Museums

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

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…)

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

The Temple of Mithras: London’s New Roman Museum in the New Bloomberg London HQ

Jan 2, 2020 By jonathan 2 Comments

New museums open in London every year - it’s a consequence of being such a history-rich city. Last year, London got a new museum dedicated to its Roman History. The new London Mithraeum is a triumph of heritage preservation and multimedia presentation and shows that as London grows and digs into its distant past, there are still wonderful discoveries to be made and shared with … [Read more...] about The Temple of Mithras: London’s New Roman Museum in the New Bloomberg London HQ

Top 10 London: Top Ten “Small” Museums

Dec 12, 2019 By John Rabon 2 Comments

London certainly as a lot of great museums to visit: The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Natural History Museum, The London Museum, and of course The British Museum. However, there are dozens more museums that might get overlooked because they’re not as large, even though they can be just as fascinating. These museums are dedicated to different facets of British culture, … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten “Small” Museums

Exhibition Report: George IV – Art and Spectacle at The Queen’s Gallery

Nov 18, 2019 By Laura Porter 1 Comment

A new exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, looks at a king who collected and commissioned many of the finest works of art in the Royal Collection. George IV: Art and Spectacle makes it clear he was a patron of the arts and while he didn't hold back on the spending, he did have good taste. This is the official state portrait of George IV by Sir Thomas Lawrence, … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: George IV – Art and Spectacle at The Queen’s Gallery

London Alert: The National Portrait Gallery to Close for Three Years for Major Refurbishment

Nov 7, 2019 By jonathan 1 Comment

The National Portrait Gallery is often lost in the museum shuffle in London, mostly because it's located behind the National Gallery, so it's often an afterthought for tourists. And frankly, if you're walking from Trafalgar Square to Leicester Square or Covent Garden, it's easy to walk right past it and not know that it's there. They aim to change that with a major renovation … [Read more...] about London Alert: The National Portrait Gallery to Close for Three Years for Major Refurbishment

Exhibition Report: The New Hidden London Exhibition at the London Transport Museum

Oct 10, 2019 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

I'm fortunate to have been on all of the London Transport Museum 'Hidden London' tours of disused stations and tunnels but not everyone has had that opportunity. The tours are only available on certain dates (not all year round), and the (sometimes) long climbs may have put you off. Some say the tours are expensive (I think they are exceptional value) and also, children can't … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The New Hidden London Exhibition at the London Transport Museum

Top Ten Works of Art to See at the Tate Britain

Sep 20, 2019 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

The Tate Britain is the flagship of the Tate museum group and has been a fixture in British art since it opened in 1897. Its collection is full of art from throughout the United Kingdom going back to the Tudor era and includes some of the country’s biggest names from J.M.W. Turner to William Blake. With so many works over such a long span of time, there are plenty of … [Read more...] about Top Ten Works of Art to See at the Tate Britain

Top Ten Things to See in the Imperial War Museum

Jul 25, 2019 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Almost immediately following World War I, the United Kingdom felt it was necessary to have a museum to document the civil and military efforts to win the war. Since it opened in 1917, the Imperial War Museum has grown to encompass five locations throughout Britain, including three locations in London. Its collection and exhibits have also grown to include wars from throughout … [Read more...] about Top Ten Things to See in the Imperial War Museum

Exhibition Report: The Moon – 50th Anniversary Apollo Exhibition at National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

Jul 19, 2019 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

To celebrate 50 years since NASA's Apollo 11 mission landed the first humans on the Moon, the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich is staging the UK's biggest exhibition dedicated to Earth's nearest celestial neighbour. The Moon is open from 19 July 2019 and charts the cultural and scientific story of our relationship with the moon through over 180 objects, including artefacts … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The Moon – 50th Anniversary Apollo Exhibition at National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

First Look at the Proposed Designs for the new Museum of London

Jul 16, 2019 By jonathan Leave a Comment

The Museum of London is moving in a few years, in a deal that has long been in the works. They're moving to the abandoned Smithfield Market, which has been derelict for a few years. It's going to be an amazing project that will transform an iconic London landmark and save it from demolition. As they begin the planning application process to get approval for the new museum, the … [Read more...] about First Look at the Proposed Designs for the new Museum of London

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See in the Tate Modern Art Museum

Jul 10, 2019 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Housed in the former Bankside Power Station, the Tate Modern is a repository of art from 1900 to the present. With thousands of items in their collection and over 5 million visitors per year, the Tate Modern is the second-largest art museum in the UK. As such, you can believe there are many interesting works to see from Warhol, Matisse, Picasso, Pollack, and more. Since art … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See in the Tate Modern Art Museum

British Museum: Top Ten Artifacts to See in the British Museum When You Visit

Jun 25, 2019 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Since 1753, the British Museum has been a repository of world culture in the United Kingdom. The earliest exhibits came from the personal collection of physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane, but was the British Empire rose to prominence; it began to receive many unique items from locations all over the globe. It grew so much over its 250-plus years that it … [Read more...] about British Museum: Top Ten Artifacts to See in the British Museum When You Visit

London Exhibition Report: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing – Blockbuster New Exhibition at Buckingham Palace

May 31, 2019 By Laura Porter 2 Comments

Marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, this exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, brings together more than 200 of the Renaissance master's greatest drawings in the Royal Collection. As the Royal Collection has more drawings by Leonardo da Vinci than any other Renaissance artist, it forms the largest exhibition of his work in over 65 … [Read more...] about London Exhibition Report: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing – Blockbuster New Exhibition at Buckingham Palace

Exhibition Report: The New Secret Rivers Exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands

May 29, 2019 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

The latest free exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands is Secret Rivers. Open from 24 May to 27 October 2019, it combines art and archaeology with mudlarking, photography, film and much more to uncover the mysteries of London's rivers – both those that flow above ground and those that have been buried beneath our feet. A large wall map shows us the routes of the hidden … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The New Secret Rivers Exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands

London Exhibition Report: A Look at the Blockbuster Queen Victoria 200th Anniversary Exhibition at Kensington Palace

May 24, 2019 By Laura Porter 3 Comments

24 May 2019 is the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria's birth at Kensington Palace. To mark the bicentenary of this historic event there is a new visitor route, Victoria: A Royal Childhood, through the suite of rooms she would have known well. And over in the Palace's Pigott Gallery, there is a new temporary exhibition, Victoria: Woman and Crown, that considers the private … [Read more...] about London Exhibition Report: A Look at the Blockbuster Queen Victoria 200th Anniversary Exhibition at Kensington Palace