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.

British Museum

London – the capital of United Kingdom has a rich culture and heritage. The city is located near the banks of the river Thames and is renowned for its vivacious attractions. Every year the city attracts millions of tourists from England as well as other parts of the world. London is also a home to several art galleries and museums which are the popular London places. You can explore almost any thing and everything in the 300 museums and galleries of the city. They display art works ranging from hi tech contemporary articles and machines to the traditional collections. The city has a well developed transportation structure in fact, if you have a London Pass, no entry fee will be charged in most of the museums. You can also avail complementary museum guide books and audio tours if you hold a London pass. Though there are charges and entry fee for special exhibitions in some of the museums.

Although there is a wide variety of museums and galleries to choose from but, British Museum is amongst the most visited and the top 10 museums in London. Every year it attracts around 5 million visitors from all parts of England and overseas. Established in the year 1753, the collection at the museum depicts the culture and human history of Britain. It displays more than seven million objects which originate from all parts of the world. The collection at the British Museum is extremely comprehensive and exemplifies the human culture since the very beginning. The collections displayed in the museum are based on the works of the physician Sir Hans Sloane. You can explore a wide variety of engraved gems, books, drawings, coins, paintings etc in the museum. The Library of the museum is also popular amongst all age groups. The Greek and the Roman artifacts also attract several tourists. The museum is divided in several departments listed as under:

• Ancient Egypt and Sudan
• Middle East, Prints and Drawings
• Coins and Medals
• Prehistory and Europe
• Conservation, Documentation and Science
• Libraries and Archives
• Controversy
• Africa, Oceania and Americas

• Greek and Roman Antiquities

Besides all these collections displayed under several departments, there are quite a items in the collection at the museum which is disputed. These disputed items include Elgin Marble, Benin Bronzes, Molds Golden Cape and Rosetta stone. Some of the astonishing glass objects that are a part of the collection are more than 3000 years old. The museum organizes exhibitions very often. You can check out the list of events that will be organized in this season:

• Shah ‘Abbas The Remaking Of Iran’ ( 19th Feb – 14th June 2009) :
  This exhibition will exhibit the 17th century Iran. You can discover the legacy and reign of the most powerful ruler of Iran – Shah Abbas, in this exhibition.
• India Landscape ( 1st May – 27 September):
  This exhibition features a variety of plants from the sub continent of India.
• The Intimate Portrait ( 5th March – 31st May):
  You can explore the portraiture of Regency Britain and Georgian in this exhibition.

So you can plan to visit the legendary British Museum in this season, also note that the museum is open from 10:00 – 17:30 everyday. On Thursdays and Fridays the museum opens a little late. The entry at the museum is absolutely free of charge.

The Magnificent Millennium Wheel London Eye

London Eye is one of the highest observation wheels in the world. It is located in the capital of England – London and is amongst the top most tourist attractions in the city. It is considered as the most extra ordinary piece of contemporary architecture and engineering design. Opened in March 2000, this renowned millennium wheel was the creation of well known architects – David Marks and Julia Barfield. The construction of this wheel was completed by the manpower of 5 different countries in 7 years. Since then it is one of the best iconic landmarks in London. This tourist attraction is located between the Hungerford Bridge and Westminster Bridge, on the south of Thames. Every year more than 3.5 million tourists from England as well as rest of the world are attracted towards this spectacular and popular tourist attraction.

The wheel has an exceptional height of 135 meters above the river Thames which enables the passengers to see up to 40 km in all the directions and offer a 360 degree view. The wheel is backed by amazing backstay cables. Cables are stretching crossways to the rim and wheel of the structure and this marvelous support system holds the wheel in place. It has 32 capsules and all of them are completely air conditioned and are designed tremendously. The wheel and the capsule weight approximately 2100 tones. In one revolution, 800 passengers are accommodated by the wheel. Each capsule is well appointed with comfortable seating arrangements. The 30 minutes ride offered by London Eye is an excellent experience.

Tourists should try and visit this attraction on a clear day in order to savor the ride to the fullest. Tickets of the ride are easily available at the country hall. A customer information desk is also available to solve the queries of the tourists. Travelers should not carry their luggage along as the facility of luggage storage is not available in the premises. The authorities and staff at London Eye offer special services and personal attention to the disabled. You can also relish a delightful meal and wonderful shopping experience at several shops, cafes etc located at the country hall. These cafes offer delicious food and drinks of great quality and are also economical. London Eye is opened for the tourists from 10 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. everyday. The experience of this ride is similar to that of a space ship, in terms of height and structure of the capsule. The prices of the tickets vary with the ride that you want to take. You can select to explore the following:

• Flights
  You can take a 30 minute ride and view several London attractions such as Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and many more. This ride is known as Standard Flight and can be savored at normal price. To make your flight a bit more exciting, you can opt for Champagne Flight in which you are offered a glass of Laurent Perrier champagne while you enjoy the spectacular views of the city from a great height. Champagne Flight is a little more expensive than the normal standard Flight.

• Fast Track
  If you want to avoid the long and hectic queues, you can book or purchase a fast track ticket. This can be easily booked online and needs to be collected approximately 15 minutes before the departure time of your ride.

• River Cruises
  Under the river cruise of London Eye, you are offered a 40 minute ride of circular sightseeing cruise. You can savor this cruise throughout the year. The ride is given on a boat which is well appointed with covered and sun deck seating. London Eye Afternoon Tea Cruise, London Eye Lunch Cruise, City Cruise and Thames Cruises are also offered.

• Private Capsule
  To make your visit extra special, you can book a private capsule. This private capsule can be a romantic cupid capsule or a venue for ceremonies, business parties, children party capsule etc.

London Eye also offers several packages that combine the flight of the wheel, river cruise and several other benefits that can make your journey even more exciting and adventurous.

London Buckingham Palace

The royal Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the England’s “Her Majesty”. It is the most renowned iconic landmark of the city and attracts millions of tourists, every year, from all over the world. The palace is situated in the area of Westminster and is well known for its magnificent history and charm. This legendary palace is also the busy headquarters of the monarchy’s regime. The palace has a great appeal and is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Buckingham Palace is the chief venue for the royal hospitality and state occasions. The place is also common for rallying at the times national crisis or celebrations. Almost all the royal ceremonies also take place at this palace.

This royal residence of Her Majesty is furnished and decorated with phenomenal work of art from all over the world. The original designs of the 19th century’s palace still survive and contribute to the beauty of the palace. The artifacts in this royal collection are also amongst the major art collections in the world. The interiors indeed are mesmerizing and imperial. The works displayed in the state rooms include the great works of several renowned artists such as Poussin, Rembrandt and Rubens. The palace has 775 rooms; this includes 19 state rooms, 188 staff rooms, 78 bathrooms and 52 guests’ bedrooms. Every year several esteemed guests are invited to this royal palace for various celebrations such as receptions, garden parties and lunches. The guests who are invited to the palace, the first step is to the grand hall and up the marble stairs of the grand stair case. You can also see the portraits on the walls as it was done by Queen Victoria.

The tourists can plan the visit any time from 26th July – 28th September 2009. During this period the Queen is on the tour to other parts of England. Several tours are also organized to visit this royal palace as it requires the guidance of experienced guides. These guides can offer the information of the history of the place and special insights. The tour lasts for around 2 hours and during the tour you can explore the state rooms, special exhibitions and the gardens. The special exhibitions organized during the summer’s displays various photographs, jewels, dresses and gifts that are presented to the queen by the people of the Commonwealth. Even the Garden of the palace is extremely beautiful and is described as a ‘walled oasis in the middle of London’. It is also the home to 350 diverse wild flowers and 30 different species of birds. The tour is generally ended with a walk along the south side of this spectacular garden. The lake at the palace is also extremely prominent.

Changing of guards is also a famous tradition of the palace. It can be observed by the visitors from the month of April – July. This renowned event takes place right in the front of the palace at 11:30 a.m. every day and is free of charge. This ceremony lasts for around 45 minutes and is a grand event for the tourists from over seas. During this event the new guard of the palace replaces the old guard of the palace and the duties are exchanged between them. The new guard is escorted by guard bands, lots of pomp and military music. The guard of the queen is dressed in a colourful bearskins and red jackets. If you want to get the best view of this ceremony, you should arrive early and stand near the railings of the Victoria Monument. After the ceremony the new guard leaves the detachment at Buckingham Palace and marches to St James’s Palace. Other then “Changing of Guards ceremony there are several other traditional ceremonies that take place at the Buckingham Palace, London such as State Opening of Parliament, Garter Day and Trooping the colour etc. All these traditions are symbolic and meaningful and they depict the cultural aspects of Britain.

You can also explore several other attractions after completing your tour at Buckingham Palace. Tourist’s attractions such as Westminster Abbey, Royal Mews, Apsley House and Big Benare located close to the Palace.

Discover the Vivacious London Attractions

It is a known fact that London is right on the top, when it comes to attractions. You can easily find one attraction in almost every nook and corner of the city. Let’s get to know more about some of the most popular London attractions:

• Royal Buckingham Palace
  

  

  This Royal Buckingham Palace is the official residence of The Queen of England. It plays a dominant role in adding to the royalty and prestige of city. The entries to the palace are opened during the summer months, during this time you can explore the Royal Mews, State Rooms, Queens Gallery, Royal Palace Garden and several other things. A prestigious tradition of Changing of Guards is also a famous event that takes place in the month of April, May, June and early July.

• London Eye
  London Eye is one of the highest and the largest observation wheel of the world. It is amongst the most iconic landmark of the city. Designed by Julia Barfield and David Marks, this magnificent master piece is an exceptional combination of modern day design of architecture and engineering. The passengers in the capsules of the London Eye can see up to forty kilo meters in all the directions. The tickets are easily available and the experience is nothing less than what it is in a spaceship.

• Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
  Madame Tussauds Wax Museum is one of the most renowned museums in the world and is amongst the most visited London attractions. In this wax museum, you can find the wax statues of almost all the famous and well known celebrities such as Madonna, Indira Gandhi and many more. The museum is open for visitors from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. The entry fee is also nominal and on the top of it, the museum is easily accessible from several tube stations.

• Big Ben
  Built in the year 1854, the great grand bell of the clock tower, commonly known as Big Ben is another extremely famous London attraction. It is the 3rd largest free standing tower in the entire world. The four faces of the clock are illuminated at night and this view is simply magnificent and the bells play at the quarter hour. The common public cannot visit the clock tower, but the mesmerizing view at night, when the lights are illuminated, is a must watch for all the visitors.

• Tower of London
  Tower of London has always been a part of London’s renowned history. It was founded by William, who was the conqueror in the year 1066-67 and it holds various significant stories from across the centuries. The place was well known as a place of imprisonment and execution in the medieval times. The tower is opened round the year ad is easily accessible from several tube stations. So to take a feel of the England’s rich and legendry past, Tower of London is the perfect attraction.

London holds various other attractions and it is hard to pen down about all of them. In fact it is said that one can never explore the entire city and all the attractions that it offers, in just a single trip. One needs to visit several times to get a complete view of what the city is all about. So keep exploring and enjoying!