Culture

Out of Austerity: The Festival of Britain 1951 – A History and Examination

Jul 2, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

The 1951 Festival of Britain was a post-war state-sponsored exhibition. At the time, rationing continued and austerity gripped the nation. London was shabby, rundown and gloomy so this bright and playful spectacular was a 'tonic for the nation' to promote the feeling of recovery. The city was scarred with bombsites and buildings hadn't been painted for ten years so the Festival … [Read more...] about Out of Austerity: The Festival of Britain 1951 – A History and Examination

City of London Postman’s Park – London’s Special Memorial to Everyday Heroes

Jun 25, 2020 By Laura Porter 1 Comment

The City of London has over 150 open spaces from city gardens to pocket parks. Many are former graveyards, and Postman's Park fits that category. It is a shady garden with plenty of benches to stop with your takeaway lunch and enjoy the calm away from the City streets. It's also a pleasant cut-through from King Edward Street to St Martin' s-le-Grand, close to the Museum of … [Read more...] about City of London Postman’s Park – London’s Special Memorial to Everyday Heroes

Another London Mapping Wonder: Taking a Close Look at MacDonald Gill’s 1914 London Wonderground Map

Jun 11, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Do you remember the days when we stood waiting for a train before we had mobile phones to distract us? Some read the paper and some simply stared into space daydreaming and avoiding eye contact with any strangers. Back in the early twentieth century, Frank Pick from the London Underground had the idea to commission a detailed illustrative map for passengers on platforms to … [Read more...] about Another London Mapping Wonder: Taking a Close Look at MacDonald Gill’s 1914 London Wonderground Map

A London Mapping Wonder: A Guide to the London Theatreland Map of 1915

Jun 4, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Back in 2015, I redecorated my dining room to include a feature wall section with a London Theatreland map from 1915. (This is the wallpaper – as an aside, I got the self-adhesive version so it was really easy to hang.) One hundred years after the map was published for London Underground, I got to admire it in large-scale at home. For a less permanent version, you can get … [Read more...] about A London Mapping Wonder: A Guide to the London Theatreland Map of 1915

London’s Social History: The History of Public Housing in London

Jun 2, 2020 By John Rabon 1 Comment

Also referred to Social Housing or Council Housing, public housing has long been an issue of greater interest in the United Kingdom and especially in the capital city of London. Prior to the Victorian era, the government had never thought to provide housing to lower-income citizens. Prior to this, the need for housing fell on the Church or private entities. Since the 10th … [Read more...] about London’s Social History: The History of Public Housing in London

A Guide to London’s Historical Ethnic Neighborhoods

May 28, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

London is a socially rich and diverse place, with 44% of the city’s population representing various ethnicities and over 300 languages spoken. Many areas of the city are inhabited by immigrants and their descendants from all over the world. These neighborhoods have a history and culture that gives their residents a sense of community while also making London a truly … [Read more...] about A Guide to London’s Historical Ethnic Neighborhoods

Ten Things to See at the Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood

May 25, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Despite the name, the V&A Museum of Childhood is a place for all ages. Located in Bethnal Green, the Museum of Childhood is a museum both for children and about adolescence. Founded in 1872 as the Bethnal Green Museum, its collection is the largest amount of childhood objects in the United Kingdom, featuring over 26,000 pieces of art, literature, clothing, toys, and more, … [Read more...] about Ten Things to See at the Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood

Top Ten Things to See at the London Transport Museum

May 21, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Getting around London has been a big deal for centuries. Going back to the beginning of the 1800s when horse-drawn buses transported everyday citizens and handsome cabs were available for those with more means, transporting Londoners from one point to another has been a major part of the city. The London Transport Museum exists to document this history from its earliest days … [Read more...] about Top Ten Things to See at the London Transport Museum

London Fiver: Five of London’s Strangest Annual Events

May 13, 2020 By John Rabon 2 Comments

London certainly sees its share of annual parades, festivals, and events from its Carnival to the Lord Mayor’s Show. Many of them highlight the history and cultural heritage of the city, though some are a little on the weird side. Certain events in London might seem odd to observers at first, but they can be just as fun. From annual traditions with a long history to races … [Read more...] about London Fiver: Five of London’s Strangest Annual Events

STRAWBERRY HILL HOUSE: London’s Gothic Revival Masterpiece

May 7, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Created by Horace Walpole as his summer retreat riverside villa, Strawberry Hill House is Britain’s finest example of Georgian Gothic Revival architecture. After a £10 million repair and restoration programme, twenty rooms now appear as Walpole left them when he died at the end of the eighteenth century. Throughout his 50 years at Strawberry Hill, between 1747 and 1797, Horace … [Read more...] about STRAWBERRY HILL HOUSE: London’s Gothic Revival Masterpiece

Ten Things to See at the Museum of London

Apr 28, 2020 By John Rabon 1 Comment

London’s only museum dedicated solely to itself, the Museum of London was born in 1965 out of the Museum of London Act. When it opened in 1976, it featured the combined collections of the City of London at London Guildhall and the London Museum at Kensington Palace. Its exhibits are dedicated to the city’s history and are separated into various eras from prehistoric London … [Read more...] about Ten Things to See at the Museum of London

Top 10 London: Ten Things to See at the Victoria and Albert Museum (When it Reopens…)

Apr 16, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

More than an art museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum is dedicated to applied and decorative arts and design. This goes beyond painting and sculpture to photography, fashion, logos, furniture, textiles, and more. This means the museum’s collection is quite expansive, clocking in at over 2.27 million objects. With so many things to see in the V&A, it can be hard to … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Ten Things to See at the Victoria and Albert Museum (When it Reopens…)

THE ALBERT MEMORIAL: A Close-up Look at Victoria’s Tribute to Her Prince

Apr 9, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

When Queen Victoria's husband died unexpectedly, it was not just the monarch that mourned as the nation too was consumed with grief along with a certain amount of guilt at not having appreciated Prince Albert and everything he had done. A grand and complex memorial was built to place Albert in the centre of arts and sciences of the 1860s. PRINCE ALBERT Prince Albert of … [Read more...] about THE ALBERT MEMORIAL: A Close-up Look at Victoria’s Tribute to Her Prince

LONDON TOP FIVE: Our Favorite London Pubs

Apr 2, 2020 By jonathan 1 Comment

Over the years we’ve had the pleasure of visiting many pubs all across London. Some have been terrible. Some have been wonderful. Here’s a list of five of favorites that we go back to again and again. The Mayflower - Rotherhithe The Mayflower tries to claim the title of the oldest pub on the Thames (the history is murky). This pub was founded in 1550 as The Shippe and is … [Read more...] about LONDON TOP FIVE: Our Favorite London Pubs

Laura’s London: Special Exhibition Report – Andy Warhol at Tate Modern

Mar 11, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

A new major exhibition at Tate Modern looks at Andy Warhol from his childhood in Pittsburgh through to his one of his final works. It's a fresh look at the extraordinary life and work of the pop art superstar and offers a rare personal insight into how Warhol and his work marked a period of cultural transformation. Featuring over 100 works, the exhibition shows how this … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Special Exhibition Report – Andy Warhol at Tate Modern

Florence Nightingale in 200 Objects, People and Places – New Special Exhibition at the Florence Nightingale Museum

Mar 6, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Florence Nightingale (12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was born in Florence, Italy, to a wealthy British family. In her bicentenary year, London's Florence Nightingale Museum is celebrating the life and legacy of the lesser-known aspects of her life with a special exhibition. The museum tells the story of this deeply religious woman who broke social conventions. Nightingale in … [Read more...] about Florence Nightingale in 200 Objects, People and Places – New Special Exhibition at the Florence Nightingale Museum

London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission

Mar 5, 2020 By Laura Porter 1 Comment

While London has many fantastic free museums and galleries there are some that have an admission charge. This list is by no means exhaustive but these are the ‘pay for’ London museums we would like to highlight. We’ve tried to focus on the best museums and have avoided listing common tourist traps. When you have to pay to get into a museum, especially in London where most … [Read more...] about London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission

Exhibition Report: David Hockney – Drawing from Life at the National Portrait Gallery

Feb 27, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

There's a new exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery featuring one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century. David Hockney: Drawing from Life is the first major exhibition devoted to David Hockney's drawings in over twenty years. There are around 150 works from public and private collections on display. The exhibition traces the trajectory of his … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: David Hockney – Drawing from Life at the National Portrait Gallery

Ten Interesting Things to See at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

Feb 25, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Greenwich has been an important place to seafaring and exploration for centuries since the Romans first landed their boats here to King Charles II establishing the Greenwich Observatory for “finding the longitude of places”. Recognizing this long history, the National Maritime Museum was officially established in 1934 in the Royal Greenwich Park, with the building itself … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Things to See at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

Special Exhibition Report: Viewing the Armada Portraits at Queen’s House in Greenwich – Faces of a Queen and The Woburn Treasures

Feb 13, 2020 By Laura Porter 1 Comment

For the first time ever the three surviving versions of the Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I are on display together in the Queen’s House in Greenwich (13 February – 31 August 2020). And a major collaboration with Woburn Abbey means even more significant works from their private art collection are on display in Greenwich too. If you do one special exhibition in Britain this year, … [Read more...] about Special Exhibition Report: Viewing the Armada Portraits at Queen’s House in Greenwich – Faces of a Queen and The Woburn Treasures

Top Ten Things to See and Do at Westminster Abbey

Feb 11, 2020 By John Rabon 2 Comments

Known formally as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, Westminster Abbey has been at the center of Christian life in London since the 7th Century when the first church was founded on the site. The Abbey got its start when Saint Dustan and King Edgar founded a Benedictine community there around the 960s or 970s. Edward the Confessor then began construction of … [Read more...] about Top Ten Things to See and Do at Westminster Abbey

Exhibition Report: Meet Vincent van Gogh in London

Feb 7, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

From 7 February to 21 May 2020, the award-winning Meet Vincent van Gogh Experience is on display on London’s South Bank. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has found a new approach with this touring 3D experience. The museum's collection is quite small and vulnerable so this idea makes art accessible to a wider audience. It's an interactive and multi-sensory experience that … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: Meet Vincent van Gogh in London

Laura’s London: Exploring Lambeth Palace Library

Jan 27, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Lambeth Palace Library has been kept within Lambeth Palace for 400 years, but things are changing as a new Library is currently under construction. ABOUT LAMBETH PALACE Across the river Thames from the Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster), Lambeth Palace is a working palace and for over 800 years has been the Archbishop of Canterbury's residence. In 1197 land was … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Exploring Lambeth Palace Library

LONDON TOP FIVE: Trendy Chain Restaurants To Try On Your Next Trip to London

Jan 23, 2020 By jonathan Leave a Comment

American style chains proliferated in London in the ’90s and ’00s, but as tourists have developed a more refined palate for good dining while traveling, the restaurant market in London has provided a series of innovative new trendy chain restaurants that focus on specific cuisine and do it well. Here are our favorites. Flat Iron - Flat Iron is a restaurant concept that focuses … [Read more...] about LONDON TOP FIVE: Trendy Chain Restaurants To Try On Your Next Trip to London

LONDON TOP FIVE: Our Personal Favorite Bookstores in London – What’s Your Favorite?

Jan 16, 2020 By jonathan 2 Comments

I love books. I love London. London has the best bookshops in the world. Here’s my roundup of my top five favorites. We’ve made a note of which ones will be happy to send your book finds back home, so you don’t have to worry about cramming everything back into your suitcase! Hatchards -The word I would use to describe Hatchards is Stately. It’s the oldest bookstore in Britain … [Read more...] about LONDON TOP FIVE: Our Personal Favorite Bookstores in London – What’s Your Favorite?