The Fan Museum

The Fan Museum is located in Greenwich London and is undoubtedly the first ever museum dedicated entirely to “fans”. The museum was set up to keep the art of fan making alive. The Fan Museum is used as a centre of academic research and conservation too. The museum is home to more than 4000 objects related to fan making or fans. Each item is distinctly different and unique. Apart from the permanent display of its objects, the Fan Museum also features many temporary or seasonal thematic exhibitions many a times during the year (usually every 4 months).

The one of its kind museum holds the largest collection of fans dating back to the 11^th Century. The museum also has been a home to some of the finest exquisite fans from the 18^th and 19^th century. You can explore more than 3500 antique fans including a variety of ceiling fans, etc at the museum.

The Fan Museum was first opened to the public in the year 1991 and ever since has been amongst one of the busiest London attractions. The English Tourist Board and the National Art Collections Fund awarded, The Fan Museum, for its contributions to the arts and tourism in the first year of the museum’s opening. The Fan Museum has a gallery, a Japanese garden, a pond, a stream and a gifts shop. The museum also features a Greenhouse which is termed as the ‘orangery’ and is highly appreciated for its wall paintings.

The oldest fan at The Fan Museum is believed to be belonging to the tenth century. Conversely, the collection of fans dating to the 18^th and 19^th century is equally impressive. The Fan Museum also has a reference library and fan-making classes, held at the museum premises.

The Fan Museum is administrated by a charitable trust and over the years has been sponsored by the London Tourist Board, the foundation for sports and the arts, the national art collections fund, English Heritage, the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Heritage of London Trust and by many individuals and corporate supporters.

On the 8^th of June in the year 2005 some of the fans were stolen from The Fan Museum. The theft reportedly took place around 2:45 pm BST. According to the sources one entire cabinet was broken and the fans were removed. The thief was apparently about 6 feet tall, aged around 35 years, a Caucasian male. The thief was never caught and is still at large.

The Fan Museum was privileged as The Duchess of Cornwall accepted to be the Patron of the Fan Museum on 7^th of January 2009. The day was also special in history as the Duchess of Cornwall was the first member of the Royal family to visit The Fan Museum. The Director and Founder of The Fan Museum - Helene Alexander, gave a personal tour to the Duchess of Cornwall.

The Fan Museum remains open all days of the year and only remains closed on the Good Friday and Easter Sunday and Mondays. The museum opens on Tuesdays to Saturdays from 11:00am to 5:00pm BST and 12:00pm to5:00pm BST on Sundays.

The museum charges a £4 entrance fee for adults, £3 for children under 16 and children under 7 are admitted free of charge. There are special concessions of £3 for senior citizens and students with identity cards. On Tuesdays, handicap or disabled visitors and Old Age Pensioners (OAP) are admitted free of cost. Also afternoon tea is served in the Orangery from 3pm onwards on Tuesdays and Sundays.

The nearest London Underground stations are the Cutty Sark tube station, Deptford Bridge DLR station and the New Cross tube station. The closest mainline railway stations are Greenwich Station which is half a kilometer and Maze Hill Station which is under a kilometer from the museum.

The Fan Museum won the Gold medal at the Visit London Awards 2006. Also, the museum is housed at a building which was erected in the year 1721, which is a grade II building according to the British standards. The museum is situated in the Greenwich World Heritage Site in South East London and is easily accessible by the road, rail and the London Underground.

London Museums - Geffrye Museum

The Geffrye Museum is a museum located in Eastern London and is dedicated totally to British textiles, paintings, furniture and decorative arts. The museum features all the drastic changes that have been a part of the English domestic interiors. The museum houses items and designs dating back from 1600 till the present day. How is it different from the other museums in London? The Geffrye Museum lays stress on the middle class furniture and interior rather than the usual aristocratic and royal commissions which could be witnessed in other museums of decorative arts. The Geffrye Museum is located on the Kingsland Road in Shoreditch, London, England and it is a non-departmental public body. The museum as the name suggests is named after Sir Robert Geffrye who was the Master of the Ironmongers’ Company and the former Lord Mayor of London.

There are no entrance charges as the entry to the museum is absolutely free. The Geffrye Museum has a comprehensive reference library, furniture trade archive, eleven period rooms, walled herb garden, and front gardens. The furniture records are open to all, from enthusiasts to professionals.

The museum also holds various programmes, workshops, drama, music and seminars at its period gardens which include both the herb and the front gardens. These exhibitions carry all through the year and are theme based. The “Christmas Past” exhibition is the favourite amongst the crowd. In this exhibition the period rooms are decorated according to the Christmas theme so as to reflect upon the 400 years of Christmas Traditions in English households.

Museum History
The Geffrye Museum is established inside the premises of the former almshouses of the Ironmongers’ Company. The museum is surrounded by several gardens which make the ambience of the museum completely serene. Although the museum is situated in the East London which is a pretty busy place but still the area maintains peaceful tranquility.

The Geffrye Museum first opened to the public in 1914. The museum became an independent charitable trust in the year 1991 and since then the trust has done enormous work including revamping of period rooms and buildings. The trust also opened a new extension in the year 1998. The Geffrye Museum focuses on the urban London middle class. The class is not lavish and rich as the aristocrats and gentry but, it is well off to have a relaxed house with great furnishings and objet d'art. By the end of 19th century however, the middle class strata had expanded drastically. Businessmen and manufacturers too were included other than the architects, journalists and accountants.

Period Rooms
The collections are displayed in accordance to the time and fashion of particular century in its 11 different period rooms. These rooms depict various changing styles and how the urban middle class transformed at several levels of the British history. These period rooms represent living rooms which were known as parlours before and as drawing rooms now and throw a light upon various examples of textiles, furniture and decorative styles used in a particular period.

Timings and Prices
There is no charge or admission fee to the Geffrye Museum and gardens. The museum is open on Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00am to 5:00 pm BST and on Sunday and Bank holidays from 12:00pm to 5:00pm BST. The museum gardens are open from 1st April to 31st October every year during the museum hours. The museum shop remains open during the museum hours. The museum remains close on Good Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the New Year’s Day every year. The museum also remains close on all Mondays unless it’s a Bank Holiday. The museum has an in house restaurant which remains open from 10:00am to 4:45 pm BST.

If you are travelling by the London Underground then the nearest tube station is the Old Street Tube Station in Hackney. The museum is a 10 minutes walk from the station. Earlier the Shoreditch Tube station which has now been closed was the nearest tube station. Hoxton tube station is under construction and by early 2010 will be completed. The station would be situated right next to the east of the Geffrye Museum.

London Science Museum

London is the 9th largest metropolitan in the world and is located close to the Thames River. The city is capital to the United Kingdom and is amongst the most visited tourists destinations in the world. The city hosts a variety of tourist’s attractions and these London landmarks attract millions of tourists throughout the year from all over the world. The great Buckingham Palace, London Eye, Tower Bridge, Made Tussauds Wax Museum etc are some of the most popular London attractions. The city is extremely popular for its vivacious night life and is well known as an influential financial city in the world. This multi ethnic city celebrates a variety of events and festivals throughout the year. Besides the beautiful sightseeing and attractions the city is also popular as a stunning shopping destination. You can explore some of the globally renowned brands in the city. Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus and Bond Street are some of the best shopping districts in the city. The royal history, culture and traditions of England are admired in the entire world.

The remains of the imperial and majestic pasts can still be seen in the galleries and museums sited in the city. London is home to several museums and galleries. The British Museum, Albert and Victoria museum, Madame Tussauds, Clockmakers Museum, Design Museum, The Firepower, Florence Nightingale Museum, Imperial War Museum, National Gallery and Science museum are some of the most visited museums in London. All these museums are not just tourist’s attractions but are also a great source of information for the scientists, intellectuals and students from all over the world.

The Science Museum in London is one such museum which an extensive source of research. The museum is sited at one of the most sought after locations in the city in the region of South Kensington. It has an easy access from the South Kensington tube station. The museum is constructed in seven wide floors of a building with historical structure. All these floors display a variety of items from several varied areas of science. The collections at the museum are based on space travel, chemistry, biology, computing, photography, medicine etc. Some of the collections displayed in the museum are highly interactive. Besides the phenomenal permanent collection displayed at the museum you can also explore a variety of exhibitions in the museums. These exhibitions are based on several sciences and are extremely educative and informative.

Some of exhibitions currently displayed in the museum are listed as follows:

• Ernie - The exhibition will last until 26th June and it displays the first ever machine that generated the winning numbers of the premium bonds. This Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment is one of the oldest machines of this kind. The machine caught the imagination of the public in Britain and the human characteristics in the machine were quite entertaining for the tourists. At the exhibition you can explore the actual development and its linking to the digital electronic computer which is a mind blowing experience.

• Dan Dare and the Birth of Hi-Tech Britain - This remarkable exhibition will last till 25th October. It showcases the extraordinary foundation of the hi tech consumer society in Britain. During the scenario of war in Britain the city found huge advances such as penicillin, radar, jet engines and much more. At this exciting exhibition you can explore the role of technology in Britain after the war.

• Wallace and Gromit present a world of cracking ideas – It is one of the most fun loving and family oriented exhibition in the museum. The exhibition will last until 1st of November and till then you can explore a variety of stories of innovation. It is organized to attract visitors of all ages and to further inspire the flair and creativity of the visitors.

The museum opens at 10 a.m. and is open till 6 p.m, seven days a week except for Christmas holidays.  The guided tours by the guides of the museum are also available for the visitors. Although the entry to the museum is free of charge but charges are applicable for several special exhibitions, 3D cinemas and simulators.

London’s Kew Bridge Steam Museum

The Kew Bridge Steam Museum is situated in Brentford at the banks of the River Thames in West London right besides the Kew Bridge. The museum was originally a working pumping station till 1944. The Kew Bridge Steam Museum is regarded as The European Route of Industrial Heritage and an Anchor Point of ERIH. The Kew Bridge Steam Museum was opened to the public in 1975 by the efforts of Kew Bridge Engines Trust. It is amongst the most visited museums in the city.

History
The Kew Bridge Steam Museum was originally known as the Kew Bridge Pumping station which was established in the year 1838 by the Grand Junction Waterworks Company. The pumping station was set up after the closure of an existing pumping station at Chelsea because of the poor quality of water. The Kew Bridge Pumping Station expanded soon and by the end of 1944, the steam engine was replaced with four electric pumping sets and four Allen Diesel pumps.
With advancements in technology steam engines were completely replaced by latest pumping sets by the year 1958. It was decided by the Metropolitan Water Board that these steam engines would not be scrapped; and preserved to be displayed in a museum some time later. Later in the year 1973 Kew Bridge Engines Trust was found and thus, set up, what today is better known as the Kew Bridge Steam Museum.

Museum Café
The Café at the museum is a complete pleasure to be at. The café opens only on weekends from 11:00am to 3:30pm BST. Mouth watering meals are served from 12:30pm to 2:30 pm. The view from the café is also awe-inspiring. With so much serenity, wild flowers, wildlife and views of the river Thames, you are bound to be pleased at the café.

Pricing
The museum has an admission charge of £ 9.50 for adults and children under 16 are admitted free of cost. The children under the age of 16 however should be accompanied by an adult. There is a special discount for students and OAP (Old Age Pensioners) of £ 8.50. Proof of age and identity cards might be required in case of availing student’s concession.

Timings
The Kew Bridge Steam Museum is open all days of the year except Mondays and Bank Holidays. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00am to 4:00pm BST to the public.

Travelling to the Museum
The nearest London Underground stations are the Gunnersbury tube station, Kew Gardens tube station, Chiswick Park tube station and the Acton Lane tube station. The museum is just a 10 minutes walk from these tube stations. The closest transport to the Kew Bridge Steam Museum is via the Main-Line. You could take a train to the Kew Bridge Railway Station. The museum is hardly a 2 minutes walk from the station.

Free Car Park
The museum offers a free parking space to visitors. The parking space is big enough to accommodate 50 cars and the parking is available on first come first serve basis. The area of Key is surrounded by several luxury hotels.

Things To Do in Museum - Hire the museum
The Kew Bridge Steam Museum can also be hired as a venue for a birthday, wedding, conference or a cocktail party. Dinner is served in the Steam Hall which is a very spacious place for dining and dancing. The guests could also witness the world’s largest ever working beam engine, The Grand Junction engine at the event.

The museum is a perfect place to hold corporate events as well. It is just 20 minutes away from the Heathrow Airport and offers all latest in information and technology tools for business meetings. Meeting room up to a space for 45 delegates and evening reception for as many as 150 delegates is also available.

The Steam Hall makes an out of this world venue for hosting a wedding or a special birthday accommodating 150 guests for buffet style receptions and 120 guests for table seating. The Steam Hall Gallery is also available for hire from Monday to Sunday. Toddlers can have a great birthday at the Steam Hall Gallery. The museum has linked up with the best of caterers to match all your needs of a great party. The museum also offers Jazz bands to Rock bands and DJs according to the theme of your party.

National Maritime Museum

The National Maritime Museum was established in the year 1934 but was opened to the general public not until 1937. Like the name only suggests the National Maritime Museum is all related to nautical journeys of the English. The museum houses more than 2 million objects in its premises related to British naval heritage and culture. The museum is situated at Greenwich in Northern London. The National Maritime Museum spreads over an area of 200 acres. The National Maritime Museum is also termed as the NMM in short or abbreviationaticlly. The NMM is the largest maritime museum in the whole of United Kingdom and if it is to be believed, the largest museum of its kind in the world. This very historic museum is also a part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. The National Maritime Museum is owned and administered by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The museum is a non-departmental public body. The National Maritime Museum encompasses the Royal Observatory, 17th-century Queen’s House and Greenwich.

History
The National Maritime Museum was established after the National Maritime Act was passed in the year 1934. The creation of the museum is clearly mentioned in the chapter 43 of the Act. Sir James Caird had donated a large amount to the National Maritime Museum trust and the museum today stands because of his generous donations. The museum was first opened to the public on 27th of April 1937 by King George VI. It is believed that Princess Elizabeth who later became the Queen Elizabeth II had accompanied King George VI on the inauguration day.

Greenwich has been linked to navigation and sea history ever since the Romans landed on these lands. Henry VIII lived had lived in Greenwich and it is the year 1675 when Charles II had found the Royal Observatory. The Royal Observatory was established for “finding the longitude of places.” The Greenwich has been a centre of Astronomical study, the home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian since 1884. Navigators all throughout the world till date set their watches and clocks to Greenwich’s time of day.

The Great Comet of 1843 painting by Charles Piazzi Smyth and The Bretagne by Jules Achille Noel in 1859 is both at display at the National Maritime Museum. The Museum holds more than two million items including British and 17th century Dutch maritime art, manuscripts, cartography; navigational instruments ship models and plans etc.

Pricing
All the three sites, namely, the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory and the Queen’s House are open to public for free. There is no admission charge , however , an entry fee might just be charged for some temporary exhibitions held at the Royal Observatory and the Queen’s House.

Timings
The National Maritime Museum , The Queen’s House and the Royal Observatory remain open all days of the week throughout the year from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm BST. The last admission is from 4:30 pm BST. The Royal Observatory courtyard however remains open till 8:00pm BST in the summer months. The last late opening day will be Monday 31st August.

It is recommended that you do not visit these galleries on Saturday and Sunday afternoons as 1:00pm to 4:00 pm BST are the busiest hours. You are advised to visit the Royal Observatory and the Queen’s House gallerias earlier in the day if possible (10:00am to 11:30am BST), that is when there is no rush. Later in the day as soon as it is afternoon, the crowds come pouring in and the galleries become congested.

Closures
The National Maritime Museum, The Royal Observatory and the Queen’s House remain closed from 24th to 26th of December. All these three sites also close early on day ever of New Year, that is, 31st of December. These however remain open till late up to 12:00am BST on 1st of January and at the London Marathon every year. These sites also remain closed at the time of any maintenance work or if any filming is going on at the site.

The nearest London Underground stations are the North Greenwich tube station, Cutty Sark tube station and the Greenwich tube station. The National Maritime Museum is just a 5 minutes walk from these tube stations.

Science Museum London - Globally Renowned Resource of Technology

London is home to several art galleries and museums. Being the capital of United Kingdom, it has a rich, powerful and royal history and thus it has a lot of museums that still keep the memories of the royal history alive. Some of the museums and galleries in the city are globally well known and attract millions of tourists every year. Amongst all these London’s Kew Gardens, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Photographers Gallery, Tate Gallery and Science Museum are some of the most visited galleries and museums in the city.

Science Museum is one of the most globally renowned museums in the world and is well known for historic collections. Founded in the year 1857, it has a great glass building commonly known as Crystal Palace. The fund generated from the exhibitions held in Science Museum is used in the educational developments as it was initially suggested by its supporter Prince Albert. Science Museum holds more than 3, 00,000 items in its commendable collection. A collection based around a medical theme by Henry Wellcome is one of the most valuable collections in the museum. The museum also hosts a library which was once known as National Library of Britain for Technology, Science and Medicine. You can find several manuscripts, periodicals and early books in this library. This library is a great resource for scholar’s world wide. The medical collection of the Science Museum also serves the intellectuals globally.

The museum has recently launched a new section called Weellcome Wing, entirely dedicated to the Bioscience. The wide range and intensity of collection at the Science Museum makes it a leading centre for demonstrating the contemporary science in the world. The museum also includes several permanent and temporary galleries. The East Hall is the most appealing section and is also the first area seen by visitors in the Science museum. It is filled with a number of iconic steam engines which depict the story of the revolution in British industry. The Exploring Space Gallery in the museum is also one of the major attractions in the science museum. It exhibits a variety of rockets and items that were once used for space explorations.

Science Museum London is one of the most visited London attractions and is extremely popular amongst the scholars and students. The museum is open seven days a week from 10:00 – 6:00 p.m. The entry to the museum is free of charge but there is entry fee for some special exhibitions. The museum hosts a café and souvenir shop which is popular amongst the youngsters. It is easily accessible through several public transports and is within the walking distance from the South Kensington tube station. Educational group tours, events and resource material are also organized by the Science Museum. It is also well known for offering development and professional trainings to the teaching staff from all over the world. The museum is also renowned as a research centre and several facilities for the smooth progress of research are also offered by the museum.

London’s Old Operating Theatre Museum And Herb Garret

If there is any museum in London which is different, strange and totally unusual it is the Old Operating Theatre. The museum has London’s most exciting and significant interiors and it is located in the Southwark, London near the London Bridge. The Old Operating Theatre Museum is located in the garret (Herb Garret) of St Thomas Church in Southwark which is located on the original site of the St Thomas’ Hospital. To go to the Old Operating Theatre Museum just park your car at St Thomas’s Street, London.

History
The Old Operating Theatre which is located in the heart of London is the oldest operating theatre in whole of the Europe dating back to the year 1822. The Museum has the inimitably set timber in Spanish architecture style. The Herb Garret is the part of the museum where you get to travel around the Roof space of the St. Thomas’s Church. Roof spaces of churches are usually not allowed access to the common man and are restricted to priests and nuns. By coming to the Old Operating Theatre one can also witness the classic styling of the Church Architecture.

The Old Operating Theatre was not known to everyone till it was opened for public. It was hidden in the roof of the Church and had wooden operating table and observation stands (from where students used to watch the surgery being performed). The Old Operating Theatre was open to all but then it accepted to offer medical or surgical treatment to people infected with communicable diseases. At the time of the great plague there were almost no patients treated. Another very interesting part is that the patients never took the spiral staircase in the Old Operating Theatre; they had to come from what is now the fire exit.

Why the Old Operating Theatre is called an operating theatre and museum?
The Old Operating Theatre is called an operating theatre because it served as an operation theatre to patients and surgeons long, long back. The wealthy patients were given treatment and were operated at home than in hospital. It was only for poor and most of the patients at the Old Operating Theatre were females.

It is also called a theatre because the operations were carried out in front of the audience usually consisting of students who had come to learn the art of surgery.
It is called a museum because, there is no surgery done there anymore and it is the first of its kind not just in United Kingdom but in whole of Europe. One can witness what tools the surgeons used for operations back in the 19th century.

How did the doctors (surgeons) operate back then in the days?
All operations were done without anesthetics since “anaesthesia” was only found in the year 1847. The surgeons used to perform the surgery as fast as possible since the patients were conscious during the operations. The opium and alcohol were however used to make the patients not feel the inflicting pain. It is said that the surgeons operated so fast that the entire operation would take less than a minute.

Most of the cases at the Old Operating Theatre were for amputations. The Theatre never carried out internal operations as it carried the risk of septic. The Old Operating Theatre restricted to only external amputations. The operating table used for such operations is still here at the Old Operating Theatre Museum and lies along with the sawdust box which was used for collecting blood.

A visit to the Old Operating Theatre Museum is such a tremendous experience. The spiral staircase, roof of an old church and the storage space for medicinal herbs are few of the many things to view in the Museum.

One can appreciate the advancements mankind has made in the field of modern technology and science looking at the museum. The Museum remains closed from 15th December to 5th January every year. There is a minimal admission fee and the museum opens daily from 10:30am to 5:00pm BST.

Londons Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum is amongst the most popular London attractions. Millions of people not just from England but, tourists from all over the world visit the attraction almost every year. The museum was established in the year 1802 by Marie Tussauds, when she came to England along with 35 wax figures. The museum was established at Baker’s street initially and then was eventually shifted to Marylebone in the year 1884. The collection at present location is updated frequently as per the world events and opinion of the public in general.

This renowned wax museum has several branches in various large cities. It is home to the wax figures of almost all the prominent personalities. Some of the Tussauds wax figures are mentioned below:

• Brian Lara
• David Beckham
• SachinTendulkar
• Kapil Dev
• Britney Spears
• Madonna
• Angelina Jolie
• Amitabh Bachchan
• Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
• Shahrukh Khan
• Salman Khan

It can be seen that from Hollywood to Bollywood, from sports to music and politics, you can find almost everyone at Madame Tussauds. It is strange but true that Gordon Brown – the British Prime Minister was stubbornly voted out by the general public and was not a part of the wax museum. Barack Obama on the other side was a part of the wax museum.

Fascinating Facts about the wax figures:

• Usually it takes around 800 hours or even more for photographing, moulding, measuring, sculpting and painting.
• The collection at the museum consists of around 400 wax figures.
• The museum has already used around 2400 lbs of the special wax from Japan which a non melting wax.
• The crucial data of all the celebrities remain to be a secret and are never revealed.
• It takes around 4 months to complete a wax figure at Madame Tussauds.
• A team of 20 or more artists are involved in the process of creating a wax figure.
• To create one figure it costs 150000 pounds.
• The largest wax figure at Tussauds is 15 feet tall and is of – The Hulk, a comic book hero.
• The smallest figure at Madame Tussauds is just 20 centimeter tall and is of Gingy - The Gingerbread Man.
• More than 500 million tourists have visited the museum since the time it was first opened.

The Madame Tussauds Museum is easily accessible from the Baker’s street tube station. The museum is open seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The children below 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult aged above 16 years – as per the rules of the museum. Children under 5 years of age can enter the museum without any ticket charges. Pushchairs are not allowed in the museum and can be left at the collection point. You can also avail a discount on the tickets by booking the tickets online. The museum offers a special flexi ticket for those who are not confirmed about the time and date of their visit. These tickets are valid for one week and also allow you to enter through a fast track entry.

Madame Tussauds is also one of the most popular venues for organizing corporate events. The place offers five exceptionally interactive areas designed particularly to organize informal and formal events. These areas can be decorated as per your personal choice and the requirements of the event. The areas are fully equipped with contemporary designs of lighting and sound equipments. Madame Tussauds without a doubt is an extremely interactive experience where people can get close to their much loved celebrities. It is not necessary for you to be a renowned celebrity if you want a wax figure for yourself. You just need to pay 150000 pounds! Although this figure will not be displayed in the museum but, you can the figure throughout your life.

National Gallery

The 9th largest metropolitan in the world – London, is the capital city of United Kingdom. The city has a rich cultural heritage. city attracts millions of tourists every year and is globally renowned for its numerous tourist attractions. The capital of United Kingdom is a multi ethnic city and thus there are several festivals and events celebrated in the city throughout the year.

The city has been an essential part of several movements in the history. Founded by the great Romans, England is well known for its glorious history, art and culture and thus you can also find numerous museums and galleries in London. National Gallery is one of the most reputed and popular amongst the tourists and the Londoners as well. Founded in the year 1824, National Gallery displays a rich cultural collection of more than 2300 paintings. Located in the area of Trafalgar Square, the gallery is easily accessible from Charing Cross and Piccadilly Circus tube stations. Like several other galleries in United Kingdom, the entry at National Gallery is also free of charge. The collection at the gallery is extremely encyclopedic and attractive. It displays the most significant developments in Contemporary western paintings. Earlier, almost all the art works at National Gallery were on permanent exhibitions but, now it’s not the case. The collection includes masterpieces by several European artists. Exhibitions are organized at the National Gallery very often. Here are some of the current exhibitions going on at the National Gallery:

• Picasso: Challenging the Past ( 25th Feb – 7th June 2009)
  The exhibition will be held from 25th Feb – 7th June 2009 at Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery. The admission to the exhibition has a nominal charge.
• Picasso’s Prints : ( 25th Feb – 7th June 2009)
  The Picasso’s Prints will be displayed in the room 1 of National Gallery. The entry for all the visitors is free.
• Take One Picture: an exhibition of work by primary schools ( 27th April – 12th July 2009)
  It will be held in the room C and no entry free will be charged.
• Corot to Monet: A fresh look at landscape from the collection (8th July – 20 September 2009) Corot to Monet is an exhibition that beautifully illustrates the development of landscape painting in open air. The visitors will not be charged any admission fee.

The National Gallery opens at 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. throughout the week. Guided tours of National Galleries are available in the gallery. These tours are guided by some of the best and the most experienced guides of the gallery. They help you to explore almost every part and collection of the gallery. Tours are also specially designed for the families and children. Although these tours are extremely beneficial for the first time visitors but, you can also explore the treasures of this gallery yourself. You can also savor the delights of various luscious cuisines at the ‘Best British Restaurant’, The National Café and The Espresso Bar located in the National Gallery. Spectacular and stylish shops are also sited at the National Gallery, where you can shop some of the best individual collections. Level O, Sainsbury Wing, Level 2 Portico and Level 0, Main Building are some of the shops located at National Gallery.

Tate Modern – Truly Incomparable

London is amongst the largest metropolitans of the world. UK is home to several renowned museums and galleries. Every year these museums attract millions of tourists. Entry is free at almost all these museums and galleries but, there are charges for some of the special exhibitions.

Amongst all the museums and galleries Tate Modern Art Gallery attracts the maximum tourists every year. Tate Modern is London’s National Museum and is famous for its exceptional collections of international contemporary art. Tate Liverpool, Tate Modern, Tate St Ives and Tate Britain are a part of the group of museums commonly known as Tate. Opened in the year 2000, it is sited at the former Power Station at Bank side and is easily accessible from Blackfriars and Southwark London underground. This spectacular museum organizes several exhibitions, events etc and displays exceptional art works. The museum is also renowned to showcase collections embracing photography. There are two ways to enter the museum – River Entrance and Holland Street from Turbine Hall. Several facilities such as concessionary tickets for disables, stools for sitting, telephones, rest rooms, lifts and baby care rooms are available in the museum. Tate Modern also offers the services of private tour, meal packages, Tate to Tate tours, exhibitions introductory Lecture, free guide tours, multimedia guides etc. Works of famous artists such as Dali, Picasso, Bacon and many more are displayed in the gallery.

In the recent past the works such as Roni Horn aka Roni Horn, Rodchenko and Popova: Defining Constructivism, Paintings from 1980’s, Nicholas Holobo, The Unilever Series: Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster and many more were exhibited in the museum. Some of the upcoming events and exhibitions are listed below:

• Level 2 Gallery: Stutter ( 23rd April – 16 August )
In this exhibition you can explore a wide variety of artistic practices. Will Stuart, Michael Riedel, Dominique Petitgand, Anna Barham, Sven Augustijnen and Michelangelo Pistoletto are the artists of the Stutter. The exhibition will be held at the Level 2 Gallery from Sunday to Thursdays (10.00 – 18.00).

• Futurism ( 12 June – 20 September 2009)
An art movement – Futurism was launched by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, who was an Italian poet. It celebrates the contemporary worlds of technology and industry. This dramatic art movement can be seen in the Tate Modern from 12th June – 20 September 2009 from 10.00 – 18.00 (Sunday to Thursday).

• Per Kirkeby ( 17 June – 6 September 2009)
An exhibition consisting of paintings on canvas and hardboards, blackboards, paper, brick structures and bronze sculptures by the renowned Danish artist – Per Kirkeby can be explored at the museum from Sunday to Thursday ( 10.00 – 18.00) from 17th June till 6 September 2009.

You can also relish delicious meals and drinks at the Espresso bar at the level 4 of the Tate Modern Gallery. The snacks and sandwiches at Espresso are outstanding. It is open from 10.15 – 18.00 from Sunday to Thursday.