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Laura’s London: Van Gogh and Britain – Landmark New Exhibtion at Tate Britain – Full Report

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This major exhibition at Tate Britain focuses on the time Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) spent in Britain between 1873 and 1876 when he was in his early twenties. He explored the (then) largest city in the world a decade before he became an artist. The exhibition is able to look at the artist's relationship with Britain and explores how Van Gogh was inspired by British art, … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Van Gogh and Britain – Landmark New Exhibtion at Tate Britain – Full Report

Laura’s London: Four New Permanent Galleries at the National Maritime Museum – Here’s Our First Look!

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Following a major £12.6M redevelopment project, The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich has new permanent galleries open from 20 September 2018. 1,000m2 of space in the Museum's East Wing, previously closed to visitors, has been converted to public use adding an additional 40% of gallery space. And just like the rest of the Museum, these galleries are free to visit. The … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Four New Permanent Galleries at the National Maritime Museum – Here’s Our First Look!

New Museum Alert: Body Worlds Coming to London as a Permanent Museum

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  When Ripley's Believe it or Not in Piccadilly Circus closed earlier this year, we all wondered what would replace it since it was such a prominent location. Well, now we have an answer. Body Worlds, the famous exhibition that showcased real preserved bodies in various states, is getting a permanent home in London. Body Worlds is coming to 1 Piccadilly Cirus. … [Read more...] about New Museum Alert: Body Worlds Coming to London as a Permanent Museum

The Best of Free London: The Best Free Museums in London

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One of the greatest things about London is that most of the museums are free. Government funding and charitable donations ensure that many of London’s best musuems are obligated to keep entry to the general public free (but they can charge extra for special exhibitions). This makes many of the museums more accessible to those who many not be able to afford a trip to the museum. … [Read more...] about The Best of Free London: The Best Free Museums in London

London Alert: The Courtauld Gallery is Closing for 2 Years – Visit by September!

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It's pretty common for London's museums to be variously closed while renovations are done. Next up is the Courtauld Gallery, the art gallery located in Somerset House. This small gallery is often overshadowed by the bigger National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, practically across the street but it's home to some amazing art. As with most museums in London, the building … [Read more...] about London Alert: The Courtauld Gallery is Closing for 2 Years – Visit by September!

Exhibition Alert: My Visit to the New James Cook Exhibition at the British Library – Review

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On my final day in England for my trip over to cover the Royal Wedding, I decided to pop into London and visit an exhibition I really didn’t want to miss. The British Library just launched a new exhibition about the voyages of James Cook, putting them into context and showcasing the discoveries he and his crews made (and the damage they wrought). As someone interested in … [Read more...] about Exhibition Alert: My Visit to the New James Cook Exhibition at the British Library – Review

Westminster Abbey Gets a New Tower

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Westminster Abbey is a living building. It's been constructed, altered and added to over its over 1,000 years of history. It is not a static building, stuck in time. And the big news is that Westminster Abbey has officially added a new tower to the building. The newly named Weston Tower, so named after the organization that paid for it, will provide access to the new museum … [Read more...] about Westminster Abbey Gets a New Tower

Trafalgar Square: The Fourth Plinth Has a New Artwork – Replica of Statue Destroyed by ISIS

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Goodbye, giant Thumb's Up, hello Lamassu. The fourth plinth is one of the best public art projects in London. Every few years, a new artwork is put on display on the empty fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square (empty for a statue that was never made). It's prime place directly in front of the National Gallery is a great place to display a large work of art. There have been some … [Read more...] about Trafalgar Square: The Fourth Plinth Has a New Artwork – Replica of Statue Destroyed by ISIS

London Alert: Next Schedule of Hidden London Tours Revealed – Tickets Go On Sale April 6th

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Hidden London tours are some of our favorites. We've been on two - in fact planned two trips around them. They're an excellent opportunity to explore bits of London that are normally closed off to visitors. You can read about one of our tours here. I received an email this morning outlining the next schedule of tours. Here are the details: From Churchill’s secret disused … [Read more...] about London Alert: Next Schedule of Hidden London Tours Revealed – Tickets Go On Sale April 6th

Laura’s London: New Digger Deeper and Crossrail Secrets Exhibitions at the London Transport Museum

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The London Transport Museum in Covent Garden has a new permanent gallery exploring the history of tunneling and a new temporary exhibition about Crossrail opening on 23 March 2018. Both are part of the national programme to celebrate the Year of Engineering 2018. Digging Deeper Gallery On the ground floor of the museum, this new gallery looks at the challenges of … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: New Digger Deeper and Crossrail Secrets Exhibitions at the London Transport Museum

Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around

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Editor's Note: This article is made up of extracts from the 2018 London Annual Guide to London in 2018 written by London expert Laura Porter. It's a massive article - over 20 print pages - too big to post here in one go. We still have copies of the Annual - you can get them here (we're almost out though so move quickly). But since people are planning trips for 2018, I thought … [Read more...] about Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around

Event Alert: Visit the London Transport Museum’s Acton Depot – Open Weekend in April

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The London Transport Museum is one of our favorites in London, but the museum in Covent Garden is but a sliver of their entire collection. They store the whole collection in the Acton Depot, and occasionally it's opened to the public. LTM has notified us that this year's open weekend will take place on April 21st and 22nd. Fancy a potter about their massive collection and … [Read more...] about Event Alert: Visit the London Transport Museum’s Acton Depot – Open Weekend in April

London Transport Museum Gets Two Major New Galleries in 2018

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The London Transport Museum is one of our favorites in London and now we have another excuse to visit again. They're opening two major new galleries in 2018. First up is Digging Deeper, opening March 23rd, a new permanent gallery dedicated to London's tunneling history from Brunel to Crossrail. Second is the Future Engineers Gallery, opening July 13th,  and it will be geared … [Read more...] about London Transport Museum Gets Two Major New Galleries in 2018

Westminster Abbey To Get New Dedicated Museum

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Westminster Abbey, the place where Britain's kings and queens have been crowned for almost a thousand years will be home to London's newest museum later this year. From Travel GBI: Known as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries, the space will display more than 300 historic and artistic treasures from the abbey’s collection to tell the 1,000-year history of the building. … [Read more...] about Westminster Abbey To Get New Dedicated Museum

Laura’s London: New Exhibition Report – Charles II: Art and Power at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace

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After over a decade of austere Cromwellian rule, the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 led to a resurgence of the arts in England. The court of Charles II became the centre for the patronage of leading artists and the collecting of great works of art. This served not only as decoration for the royal apartments but also as a means of glorifying the restored monarchy and … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: New Exhibition Report – Charles II: Art and Power at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace

London’s Newest Free Museum: The London Mithraeum Opens – Roman Temple of Mithras in London

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Back in the 1960s when a new high rise was being built in the City of London, they found a Roman Temple - the Temple of Mithras. It was an astonishing find and a treasure from London's Roman History. The temple was preserved, poorly in the open air as the building was built around it. Fast forward a few decades and the unloved office block was demolished to make way for the … [Read more...] about London’s Newest Free Museum: The London Mithraeum Opens – Roman Temple of Mithras in London

London Alert: Christmas Events at the London Transport Museum

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The London Transport Museum is one of our favorite museums in London and they're getting into the holiday spirit this year with a ton of Christmas related events. Here are the details: All aboard for Festive Fun at London Transport Museum from 1 December 2017 until5 January 2018. Families can visit Santa’s Secret Hideaway or track him down in one of the Museum’s historic … [Read more...] about London Alert: Christmas Events at the London Transport Museum

London Closure Notice: Ripley’s Believe It or Not in Piccadilly Circus Has Closed Permanently

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This news came a little too late for us to include in the 2018 London Annual, but Ripley's Believe it or Not in Piccadilly Circus has closed permanently. Though a note on their website says they are looking to relocate the collection. I've never been a fan of this attraction, it was showing it's age and made it onto our list of tourist traps to avoid. Their website has … [Read more...] about London Closure Notice: Ripley’s Believe It or Not in Piccadilly Circus Has Closed Permanently

Laura’s London: Exploring London’s Newest Museum – The Secret Mail Rail and The Postal Museum

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Mail Rail is London's newest subterranean heritage attraction. Open from 4 September 2017; the disused postal railway tunnels have been brought back to life as a visitor ride for the first time in their 100 year history. This miniature railway was the world's first driverless, electric railway and was never intended for passengers. While The Postal Museum opened on 28 … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Exploring London’s Newest Museum – The Secret Mail Rail and The Postal Museum

Natural History Museum: Dippy Departs – Say Hello to Hope the Blue Whale

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A big change has occurred at the Natural History Museum in London. Dippy the Dinosaur is now gone after 136 years (and has gone on tour around Britain) and has been replaced by a massive skeleton of a Blue Whale that the museum has named Hope. The public unveiling is today, and from tomorrow visitors can see this skeleton in its full glory. Here are the full details from the … [Read more...] about Natural History Museum: Dippy Departs – Say Hello to Hope the Blue Whale

London Alert: Hidden London Tours Are Back – Explore London’s Abandoned Tube Stations

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Last year we explored Aldwych abandoned Tube station on a Hidden London Tour - and wrote about the experience here. Hidden London tours are a unique chance to explore the bits of London that have been closed off to the public. Most of these tours are run on a limited basis and sell out up to a year in advance. Hidden London has just announced their tours for the next year … [Read more...] about London Alert: Hidden London Tours Are Back – Explore London’s Abandoned Tube Stations

Event Alert: Rare Chance to Ride Old London Underground Steam Trains This July and September

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The London Transport Museum is offering up a rare chance to ride on old London Underground Stram trains this July and September. Here are the details: Step back in time and enjoy the nostalgia of travel in bygone times during London Transport Museum’s Summer Steam events at Epping Ongar Heritage Railway in July and in Metro-Land – the early 20th century suburban idyll – in … [Read more...] about Event Alert: Rare Chance to Ride Old London Underground Steam Trains This July and September

Great London Buildings – The Tate Britain

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The primary building in the Tate art gallery network, the Tate Britain has long been one of the pillars of British art museums.  Early in its history, the Tate was known as the National Gallery of British Art from its opening in 1897 to 1932, when it became, simply, the Tate Gallery.  As the Tate network grew to include the Tate Modern and locations in Liverpool and St. Ives, … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – The Tate Britain

The London Fiver – Five Places to Visit for Isambard Kingdom Brunel

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It might be an understatement to say that Isambard Kingdom Brunel was the most important engineer in England during the 19th Century.  The Royal Albert Bridge, the Great Western Railway, the Maidenhead Railway Bridge, and the Clifton Suspension Bridge are just some of the structures in the UK attributable to him.  Brunel helped to connect Britain in a way that revolutionised … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Places to Visit for Isambard Kingdom Brunel

London Alert: Explore the London Transport Museum Archive at the Acton Depot Open Weekend in April

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The London Transport Museum in London has an enormous collection and they couldn't possibly keep it all on display. So, they have a storage depot in Acton. It's not normally open to the public. But on a few days of the year, it's opened for general visitors. Here are the details for this year's opening: A rare opportunity to see inside London Transport Museum’s Depot in … [Read more...] about London Alert: Explore the London Transport Museum Archive at the Acton Depot Open Weekend in April

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