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

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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

Exhibition Report: Meet Vincent van Gogh in London

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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

Great London Buildings – Oxo Tower on the Southbank

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One of the architectural landmarks of South Bank, the Oxo Tower has stood by the River Thames for over a century, its distinctive lettering standing out against the borough’s skyline.  Today home to shops, restaurants, and offices, its origins were actually much different.  Beginning construction in the late 19th Century, Oxo Tower was finished in 1900.  Its original purpose … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – Oxo Tower on the Southbank

Great London Buildings – The Royal Festival Hall

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Part of Southbank Centre, the Royal Festival Hall is one of the finest concert venues in London.  Able to seat 2,500 people, it is the first post-war building in the city to receive Grade I listed status.  In fact, it's partly because of the war that it was even built.  South Bank was an area of London hit hard by the London Blitz and was in need of revitalisation after the … [Read more...] about Great London Buildings – The Royal Festival Hall

London Eye: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about the London Eye You Might Not Know

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One of London’s premiere attractions, the Ferris Wheel known as the London Eye is as recognisable against the London skyline as Tower Bridge or the Shard. Located on the South Bank of the Thames in Lambeth, right across from Westminster, it has plenty of famous neighbors, including the Palace of Westminster, Big Ben, Westminster Bridge, and St. Thomas Hospital. There are many … [Read more...] about London Eye: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about the London Eye You Might Not Know

New Hotel Planned for London’s South Bank

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The South Bank in London will get a new hotel in 2014. According to Travel News, US-based Morgans Hotel Group will manage a new 360-room hotel located on the South Bank of the River Thames. From Travel News: The new hotel, which will become Morgans’ first Mondrian-branded property in Europe, will be located at Sea Containers House, in London Borough of Southwark. The hotel … [Read more...] about New Hotel Planned for London’s South Bank

A first for Damien Hirst – Solo Show at Tate Modern Coming Soon

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British artist Damien Hirst is to be given his first major solo exhibition in the UK. More than 70 of his works will be on show from April at Tate Modern in London. The works will include his 2007 For the Love of God which visitors will be able to see for free. The life-size platinum cast of an 18th-century human skull is covered by 8,601 flawless diamonds and inset with the … [Read more...] about A first for Damien Hirst – Solo Show at Tate Modern Coming Soon