Lemn Sissay, the official poet of the 2012 London Olympics, has been awarded the Freedom of the City of London. The writer and broadcaster, who was made an OBE in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to literature and charity, was honored during a ceremony at Guildhall on Friday. One of the City of London’s ancient traditions, the Freedom is believed to have begun in … [Read more...] about Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
Culture
English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
A female activist known as the “founding spirit” of the Notting Hill Carnival is among the people whose place in history will be marked with a blue plaque this year. Equality campaigner Claudia Jones, who pioneered the Caribbean festival in London, is included in English Heritage’s roster of culturally significant people whose former homes will be bestowed with the … [Read more...] about English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
The National Portrait Gallery will reopen later this year with an exhibition of previously unseen photographs by Sir Paul McCartney from his early days in The Beatles. The archive features images taken between December 1963 and February 1964 – from the emergence of Beatlemania in Liverpool to performing on The Ed Sullivan Show in New York for an audience of millions. In … [Read more...] about National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
Exploring The Cosmic House in London
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
Ten Social Media Accounts to Follow for Londonphiles
For good or for ill, social media is everywhere these days. We watch videos on Tiktok and Youtube, post our photos to Instagram, chat via WhatsApp, and keep in touch with our friends using Facebook. Social media can also be a useful place to find information (hopefully good information) about places we love. Of course, this includes London, and there are plenty of social … [Read more...] about Ten Social Media Accounts to Follow for Londonphiles
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
Pollock’s Toy Museum in London Has Closed Unexpectedly
One of London’s most famous tourist attractions - Pollock’s Toy Museum in central London - has closed its doors unexpectedly. The Toy Museum, located in a beautiful old Georgian building, was a popular tourist attraction, showcasing the history of toys from around the world. According to the statement released this week by the store on their website, they’ve been forced … [Read more...] about Pollock’s Toy Museum in London Has Closed Unexpectedly
The Fiver: Five Live-Action Children’s Shows Set in London
A lot of programming for children tends to be the animated variety, but over the years we’ve had a great amount of live-action content from educational programs to epic sci-fi journeys. The United Kingdom is certainly no slouch when it comes to providing its residents of all ages with quality content, including their own chat shows, soap operas, comedies, and more. We’ve … [Read more...] about The Fiver: Five Live-Action Children’s Shows Set in London
In Pictures: Winter Lights festival returns to London for first time since 2020
The award-winning Winter Lights festival has returned to London for the first time since 2020, illuminating Canary Wharf with a spectacular collection of more than 20 installations. The festival’s seventh year promises to leave the dark winter evenings aglow in an event running until January 28. It showcases installations by some of the most innovative light artists from … [Read more...] about In Pictures: Winter Lights festival returns to London for first time since 2020
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
Ten More Great Cockney Phrases and their Meanings
Cockney rhyming slang is a major part of East London culture and a language that adds to the character of the East End. We recently covered ten great Cockney phrases we thought you should know but of course, with any subculture language, those ten are not the end of these great rhymes. We have found another ten Cockney rhyming slang words and phrases that we thought you … [Read more...] about Ten More Great Cockney Phrases and their Meanings
British Museum confirms ‘constructive discussions’ with Greece on Elgin Marbles
The British Museum has said it continues to have “constructive discussions” over the possible return of the Elgin Marbles to Greece after 200 years. The 2,500-year-old sculptures were removed from the Acropolis in Athens by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century, when he was the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. The 17 artifacts were bought by the British … [Read more...] about British Museum confirms ‘constructive discussions’ with Greece on Elgin Marbles
Ten Delicious Foods to Try in London
Britain is a culinary marvel, and it’s given us the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Olliver, Nigella Lawson, and Paul Hollywood. Most Anglophiles know there’s a wealth of good food to be found in the country and that London is as much the food capital of the UK as it is the political capital. If you find yourself in London and want to sample some local cuisine, we recommend … [Read more...] about Ten Delicious Foods to Try in London
What On in London Events for January 2023
It's all change for London's museum scene as names change, locations close, and new exhibitions start. Here's your guide to what's going on in London in January 2023. The Museum of London Docklands celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2023 with a name change to The London Docklands Museum. Housed in a Grade I listed converted Georgian sugar warehouse, it tells the story of … [Read more...] about What On in London Events for January 2023
New Year’s Day Parade returns to streets of London
Revellers have lined the streets for London’s New Year’s Day Parade to help welcome in 2023. Entertainers from across the globe brought a colorful carnival of culture to the West End as the event moved from Piccadilly to Parliament Square for the first time since 2020 due to the pandemic. The three-and-a-half-hour parade – dubbed by Toploader, one of the bands making an … [Read more...] about New Year’s Day Parade returns to streets of London
Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
When you visit London’s museums, of which there are more than a few, you may be at a loss for what to see. Sure, there are plenty of paintings, artifacts, sculptures, and whatnot that are on display throughout the year, but what if you want to see something different? Fortunately, every London museum, from the British Museum to the Museum of London Docklands, has special … [Read more...] about Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
The Museum of London Has Closed, Long Live the London Museum
In a city with no shortage of great history museums, the Museum of London is one that is dedicated to the city itself and its growth from a small settlement in pre-Roman times to the megalopolis world capital it is today. The museum began in 1976 as a merger of the collections belonging to the Guildhall Museum and the London Museum. Once located near the Barbican estate at … [Read more...] about The Museum of London Has Closed, Long Live the London Museum
National Portrait Gallery announces reopening date in June 2023
The National Portrait Gallery in London has set the date it will reopen three years on from its closure due to renovation. The public can enjoy the improvements, the biggest development since the building in St Martin’s Place, close to Trafalgar Square, opened in 1896, on June 22, 2023. It has been closed since 2020 to refurbish the building, redisplay the collection, … [Read more...] about National Portrait Gallery announces reopening date in June 2023
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
We Will Rock You will return to London’s West End for a 12-week residency
Queen guitarist Brian May said he is “thrilled” to have We Will Rock You back on stage in London 21 years after the show burst on to the capital. The hit musical, which features 24 of Queen’s greatest songs, will run for 12 weeks at the London Coliseum – where the rock band’s frontman Freddie Mercury performed with the Royal Ballet in 1979. Comedian and screenwriter Ben … [Read more...] about We Will Rock You will return to London’s West End for a 12-week residency
Piero’s Nativity Back at London’s National Gallery for Christmas after 3 Year Restoration
One of the National Gallery's most iconic paintings is now back on display in time for Christmas, after a 3-year restoration. The National Gallery’s newly restored Nativity by Piero Della Francesca, 1415/20-1492, will go on public view in a special display from December 1 2022, in time for Christmas. This is following an unusually challenging restoration, carried out in … [Read more...] about Piero’s Nativity Back at London’s National Gallery for Christmas after 3 Year Restoration
Sir David Attenborough to narrate new immersive BBC Earth Experience in London
Sir David Attenborough will narrate a new immersive BBC Earth Experience, which is set to launch in London next year. The ‘immersive digital journey’ will guide visitors through the World’s seven continents and feature footage from the BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet series. The BBC Earth Experience, which will arrive at the brand new Daikin Centre in Earl’s Court in … [Read more...] about Sir David Attenborough to narrate new immersive BBC Earth Experience in London
National Portrait Gallery will get new wing as part of refurbishment
The National Portrait Gallery in London will get a new wing as part of its refurbishment when it reopens in 2023. The Blavatnik Wing will host more than one hundred years of British portraits in nine galleries as part of the gallery’s Inspiring People project. Paintings of naturalist Charles Darwin, and writers Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, the Bronte sisters, and … [Read more...] about National Portrait Gallery will get new wing as part of refurbishment
Portrait of Shakespeare said to be painted while Bard was alive goes on display in London
A portrait said to be the only signed and dated image of William Shakespeare created during his lifetime has gone on display in London. Its owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, is offering the piece for sale by private treaty – without an auction – for a figure of more than £10 million. It is the work of Robert Peake, Sergeant-Painter to King James I, and is signed and … [Read more...] about Portrait of Shakespeare said to be painted while Bard was alive goes on display in London
Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!