Illustrious Museums in London

A visitor to London can never leave without visiting the cultural places in London such as London museums. A tourist could spend more than a few trips to the city by just visiting the museums and he will still be left more to see. As far as museums are concerned, there are more than 200 museums and the good thing is that most of them are free. Moreover, vast majority of them have first-rate facilities, incorporate interactive exhibits and most of these are child friendly. Museums are spread all across London and planning to visit the most popular ones is an excellent way of checking out certain parts within the capital city.

Some of the renowned museums are:

The Victoria and Albert Museum: This one stands out as it is the world’s largest museum featuring decorative designs and arts. The museum houses more than 4.5 million items on a display and has a collection of items going back 3,000 years comprising everything from ceramics, weapons, paintings, sculptures, photography and lot more. The museum building is structured on a 45,000 square meters of floor space.

Natural History Museum: This is again one of the most popular museums in London and is based in a purpose-built cathedral like building. It used to be a part of the British museum, however, the collection in the museum was growing too large, and thus the current building got opened in 1881 and became independent.

The Tate Modern Museum: It is Britain’s national museum housing international modern art and is a part of a new group known as Tate. The collection consists of works of contemporary art and international modern art dating from 1900 onwards.

London Science Museum: This museum is a major London tourist attraction on the South Kensington. It now holds collection of over 300,000 items including remaining of steam engines and first typewriter etc.

Walk Through Time With Historic Buildings in London

London is well known for various historical sights and some world famous must sees. Visiting London can be an unforgettable experience for those who are interested in visiting some historic places. As far as the places to visit are concerned, the capital city is of great importance as there are several historic buildings which can be seen here. Here are some amazing historic places in London to visit:

Hampton Court Palace
Henry VIII is the most important person that has been associated with this majestic palace. This royal palace in London Borough of Richmond is in the South west of the capital city. The palace has not been lived in by the British family since 18^th century. Today, the palace is open for public and is now counted as one of the famous historic landmarks of London. It has become a major tourist attraction in London which does not receive any funding from the Crown or the Government.

The Tower of London
This historic palace is Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress. This is a scheduled monument ideally located in Central London, England on the northern bank of the well known river Thames. Today, this popular historic palace is taken care by an independent charity.

St. Paul’s Cathedral
This is an Anglican Cathedral located within the city of London. The present building dates back from the 17^th century and the cathedral sits on the highest point of the city. However, the cathedral was originated as the trading post of Londiniums by Romans on the famous River Thames. Above all, this is one of the most visited sights in the capital city.

Benjamin Franklin House
This is the only surviving residence of the founding father of the United States and is now turned into a museum in a terraced house in Craven Street closely located to the Trafalgar Square.

These are some of the well known historic places in London which are a must visit for everyone traveling to the capital city.

Labels: London attractions, historic buildings in London, London tourism, St. Paul’s Cathedral, The tower of London

Kew Gardens in London

Kew Gardens are among the popular London attractions and one of the great botanical gardens of the world. These Royal botanic gardens offer a great day out for everyone as it is spread across 300 acres of land, ideally positioned on the West of London. The gardens host some enthralling sights which will keep you amazed and will fill you with wonder. Those who love green areas, Kew Gardens are the best place for them to relax their mind, body and souls. These botanic gardens are not only about greenery, however, several interesting buildings including a royal place. It also hosts large glasshouses housing tropical plants ranging from few years to several hundred years.

There are plants and trees from all over the world including outdoor and indoor restaurants as well including one in the Orangery building. Moreover, it proves to be an ideal venue for summer concerts. In the year 2003, Kew Gardens became a World Heritage Site and is illustrated as a historic landmark. The significant periods of the arts of gardens can be shown from 18^th to 20^th centuries. In 1840, these gardens were adopted as a national botanical garden. It showcases 9000 other plants from desert, mountain cliffs and rainforests.

The Gardens has some striking additions such as the Davies Alpine House and the Sackler Lake Crossing. The place offers a complete family entertainment package as there are climbers and creepers for children to enjoy along with interactive play zones unrevealing the planet’s history in the Evolution House. This London place has been voted as one of the best London attractions attracting more than 1.3 million visitors annually as it boasts of several unique plantations. The visitors to the gardens can now experience special attraction from above with Xstrata Treetop walkway and the new Rhizotron.

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 St Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most popular and the biggest church in London. This Cathedral is located in Central London, city’s commercial region. The St Paul’s Cathedral is also globally renowned for its dome which is one of the biggest and the most beautiful in the world. The phenomenal interiors of St Paul’s are also a major attraction of the city. These interiors include the glittering mosaics, spectacular view towards the quire and the convoluted stone carving.

This popular attraction has witnessed several significant ceremonies which include the funerals of Lord Nelson and Sir Winston Churchill and the royal weddings of Prince of Whales, Lady Diana Spencer and Prince of Charles. The renowned dome of the St Paul’s has become an iconic feature of London attractions.

Admission tickets to the St Paul’s Cathedral will cost you around 11£ per person. St Paul’s Cathedral is well connected to the major parts of the city through the St Paul’s London Underground which is located within the walking distance from the cathedral. The Cathedral also offers a well known restaurant offering a variety of traditional festive food especially during Christmas. The shop in the Cathedral also offers a wide range of gifts and offerings which you can buy for your loved ones. Besides this the region is covered with several restaurants, night clubs etc some of which are listed as under:

Restaurants near St Paul’s Cathedral

· Yo Sushi

· Paternoster Chop House

· Strada

· Café Rouge

· Mustard

Attractions near St Paul’s Cathedral

· Museum of London

· Smithfield Market

· Bridewell Theatre

· The Barbican Theatre and Art Gallery

· The Tate Modern Gallery

Tickets for Cathedral are available till 3:30pm and the last entry to the gallery is at 3:45pm. Tickets for the Crypt and Floor of Cathedral can be issued till 4pm. So visit this mesmerizing and serene London attraction and enjoy the melody of Christmas Carols going on in the Cathedral these days.

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 Museums And Art Gallery

The Horniman Museum was setup in the year 1901 by Fredrick Horniman in South London. The museum is located in Forest Hill in South London. The museum is believed to have been commissioned in the year 1898; however it only opened to the public in 1901. The Horniman Museum is designed by the great designer Charles Harrison Townsend in a most exquisite arts and crafts style. The museum has been a non-departmental public body ever since it opened. The museum is owned and administrated by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Also one very surprising fact about the museum is that the museum is constituted as a company and registered as charity under the British Law. This is amongst the most visited London Museums in the city.

History of the Horniman Museum
The Horniman Museum was founded by a great man called Fredrick John Horniman. Fredrick was a Victorian tea trader by profession. When he had first opened the museum, the museum only contained Fredrick’s collection of cultural artifacts, natural history and musical instruments. The museum like the name suggests is named after its found Frederick Horniman. Soon as a decade passed, in around 1911, another building was added to the west wing of the museum compound. The new building was also designed by Charles Harrison Townsend. The building was donated by Frederick Horniman’s son itself, Emslie Horniman. The Horniman Museum was closed in the year 1999 and underwent a drastic refurbishment. The museum re-opened to public on 14th June 2002. The Horniman Museum has also been awarded with the Chartermark National Award 2008 for Excellence Customer Service in public sector.

 

Places to be explored at the Horniman Museum
The Horniman Museum is also listed as a grade II conservatory in England. The place has a mini zoo and an aquarium which kids find very entertaining. Has a collection of musical instruments from literally from A to Z of instruments. From an Accordion to a Zuria Pepa Hornpipe, it has more than 650 different musical instruments from all over the world.

•    Natural History Gallery – Contains 250,000 objects related to natural history
•    Music Gallery – Over 8,000 musical instruments
•    Art Museums and Art Gallery- Holds 90,000 objects on Anthropology
•    Gardens - The gardens received Best Parks of the South East England region in 2005 award. Received Green Flag (Green Flag is the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales) in 2007 for the fifth continuous year
•    Miniature Zoo- A popular attraction amongst the kids
•    Museum Aquarium- The Aquarium was opened in July 2006 and displays fish and oceanic objects including living displays of London pondlife, British seashore, South American rainforest and Fijian reef etc
•    Bandstand- Established in the year 1912 bandstand is a famous tourists attractions in London.

Museum Timings
Museum
The Museum is open all days of the year except from 24th to 26th December. The opening hours of the museum are 10:30 am to 5:30 pm BST all days of the week.
Garden
The Gardens are open all days of the year except for the Christmas Day. The gardens open its gates from 7:30 am to the sunset on Monday to Saturday and from 8:00am to sunset on Sundays.
Library
The Horniman Library as for now only runs on appointment basis as they believe that by that they can better anticipate your needs.

Entrance Free
There is no entrance charge or fee to the Horniman Museum or the Gardens. However, you might have to pay for some of the major temporary exhibitions being held at the museum premises.

Travelling to the museum
The Forest Hill is the nearest station and the Horniman Museum is a just a short walk from the station. You can take the rail to the Forest Hill station which just takes around 13 minutes from the London Bridge. There also other direct trains from Clapham Junction and London Victoria stations.
If you plan to travel by bus there are many buses that stop right outside the museum gates. Some of them are P4, 176, 185, 197 and 356.

The museum has transformed into a place for everyone with its latest renovation from 1999 to 2002. . In the Horniman Museum one can enjoy exploring the cultural and natural world.