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 Dynamic Museum |
36 Craven Street London, London WC2 United Kingdom +44 0207 839 2006 http://www.benjaminfranklinhou... |
Built circa 1730 and retaining most of its original features, this beautifully restored Georgian building is the only surviving residence of Benjamin Franklin. Serving as his home during the 16 years he spent in London as a mediator, it is essentially the first U.S. embassy. Designed to be a historical experience, the Benjamin Franklin house is now a "dynamic museum" and educational institution. State of the art lighting and projection technology recreate the fascinating life and discoveries of this politician, inventor, scientist, and philosopher, while the Student Science Centre offers a hands on look at Franklin's London based discoveries. Opened on Ben's 300th birthday in 2006 and just steps from Trafalgar Square, this is a wonderful variation from traditional museums and well worth the stop. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Obelisk on the Thames |
Opposite Victoria Embankment Gardens London, London SW1 United Kingdom http://www.akhet.co.uk/cleo.htm |
This granite obelisk was first erected in Egypt around 1500BC by Pharaoh Thotmes III. Although Cleopatra had nothing to do with the obelisk, it was named after the famous queen when it was moved to Alexandria in 12BC. In 1819, it was given as a gift to the British people in recognition of Nelson's victory over the French fleet. It was later erected on the Victoria Embankment in 1878. Magnificent bronze lions guard Cleopatra's Needle. The pink-granite monolith sits on a pedestal, within which are two earthenware containers enclosing objects which are bizarre, to say the least. Some of those objects are: bibles in various languages; a box of hairpins; a box of cigars; a hydraulic jack; copies of an engineering magazine and portraits of 12 of the most beautiful Englishwomen. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Stephen Zopf  |
 Photo: Frankie Roberto |
 Photo: William Helsen |
 Photo: Chris Sansenbach |
 Photo: citadelmonkey |
 Photo: Adam Lammiman |
 Photo: Barry Hensey |
 Photo: Anand Balaji |
 Photo: Robert Mitchell |
 Photo: Piramanayagam Arumug |
 Photo: thegoalissoul.emma |
 Photo: David Bullock |
 Photo: Richard Thorne |
 Photo: Leelee |
 Photo: Alistair Routledge |
 Photo: Cockney Laurie |
 Photo: Carmen Seaby |
 Photo: Ashley Franck |
 Photo: Jennifer Deimel |
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Collection of old masters, prints and drawings |
Somerset House Strand London, London WC2R ORN United Kingdom +44 20 7848 2777 http://www.courtauld.ac.uk |
The Courtauld Institute is a fabulous private gallery that has been compared with New York's Frick Collection. Here you will find one of the world's best collections of impressionist art, admirably housed in Somerset House, a stunning 18th century building that is among London's most beautiful structures. The Institute is a premier centre for the study of the history of western art, and is one of the top art history institutes in the world. It also forms an integral part of the University of London, and has a collection of three million photographs and 130,000 books. You can feast your eyes on paintings by Boticelli, Breughel, Van Dyck, Rubens, Monet, Fra Angelico, Cezanne and Perugino. On the first Saturday of every month, the gallery organises a special activity for children. The admission fee is GBP5 and concessions are also available. Free admission available on Mondays upto 2p. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Martin Monroe |
 Photo: Alex Lunin |
 Photo: Adam Skolik |
 Photo: Ariane Belisle |
 Photo: Steve Rosebush |
 Photo: Rosemary Clark |
 Photo: claire morales |
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A House Of Splendor |
Somerset House Strand London WC2R1LA United Kingdom +44 (0)20 7420 9400 http://www.gilbert-collection.... |
This incredible collection of decorative arts is one of the most important bequests ever made to the British nation. A gift from Sir Arthur Gilbert, a Londoner who moved to California in 1949, and handed over the collection to the nation in 1996. The collection consists of European silver, gold snuff boxes and treasures as well as Italian mosaics. The collection also showcases, masterpieces by Paul de Lamerie, Paul Storr, and other leading English and Continental artists. Check out the royal gates from a monastery in Kiev, an Indian Maharaja's silver elephant chair, as well as a 16th century jewelled partridge from Nuremberg. Plus many, many more interesting artifacts! Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: simplemortel |
 Photo: Keith Guthrie |
 Photo: Wéi Jìng (Michael) |
 Photo: Kelly Cheng |
 Photo: Gareth Harfoot |
 Photo: DoppelFrog |
 Photo: Elly Reynolds |
 Photo: myrtlemount |
 Photo: gail delderfield |
 Photo: Larina |
 Cavernous and candle lit |
47 Villiers Street London, London WC2N 6NE United Kingdom +44 20 7930 1408 www.gordonswinebar.com |
Clamber down the steep, narrow staircase to cross the threshold of this gothic-style 14th-century wine cellar. Although located on busy Villiers Street, this institution of a wine bar (and former home of Rudyard Kipling) is possessed of an anonymous, even derelict-looking exterior. With nothing but a few cobweb-covered jars in a neglected window, only the faint lettering that begrudgingly spells the word 'Gordon's' invites you in. Downstairs, Londoners in-the-know huddle beneath low arches and antique clocks to enjoy dusty wines from across the globe. Many labels come in around the £12 mark, a good portion of which can be sampled by the glass. Besides the myriad of wines on offer, Gordon's has a noteworthy selection of sherry, port and Madeira served from wooden casks behind the bar. Also available is a variety of light dishes and continental cheeses at around £6 for any two with a generous hunk of French bread and butter. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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 Photo: ross mackintosh |
 Photo: J. Gordon Wright |
 Photo: James brown |
 Photo: Kate Arkless Gray |
 Photo: Jennifer Young |
 Photo: marcia friedman |
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Household cavalry |
Whitehall (Behind Horse Guards) London, London SW1A 2BY United Kingdom http://www.army.mod.uk/ceremon... |
The Horse Guards Parade is the second most popular ceremony outside of the Changing of the Guard. In fact, the two mounted cavalry regiments of the Queens Household Regiments, who march in the Changing of the Guard, make up the Horse Guards Parade. The parade commences at 11:30a every day in the summertime, and every other day during the winter. It takes place outside the Horse Guards Building on Whitehall, which was built in 1745 to house the old palace guards. The Horse Guards Building is also the setting for Trooping the Colour. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: PistolPeet |
 Photo: PistolPeet |
 Photo: Victor Keech |
 Photo: branimir |
 Photo: Christine Klitsie |
 Photo: Steve Thompson |
 Photo: Antonio D. Paterniti |
 Photo: Caroline Miller |
 Photo: Thomas Riggs |
 Photo: MD111 |
 Photo: Amit Narwekar |
 Photo: Jason Delport |
 Photo: jjpof |
 Photo: MD111 |
 Photo: Zen Liu |
 Photo: Jingmei |
 Photo: Jim Ebdon |
 Photo: Simon Davies |
 Photo: albrazier50 |
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Showcasing contemporary photography |
5 & 8 Great Newport Street London, London WC2H 7HY United Kingdom +44 20 7831 1772 http://www.photonet.org.uk/ |
The Photographers' Gallery was the first independent gallery in Britain to be solely devoted to photography. It has an ever-changing programme of exhibitions, focusing on the best in international contemporary photography. A visit here is always full of surprises, as no two exhibitions are alike. This is a thriving place that attracts all those interested in viewing or producing photographs, so its surprising that its still one of London's less well-known galleries. There's also an excellent bookshop, which stocks over 5,000 titles and runs a worldwide mail order service. The gallery is hoping to move to larger premises, but hasn't yet been successful in finding a suitable location. There's no admission fee, but they do rely on people becoming members to keep running. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Adriana Henriquez |
 Photo: Zorilla |
 Photo: chowen |
 Photo: shannon mcclean |
 Photo: Craig Wilson |
 Photo: Amrish_fj |
 Photo: Cliff Shephard |
 Photo: GaijinDa |
 Photo: tetrasync76 |
 Photo: Jerry Cooke |
 Photo: Damon Kim |
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London's premiere cultural house is back |
Bow Street London, London WC2E 9DD United Kingdom +44 20 7304 4000 http://www.royaloperahouse.org/ |
The Opera House is even more impressive than before. The period building has been restored to its original glory and continues to be the largest opera and ballet venue in London, showcasing the works of the Royal Ballet, Royal Opera and ROH Orchestra. Expect famous tenors, famous ballerinas and famous audience members as part of the revamped program. In an active attempt to rope in the masses, a range of cheap tickets will be offered for all performances. You can even take in the stunning architecture without going to a show—the entrance hall and exhibitions are open for viewing and backstage tours. Call the box office for further details. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Chris Hill |
 Photo: Jane Sartin |
 Photo: Andrew Finden |
 Photo: Urszula Grubb |
 Photo: Mr Atrocity |
 Photo: Hannah Baker |
 Photo: Nigel Godden |
 Photo: Adriana Henriquez |
 Photo: Sander-Martijn |
 Photo: Keshav Mathew Lewi |
 Photo: Jonathan August |
 Photo: jaremfan |
 Photo: The Lone Beader |
 Photo: jonsbedsit |
 Photo: Droplet Chiu |
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Post-war culture boom |
Belvedere Road Near Waterloo Station London, London SE1 8XX United Kingdom +44 8703 800 400 http://www.southbankcentre.org... |
The South Bank Centre was created in the 1960s, after the Festival of Britain in 1951 inspired renewed interest in the arts scene in the United Kingdom. Although it is one of the top cultural venues in the city, it typifies 60s architecture and is, therefore, not pretty. The South Bank Centre is made up of the Royal National Theatre (comprising the Olivier, Lyttelton and Cottesloe theatres), and the National Film Theatre which shows the cream of international art-house films. The South Bank district is home to many other galleries and attractions, such as Vinopolis. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Andreas Georghiou |
 Photo: gareth wall |
 Photo: Kristian Goddard |
 Photo: Jane Dyson |
 Photo: oandu. |
 Photo: Alan Simpson LRPS |
 Photo: Adam Gordon |
 Photo: Ardeshir Mirhashem |
 Photo: Andrew Huddart |
 Photo: Hugo Gomes Moxxo |
 Photo: Dan Law |
 Photo: Marcelo Negromonte |
 Photo: Gemma Cossins |
 Church in the Heart of the West End |
Trafalgar Square London WC2N 4JJ United Kingdom +44 20 7766 1100 http://www.stmartin-in-the-fie... |
One of London's many noteworthy churches, you'll no doubt stumble across St Martin-in-the-Fields when you visit the neighbouring National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. Along with having Buckingham Palace in its parish, this church holds many events, such as the free lunchtime concerts on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 1:05p. The ever-popular crypt contains the lovely Cafe-in-the-Crypt as well as the London Brass Rubbing Centre. Although St Martin-in-the-Fields is located right on the busy Trafalgar Square, it is one of the best places in the city to go for a little peace and quiet. Designed in 1726 by James Gibbs, the church is also home to some of the most beautiful woodwork and Italian plasterwork in all of London. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Steve Wilson |
 Photo: Richard White |
 Photo: Orest Kinasevych |
 Photo: Anthony Majanlahti |
 Photo: Ya-Bing Chu |
 Photo: Frank Da Silva |
 Photo: Gonzalo San Martin |
 Photo: alex de jong |
 Photo: Joshua Albers |
 Photo: Stacy L. Smith |
 Photo: Justin Victor |
 Photo: Ryan F |
 Photo: Thomas Reijonen |
 Photo: Christine Seebach |
 Photo: Lisa Day |
 Photo: Minna Gurney |
 Photo: Wayne Harrison |
 Photo: Kate M. Saldanha |
 Photo: simpat28 |
 Photo: Gkriniaris |
 Photo: Louise Wellenkamp |
 Photo: Sanjib Mitra |
 Photo: E.J. de Kluizenaar |
 Photo: Celia Malacara |
 Photo: GreyHobbit |
 Photo: Roberto Cosenza |
 Photo: Lynda Boltz |
 Photo: niki ildiko |
 Photo: See Yong Feng |
 Photo: Gróa Valgerður Ingimundardóttir |
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Home of Nelson's Column |
Trafalgar Square London, London United Kingdom http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor... |
Trafalgar Square was built following the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The man responsible for this famous naval victory, which finally destroyed French naval power and secured Britain from invasion, was Admiral Horatio Nelson. A column, with an 18ft statue of Nelson at the summit is the centrepiece of the Square. At the base of the column are the renowned Landseer lions. Renovations in 2003 removed traffic lanes to make room for a sizable staircase, connecting the National Portrait Gallery to the square. The National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery border one side of the Square, and it's a good place to sit and soak up the atmosphere on a sunny day. The Square is also famous for the large number of pigeons that congregate there. It's one of the main places that visitors come to take pictures. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Mark Hepburn |
 Photo: Karen Pritchett |
 Photo: Luke Seemann |
 Photo: genvessel |
 Photo: Sarah |
 Photo: Ian Littlewood |
 Photo: Mike Pollack |
 Photo: Aaron |
 Photo: www.isfotos.com |
 Photo: Peter Hinchley |
 Photo: grimsb |
 Photo: Ian Howells |
 Photo: Bahi Para |
 Photo: Josiane |
 Photo: Cindy Khoo |
 Photo: Nadine Spizzirri-Phillips |
 Photo: Tony Nunn |
 Photo: Shahbaz Majeed |
 Photo: www.erase.co.uk |
 Photo: Spencer Jarvis |
 Photo: sarahloves |
 Photo: Ruben Gennero Rigant |
 Photo: medelia |
 Photo: Paul Messerschmidt |
 Photo: Mark Abel |
 Photo: jesus army |
 Photo: redheat™ |
 Photo: Dan |
 Photo: Katja Forbes |
 Photo: innercitysumo |
 Photo: Jon Barbour |
 Photo: spuntinu |
 Photo: ToneRay |
 Photo: Jari Latvala |
 Photo: Radovan Cechvala |
 Photo: Martin Sutton |
 Photo: Gerry Popplestone |
 Photo: siberfi |
 Photo: Nick Pickard |
 Photo: James Paribello |