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Post by steve10086 on Jun 27, 2021 18:15:45 GMT
Just thought of another one. Sky Garden at the top of the Walkie Talkie building in the city. Amazing views and it's free. skygarden.london/And when you’re in the Sky Garden you can’t see the Walkie Talkie! Which makes it the best view of London. |
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Post by properjob on Jun 27, 2021 18:57:15 GMT
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Post by alexandrafromoxford on Jun 27, 2021 20:34:07 GMT
I like the Emirates cable cart! Have done that a few times!
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Post by Jan on Jun 28, 2021 7:29:15 GMT
Ones on my list that I haven't got round to yet: Bank of England Museum The main attraction there is they let you lift up a full-sized gold bar - you aren't prepared for how heavy it is. Anyone been on that 15min underground railway trip at the Postal Museum ? The London Mithraeum is an odd thing (but free), a son et lumiere presentation of the remains of a Roman Temple. I wasn't that thrilled with Dennis Severs' House - felt a bit commercialised, those signs telling you not to steal the bits and pieces. |
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Post by MrBraithwaite on Jun 28, 2021 8:49:58 GMT
Ones on my list that I haven't got round to yet: Bank of England Museum The main attraction there is they let you lift up a full-sized gold bar - you aren't prepared for how heavy it is. Anyone been on that 15min underground railway trip at the Postal Museum ? The London Mithraeum is an odd thing (but free), a son et lumiere presentation of the remains of a Roman Temple. I wasn't that thrilled with Dennis Severs' House - felt a bit commercialised, those signs telling you not to steal the bits and pieces. The Bank of England museum was okay, the gold bar definitely the highlight. If you do the Mithraeum (reserve a time slot) you can also go see the underground remains of an amphitheatre below the Guildhall Art Gallery. All three are within walking distance, did all three in one go. Dennis Severs' House is on the list, didn't work out yet. Next time I'm in London I want to see the Church of Notre Dame de France, a round building off Leicester Square, that is totally unnoticable and was buildt as a panoramic viewing exhibt called "Burford's Panorama" in the early 1800s.. Faszinating story, saw it on QI.  |
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Post by Jan on Jun 28, 2021 10:15:04 GMT
Some of the newer buildings you can go to the top of by lift have been mentioned. If you want to go up one under your own steam of course the dome of St Paul's is the best, but cheaper/quicker (and a bit more clautrophobic) is the Monument with decent views from the top.
A great hidden gem used to be Kensington Roof Gardens - full-sized trees and a running stream on the roof of a building in Kensington High Street. Sadly it is now closed, possibly forever.
There are various sections of the Roman London Wall that you can see including one section in an underground car park that they don't publicise.
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Post by lynette on Jun 28, 2021 11:02:05 GMT
The main attraction there is they let you lift up a full-sized gold bar - you aren't prepared for how heavy it is. Anyone been on that 15min underground railway trip at the Postal Museum ? The London Mithraeum is an odd thing (but free), a son et lumiere presentation of the remains of a Roman Temple. I wasn't that thrilled with Dennis Severs' House - felt a bit commercialised, those signs telling you not to steal the bits and pieces. Re Dennis Servers' House.I personally didn't see any signs but its understandable as it was an artist's interpretation of a 18th/19th century house with all its "nicknacks" and as Dennis Severs is no longer with us I guess there's no one to replicate his work.Also because it doesn't have any ropes to keep the visitors at arms length - unlike other institutions - I suppose they have to put up signs.Its a shame people feel they need to take a memento home with them.I'm off to the Bank of England for that gold bar! I was fortunate to go when Severs was alive and giving the tour personally ( in fact I went three times ) On the first occasion, in the Victorian room, my attention flagged and i was looking at the Knick knacks on a side table. Wow, did he react1 i was roundly told off - this isn’t a museum, and so on.On the next two occasions I was very careful to stay focused. 😂 |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2021 11:04:06 GMT
A great hidden gem used to be Kensington Roof Gardens - full-sized trees and a running stream on the roof of a building in Kensington High Street. Sadly it is now closed, possibly forever. I remember the Roof Gardens. It weirded me out having to walk into what seemed like a suite of offices to get to a garden. I kept thinking it must be some sort of elaborate hoax. |
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Post by Jan on Jun 28, 2021 12:22:22 GMT
I was fortunate to go when Severs was alive and giving the tour personally ( in fact I went three times ) On the first occasion, in the Victorian room, my attention flagged and i was looking at the Knick knacks on a side table. Wow, did he react1 i was roundly told off - this isn’t a museum, and so on.On the next two occasions I was very careful to stay focused. 😂 Ha ha - what a cheek and you a paying customer too ! One similar place that I much prefer which really *is* a museum is the Museum of the Home - recently re-branded to remove references to Robert Geffrye. |
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Post by Jan on Jun 28, 2021 13:10:23 GMT
A couple of other places of interest: Oh!.....And the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow if you're into Atrs & Crafts and again free entry. Also Kelmscott House (where William Morris lived) and Emery Walker’s House furnished entirely in the Arts and Crafts manner both in Hammersmith. |
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Post by daisy24601 on Jul 2, 2021 13:23:32 GMT
Do they still have the theatre exhibit and archives at the V and A? At the moment - Yes - although there are plans to close the department in the near future. In fact there's a petition on Change.org to keep it open But for the time the info is on www.vam.ac.uk/collections/theatre-performanceWhat!! I go there regularly, will be very sad to lose it. |
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Post by FairyGodmother on Jul 4, 2021 14:50:18 GMT
I don't know how unusual it is, but if I'm in London I'm usually at the Royal Academy, so I go for a wander around Fortnum and Mason's (lovely loos!).
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Post by saral on Jul 5, 2021 22:03:59 GMT
The Treasures room in the British Library is worth a visit and is more interesting than the website makes it sound www.bl.uk/events/treasures-of-the-british-libraryWhile in the area pop into St Pancras Station to see how it was renovated and then up to The Coal Drops yard behind Kings Cross |
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Post by saral on Jul 5, 2021 22:10:33 GMT
Also The Wallace Collection has the Laughing Cavalier painting in, it's free entry although you may need a timed ticket
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 6, 2021 8:51:52 GMT
I'm not sure how unusual these are but...
Sky garden. You need to book in advance but currently, with not many tourists it is easy to get a place and a lovely thing to do.
Very nearby to that is the the beautiful 'ruined' church of St Dunstan's that I adore - it's not ruined. Its now a beautiful garden that is an oasis of carm in the city.
The Geffrye museum used to be great. Its had refurb, extension and a name change - I'm going to The museum of the home in a few weeks. I'll report back!
Not so near by is Sir John Soane's house. It not a minimalist dream and its all the better for it.
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Post by TallPaul on Jul 6, 2021 10:16:23 GMT
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Post by Stephen on Jul 6, 2021 13:47:43 GMT
If you really want to go up the Shard then sure but I much prefer Sky Garden. Great views and it's free to book. There's a nice bar, gardens and restaurant up there too.
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Post by lynette on Jul 7, 2021 11:44:56 GMT
I think you have to book the sky garden in advance but within a week of going..not sure but i seem to remember a restricted booking. Personally I didn't find it particularly brilliant. Yes, the view is good on a fine day and the restaurant is high end but the seating, the cafes and the ‘garden’ disappointing. The shard I found, more interesting and better facilities. Just my view.
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Post by cavocado on Jul 7, 2021 14:11:35 GMT
If you like gardens, the Inner Temple Garden is a beautiful place to wander around while you wait for a midweek matinee - open 12.30-3pm weekdays, free entry.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2021 18:50:01 GMT
YouTube just threw this my way. The Phoenix Garden: the little-known garden just off Shaftesbury Avenue (the other side of the road from Seven Dials):
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Post by steve10086 on Jul 9, 2021 11:17:39 GMT
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Post by CG on the loose on Jul 9, 2021 14:50:14 GMT
Nooooo... they've moved (or buried!) Gregory Peck (the horse with no neck). I loved that sculpture 😢 |
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Post by lynette on Jul 9, 2021 15:43:14 GMT
Didn’t know about that garden. Thanks for posting.
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Post by marob on Jul 9, 2021 16:26:54 GMT
I already thought the mound was a bit rubbish when I read about it on here ages ago. But £4.50 to climb some stairs that don’t lead anywhere? No thanks. And the fact it only appears to be some scaffolding rather than being an actual mound makes me dislike it even more.
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Post by ncbears on Jul 10, 2021 19:18:44 GMT
On a visit, we stumbled upon Sir John Soane’s House/Museum. Packed with “stuff” and actually interesting.
We also were taken to some medieval manor in a suburb south of London but dont recall location or name! It was small but not busy so plenty of time to examine and wander
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