations and celebrated science fiction works, brought together in … [Read more...] about Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of Imagination – Latest Blockbuster Exhibition at the Science Museum
Charles Dickens Museum – To Be Read At Dusk: Dickens, Ghosts & the Supernatural
It must be getting close to Halloween as a new exhibition at the Charles Dickens Museum explores the ghosts in the mind of Dickens. To Be Read At Dusk: Dickens, Ghosts & the Supernatural is open from 5 October 2022 until 5 March 2023. Dickens wrote, read, performed, and edited ghost stories for over 30 years, and the exhibition covers from boyhood horror comics to his … [Read more...] about Charles Dickens Museum – To Be Read At Dusk: Dickens, Ghosts & the Supernatural
Exhibition Report: Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery
This National Gallery landmark exhibition is being staged to mark the centenary of the birth of artist Lucian Freud (1922–2011.) It is the first major Lucian Freud exhibition in a decade to showcase his long and influential career. Family The grandson of Sigmund Freud, Lucian Freud was born in Berlin in 1922. His father was the Jewish architect Ernst L. Freud. Ernst was … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery
Report on New Installation on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square – Antelope by Samson Kambalu
The Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square has displayed temporary contemporary art since 1998. THE END by Heather Phillipson was removed on 15 August 2022, and the latest choice was unveiled on Wednesday, 28 September 2022. Antelope by Samson Kambalu is the 14th Fourth Plinth commission and will stay until next year. It was selected in 2021 by the Fourth Plinth Commission … [Read more...] about Report on New Installation on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square – Antelope by Samson Kambalu
Westminster Hall: The colorful history of the 900-year-old building
The King described Westminster Hall as a “great hall” which holds “reminders of medieval predecessors of the office to which I have been called” during a speech given to MPs and peers in Parliament. Charles’s address is the latest speech to take place in the hall, a location which has been used to mark momentous moments in British history. It dates back more than 900 … [Read more...] about Westminster Hall: The colorful history of the 900-year-old building
Buckingham Palace Summer Opening 2022 Report
The annual Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace has returned this year. It's when we get to look around the Palace's State Rooms while the Queen is away. Each time there is a special exhibition and this year it's Platinum Jubilee: The Queen’s Accession. Summer Opening After the Windsor Castle fire in 1992, the decision was taken to open Buckingham Palace to visitors to raise … [Read more...] about Buckingham Palace Summer Opening 2022 Report
Lucian Freud: Family Matters at Freud Museum London
For the centenary of the birth of British artist Lucian Freud (1922–2011), the Freud Museum is staging its first-ever exhibition of his work. The exhibition explores the childhood, family life, and early work of Lucian Freud at the London home of his grandfather, Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), the founder of psychoanalysis. On display are paintings, drawings, photographs, … [Read more...] about Lucian Freud: Family Matters at Freud Museum London
Superbloom at The Tower of London – The Return Visit
Superbloom is in the dry moat at the Tower of London. I first visited in late May and there were concerns that it didn't look as lovely as it might in the summer. So I decided to return and see the changes. As a recap, this is a permanent transformation in the 13th-century moat. It was drained in 1845 and it's taken over 175 years for another drastic change. The soil was … [Read more...] about Superbloom at The Tower of London – The Return Visit
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