As someone who is always out and about in London, the chance to visit somewhere for the first time is a real treat. Why have I not been there before? Well, despite being on this site since 1348 this is the first time the public has been allowed inside Charterhouse.
London’s Design Museum moved home last year and set up its stall in wonderful, newly refurbished premises in Kensington. I wrote about my visit to their opening events here.
I was intrigued when I received the invitation to their latest exhibition, called Imagine Moscow, an exhibition which explores six Moscow architectural landmarks from the 1920s and 1930s that were never built! However, it turned out to be interesting, surprising and offered some visionary designs which would have resulted in a modern, dramatic city had they come to fruition. From large-scale projects to classic propaganda material, there is plenty to see and enjoy. Continue reading
“Moving the Design Museum to Kensington is the most important moment in my design career – so far”! was Terence Conran’s inspiring remark at the preview opening of the new site on Kensington High Street, London. He’s put a lot of his own money into the development and move of this museum so he has every right to feel proud of this impressive new building. Continue reading
2016 has undoubtedly had some bad moments, upsets and losses so I’ve been seeking solace in my hometown. London cheers me up every day with sights that lift the mood and as Samuel Johnson said ‘ when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life’. Samuel was clearly from a different age and surely meant women as well! So exploring London is how I lift myself up and although new experiences are good fun, I really enjoy welcoming back old friends.
350 years ago London was devastated by the The Great Fire of London. Fires were commonplace in London as the city was full of wooden buildings on narrow streets, but this one was a disaster of major proportions when 13,200 houses and 87 churches were destroyed and around 100,000 people were made homeless.
The Museum of London has a great exhibition called Fire! Fire! which takes you through the 5 days of the fire and its aftermath through quotes from those caught up in the fire, original objects, paintings, interactive displays, films and original illustrations, all with the sounds of fire in the background. Continue reading
Our famous astronaut Tim Peake may be back from space now, but you can take a trip there anytime at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Their exhibition Above and Beyond has lots of fun interactivity and is definitely one to put on the list for the school holidays. Continue reading
I’ve been watching the extension to the Tate Modern grow for the last 5 years, seeing the twisted pyramidal shape emerge as the exterior changed from a white cladding to a brick lattice which matches yet is different from the original Tate. They are both parts of an old power station site so, in a nod to its origins, the first Tate building is now called the Boiler House and the new Tate is the Switch House.
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It is always a treat to stumble across a new artist, especially one who has a fascinating life story to amplify your interest in their work. Maria Merian is a perfect example of this, a little known botanical artist from the 17th century who changed what we know about the life cycle of the butterfly through her exquisite art.
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The Royal Collection is the British Royal Family’s art collection and is one of the largest and most important in the world. This holds so many pieces that only a fraction can be on display at any one time in the royal palaces across the UK. The Queen’s Gallery holds exhibitions throughout the year, curated to show a different range of these precious works.
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I’d never heard of the Museum of Crime so was curious when I saw the Museum of London was launching a new exhibition of items from this mysterious museum. How had we not heard about this museum and why was it only just being opened up to the public? The chance to see never before seen objects from the famous crimes of history was not to be missed.
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