London Museums or attractions.

[DTS]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Tomorrow is my birthday (21 for those of you wondering) and the Mrs and I are heading up to the smoke for the day.

We did the same last year and I really enjoyed the Military History Museum. I was wondering if any of you could give me some tips on decent museums etc that you have seen of late. We have dinner at midday out west but other than that I am open to offers for the rest of the day.

I am not looking for obvious stuff like London Eye. Madame Tusaudes etc as done it all before.

Cheers all
DtS

 

[MK Shrimper]

Tate Modern? Some of it's utter crap, but there are a few things of interest. Happy birthday for tomorrow BTW.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Lol, similar except not a birthday and going up for a hospital appointment at Guys and then having a mooch after! Covent Garden is obviously a great place to go and while away some time, the Transport Museum is there too and very easily managed inside a few hours. The National Gallery and Trafalgar Square aren't far away and if you like that sort of thing, then the National is great as you'll recognise quite a lot of their more famous paintings. Or alternatively, head over to the Tower and stroll around St Katherine's, usually some interesting boats in the docks and some nice bars and shops there.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Blimey Dave you're as old as Cricko, almost.

The British Museum is fantastic as well bloody enourmous. I think the Cabinet War Rooms is still going that's worth a visit IMO. And round off the day by visiting Thai Brides are Us - courtesy of fasto.com.

 

[Firestorm]

Take the Mrs up the Oxo tower

 

[Crabby Shrimper]

British museum is fantastic, and it's great to see people from all over the world coming to view their countries art treasures!

The Victoria and Albert's another good museum, and out of that and the British I probably preferred the V&A (they have Turners, I love Turners (Not Anthea)) also why not pop in to the National gallery. Seeing the likes of "The Fighting Temeraire", "The Haywain", and "Bathers at Asnieres" up close and personal is something not to be missed.

For another day, if you like military history, take a trip a bit further up to Duxford. You wont be disappointed.

 

[OldBlueLady]

British museum is fantastic, and it's great to see people from all over the world coming to view their countries art treasures!

The Victoria and Albert's another good museum, and out of that and the British I probably preferred the V&A (they have Turners, I love Turners (Not Anthea)) also why not pop in to the National gallery. Seeing the likes of "The Fighting Temeraire", "The Haywain", and "Bathers at Asnieres" up close and personal is something not to be missed.

For another day, if you like military history, take a trip a bit further up to Duxford. You wont be disappointed.

Those paintings ARE all in the National, which is why I recommended it! :raspberry:

 

[Crabby Shrimper]

Those paintings ARE all in the National, which is why I recommended it! :raspberry:

I didn't say they weren't, I just thought I'd add my recommendation to yours as Dave, being a bloke, would I'm sure be more interested in what a man could suggest, rather than risk a ladies suggestion of a crocheting exhibition. :raspberry:

(It's ok, only kidding)

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Mrs DS & I have to make a trip up to London on friday, and as we'll be in the Holborn area were thinking of heading to the British Museum as well.

If you were tempted to go to the Tate Modern then Shakespeare's Globe is right next to it and well worth a visit imho.

 

[Eastblack]

Depends how out west you are, but I can recommend the V&A, Natural History and Science Museums. All are very close to one another.

More central, the Tate & the National. The Royal Academy usually have something decent on too for their Summer Exhibition.


Tate Modern is usually full of pompous oafs pretending modern art is great. In fact, it's rubbish.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Mrs DS & I have to make a trip up to London on friday, and as we'll be in the Holborn area were thinking of heading to the British Museum as well.

Hatton garden is very handy!!!

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Hatton garden is very handy!!!

What's Hatton Garden?

Tate Modern is usually full of pompous oafs pretending modern art is great. In fact, it's rubbish.

Modern Art makes me want to Rock Out!

 

[Rudi Luftwaffe]

There is a Wetherspoons near Tower Hill station from which you can just about see the Tower of London.

 

[osymandus]

Imperial War Museum , Science Museum , Natural History (for a 5 minute wonder the temple of Mithras behind bank station).

The Churchs of Richard Hawksmoore .

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

What's Hatton Garden?

The street where all the expensive jewellers are...!

My recommendations for central London...

* National Portrait Gallery - the BP Portrait Award is on at the moment, and the quality of the artwork always astounds me.

* Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House - Somerset House itself is a beautiful and seldom visited building, and the Courtauld has one of the finest collections of Impressionist art (esp. Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec) in London, if not the world (outside France, at any rate)

* Houses of Parliament - go on a tour. It really is an amazing building, well worth having a look.

As others have said, where is your meal "out West"? If it's near the museums in South Ken (Nat. Hist, Science, V&A) then they are all superb and well worth a visit; my three suggestions above are all 10 mins' walk from Charing Cross - very do-able, Dave, if you get a Thameslink into London Bridge (platform 5), walk across the platform to Platform 6 and get on any train going into Charing X. Turn right out of the station for the Courtauld, straight ahead (and behind St. Martin-in-the-Fields) for the NPG (which is on the bottom of Charing X Road, rather than Trafalgar Sq), or left out of the station for Parliament Sq.

Happy birthday for tomorrow, mate - have a great day.

 

[osymandus]

Oh also forgot the Grand hall of masonry daily tours well worth a vist.

 

[Firestorm]

Greenwich, by boat from tower pier

 

[Pubey]

DS - Hatton Garden bankrupted me! Lincoln Inn Fields in Holborn are nice for a spot of lunch. Spent many a lunch there when at LSE.

I love the Tate Modern, taking in a nice walk along the south bank and crossing a bridge. The missus and I enjoyed the Tower of London, so you could maybe do that then cross Tower Bridge and walk to the Tate. The restaurant at the top of the Tate is great, with excellent views. If not, then as mentioned the National Gallery and the Natural History Museum are fantastic.

 

[Pubey]

Greenwich, by boat from tower pier

Good call, Greenwich Observatory is really good

 

[londonblue]

Greenwich, by boat from tower pier

That would get my vote. The National Maritime Museum and the Royal Observatory are well worth a visit.