Go
back to London guide London has museums, galleries, collections,
parks, gardens, palaces, squares and much more. It's one of
the worlds great cities and many of the attractions are free.
Consider getting a London Pass (www.londonpass.com) which
allows free admission to many attractions, free public transport,
free internet access at certain places, free admission to
certain cinemas and even free phone calls. You can also beat
the queues with it! Prices start for adults at £22
(1 day pass),£39 (2 day pass), £49 (3 days) and
£79 (6 day pass).
CHURCHES
St Paul's Cathedral
There are 627 steps to climb in the famed dome of the St Paul's
Cathedral (www.stpauls.london.anglican.org).
It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren when the original
was destroyed by the great fire of London. Admission £6
for general access, £3.50 for access to cathedral and
crypt, free with the London Pass. Open daily 8.30am-4pm. St
Paul's Churchyard, London EC4. Tel. (020) 7248 2705.
Westminster Abbey
This Abbey is where royals are buried, married and crowned.
Admission is free, except for the Royal Chapels £4 and
the undercroft Museum £6.50 which includes the Pyx Chamber
and the Chapter House, free with the London Pass (www.londonpass.com).
Open Mon-Fri 9am-4pm, Sat 9am-2pm and 3.34pm-5pm. Broad Sanctuary,
London SW1. Tel. (020) 722 5152. Tube: Westminister.
PALACES
Buckingham Palace
The section open to the public includes staircase, Guard's
Room, Green Drawing Room and the Picture Garden. Hang around
outside for the Changing of the Guard ceremony. Admission:
£9.50, free with a three or six day London Pass. Open
daily from 6 Aug-4 Oct. Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1.
Tube: St James's Park.
Changing the Guard
This takes place daily at 11am from mid April to the end of
July and then 11.30am on alternate days between August and
April. It's a fantastic demonstration of royal plomb but get
there early to get a good spot and guard it fiercely. The
crowds can be pushy. There is a changing of the Mounted Guard
in Whitehall daily at 11am (10am on Sunday). Horse Guards
Parade, Whitehall, London SW1. Tel. 0839 123331. Tube: Green
Park, St James.
MUSEUMS
Bank of England Museum
The Bank of England Museum presents a history of banking and
money from 1694 to the present day. Admission free. Open Mon-Fri
10am-5pm. Bartholmew Lane, London EC2. Tel. (020) 7601 555.
Tube: Bank.
British Museum
This fantastic FREE museum chronicles the story of the western
world through collections of antiques and exhibits. Admission
free. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm. Great Russell Street, London
WC1. Tel. (020) 7636 1555. Tube: Tottenham Court Road.
Imperial War Museum
Military memorabilia from World War I to the present day.
Admission free. Open daily 10am-6pm. Lambeth Road, London
SE1. Tel. (020) 7416 5000. Tube: Lambeth North.
Madame
Tussauds
The world famous wax-works feature extraordinarily lifelike
replicas of many people. David and Victoria Beckham were recent
additions. Open daily 10am-5.30pm. Marylebone Street, London
NW1. Tel. (020) 7486 1121. Tube: Baker Street.
Museum of London
The Museum of London features 2,000 years of history from
Roman times to the present day. Admission free. Open Mon-Sat
10am-5.50pm, Sun 12noon-5.50pm. 150 London Wall, London EC2
[MAP]. Tel: (020) 7600 3699. Tube: Barbican, Moorgate or St
Pauls.
Museum of the Moving Image
The history of the moving image from Chinese shadow plays
to King Kong and Dr Who. Admission £5.95. Open daily
10am-6pm. South Bank Centre, London SE1. Tel. (020) 7928 3535.
Tube: Waterloo.
London Transport Museum
This museum explains how the public transport system was developed
over the last 200 years from horse-drawn cab, to underground
railway, electrified trams, motorised transport etc. Located
in Covent Garden in the original flower market. Admission
£4.50. Open daily 10am-6pm. The Piazza, Covent Garden.
Tel. (020) 7836 8557. Tube: Covent Garden.
National Maritime Museum
This museum houses the Royal Greenwich Observatory, the prime
meridian where Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is set. This museum
of astronomy and time is where you can see the time-ball and
working telescopes and visit the planetarium. Admission free.
Open daily, except Sunday mornings. Greenwich Park, SE10.
Tel. (020) 8858 4422. Tube: Island Gardens, then walk through
the foot tunnel; or train to Greenwich.
National Theatre Museum - www.londontheatre.co.uk/tours-walks/theatremuseum.html Covers theatre, ballet, opera, musicals, circus, puppetry,
magic, rock and pop music. There is also the National Video
Archive of Stage Performace. Admission free. Open Tues-Sun
11am-6.30pm. 1E Tavistock Street, London WC2. Tube: Covent
Garden or Charing Cross.
Natural History Museum
In this museum (www.nhm.ac.uk)
there are exhibits from the animal and plant kingdoms including
huge dinosaurs, mammals, replica rainforests, fossils, minerals,
gems and meteroites. You can also experience the sensation
of being in an earthquake along with sounds and textures within
the themes of each exhibition. Admission free. Open Mon-Sat
10am-5.50pm. Cromwell Road, London SW7. Tel. (020) 7938 9123.
Tube: South Kensington.
Royal Air Force Museum
Chronicles 100 years of aviation history with 60 aircraft
on display. Displays include the Bomber Command and the Battle
of Britain halls and a fighter simulator. Admission £5.20,
free with the London Pass. Open daily 10am-6pm. Graham Park
Way, Hendon, London NW9. Tel. (020) 8205 2266. Tube: Colindale.
Science Museum
Discoveries, inventions and presentation of science. Admission
free. Open daily 10am-6pm. Exhibition Road, London SW7. Tel.
(020) 7938 8000. Tube: South Kensington.
Old Operating Theatre
Shows the conditions in which surgeons operated last century
- without anaesthetic. Admission £2.50/£1.70,
free with the London Pass. Open daily 10am-4pm. 9A St Thomas
Street, London SE1. Tel. (020) 7955 4791. Tube: London Bridge.
Tower Hill Pageant
This museum combines archaeology and computer technology to
explain how The Thames played a role in the development of
London as a port and city. Admission £6.25. Open daily
9.30am-5.30pm. 1 Tower Hill Terrace, London EC3. Tel. (020)
7709 0081. Tube: Tower Hill or Tower Gateway.
Victoria & Albert Museum
Founded in 1852 including fashion, sculpture, textiles, ceramics,
photographs, jewellery and much more to support and encourage
excellence in art and design. The collections reflect centuries
of achievement from Europe, the Far East, South East Asia
and the Islamic World. Admission free. Open: Mon 12noon-5.50pm,
Tues-Sun 10am-5.50pm. Cromwell Road, London SW7. Tel. (020)
7938 8349. Tube: South Kensington.
HMS Belfast
This impressive 11,000 tonne World War cruiser is now a floating
museum with seven decks to explore. Many high quality naval
exhibits are on board. Admission £4.40/£3.30,
free with the London Pass. Open daily 10am-5pm. River Thames,
off Morgans Lane, Tooley Street, London SW1. Tube: London
Bridge.
GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS
Houses of Parliament
Home to the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Queue
at the St Stephen's entrance for access to the public galleries.
Tel. (020) 7219 3000 for seating times. Parliament Square,
London SW1. Tube: Westminster.
Cabinet War Rooms
Much of Britain's role in world history has been coordinated
from here including Winston Churchill's war efforts. Today
the fortified basement is open to the public. Admission £4.20.
Open daily 9.30am-5.15pm. Clive Steps, 1 King Charles Street,
London SW1 2AQ [MAP]. Tube: Westminster.
PARKS AND GARDENS
Hyde Park
this park has a long thin lake through the park, a rollerblade
path, walking paths, lots of tree to relax under, the Serpentine
Art Gallery, Kensington Gardens (Princess Diana's former home)
and the Speaker's Corner. For street theatre on a weekend
mid-afternoon it is great entertainment and sometimes many
crowds.
GALLERIES
National Gallery
More than 2,000 works of art. Admission free. Open: Mon-Sat
10am-6pm, Sun 2pm-6pm. Trafalgar Square, London WC2. Tel.
(020) 7839 3321. Tube: Charing Cross. Train: Charing Cross.
National Portrait Gallery
A collection of figures from British history. Admission free.
Open: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sun 12noon-6pm. St Martins Place,
London WC2. Tel. (020) 7306 0055. Tubes: Charing Cross or
Leicester Square. Train: Charing Cross.
Courtault Gallery
Works by Michaelangelo and Manet, photographic libraries,
Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings are on view.
Admission £3. Open: Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 2pm-6pm. Sommerset
House, The Strand, LondonWC2. Tel: (020) 7872 0220. Tube:
Holborn.
Banqueting House
The only surviving building of the vast Whitehall Palace,
destroyed by fire nearly 300 years ago. The Rubens ceiling
painting is one work on display. Admission £4, students
£3. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm. Whitehall, London SW1. Tel. 0870
751 5178. Tube: Westminster.
Tate Gallery
A huge collection of contemporary art, special shows and films
and admission is free! Admission free; free acoustic tour
with the London Pass. Mon-Sat 10am-5.50pm, Sun 2pm-5.50pm.
Millbank, London SW1. Tel: (020) 7887 5000. Tube: Pimlico.
Barbican Centre
Conference and arts centre featuring theatre, cinema, music,
restaurants, exhibitions and the Barbican Art Gallery. Centre
open Mon-Sat 9am-11pm, Sun 12noon-11pm; gallery open Mon,
Wed-Sat 10am-6.45pm, Tues 10am-5.45pm, Sun 12noon-6.45pm.
Admission to gallery £5. Silk Street, London EC2. Tel.
(020) 7638 4141. Tube: Barbican or Moorgate.
SQUARES
Covent Garden
In the 18th century this square was the principle market with
stalls and produce. It was moved 20 years ago and has been
renovated with boutiques, health food shops, restaurants.
The street life is still there with many street performers
making a living from tourists on the cobbled paving. It makes
it a great area to hang out. It is also the centre of London's
theatre area.
THEATRES
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
William Shakespeare's Globe Theatre has been rebuilt on the
banks of the Thames. There is an exhibition recounting the
history of the famous theatre. Open daily 10am-5pm. New Globe
Walk, London SE1. Tube: Mansion House.
TOP OTHER
Tower Bridge
One of the world's most famous bridges this was built in 1894
and is a top attraction in London. Open daily 10am-5.15pm.
Admission £4.50. Tower Bridge, London SE1. Tel: (020)
7407 0922. Tube: Tower Hill.
Tower of London
This is the place where Henry VIII sent his wife Anne Boleyn
to be beheaded. Apart from that spot there are also various
torture tools and the Crown Jewels. Admission £13.50,
£12 if purchased in advance by phone or Internet. Open
Jan-Feb Sun-Mon 10am-5pm, Tue-Sat 9am-5pm; Mar-Oct Mon-Sat
9am-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm; Nov-Dec Sun-Mon 10am-5pm, Tue-Sat 9am-5pm;
last admission 1 hr before close. Tower Hill, London EC3.
www.hrp.org.uk. Tel. 0870
756 6060. Tube: Tower Hill.
London Skyview Balloon
This balloon can lift up to 30 people more than 150 metres
up in the air for views over the city. Admission £12,
free with the London Pass. Open Apr-Oct daily 10am-dusk. Spring
Gardens, Vauxhall, London SE11. Tel. (020) 7587 1111. Tube
& Train: Vauxhall.
London's Canals
The canal network of the Grand Union and Regent Canals runs
through Hackney and Islington, past Camden Town, Regent's
Park, Paddington and Little Venice before heading out into
the suburbs. You can follow the canals by cycling, walking
or canal boat. Some good spots along the Regent's Canal
include Little Venice, west of Paddington; Regent's Park,
which includes London Zoo; and Camden Town with its vibrant
markets. It takes 2.5 hours to walk from Camden Lock
to Little Venice.
London Dungeon
Darker secrets of Britain come unearthed in these dark slimy
echoing vaults. Admission £7.75/£6.50. Open daily
10am-5.30pm. Tooley Street, SE1. Tel. (020) 7403 0606. Tube:
London Bridge.
London Zoo
One of the oldest zoos in the world with 12,000 animals and
a centre for animal research. Free events are held daily in
the Amphitheatre and around the grounds. Admission £8.50/£7.50.
Open daily 10am-5.30pm. Outer Circle, Regents Park, London
NW1. Tel. (020) 7722 3333. Tube: Camden Town.
Lords Cricket Ground
Visitors here get a guide to accompany their tour which takes
in the Cricketing art gallery, the Long Room with portaits
of Thomas Lord, Sir Donald bradman and Sir Leonard Hutton.
Cricket bats and balls used by the game's greats are on display
and it may also be possible to view other parts of the Pavilion
including the Committee Room and the Dressing Rooms. Admission
£5.80/£4.20. Guided tours daily (except match
days) 12noon and 2pm phone for tour times on match days. Lord's
Cricket Ground, London, NW8. Tel. (020) 7432 1033. Tube: St
Johns Wood.
Old Bailey
It is possible to see real life court at the Central Criminal
Court. Get there early for a seat in the public gallery, get
there early - the old courts have the better trails. Admission
free. Open Mon-Fri 10am-1pm and 2pm-4pm. Ludgate Hill, London
EC4. Tel. (020) 7248 3277. Tube: Blackfriars or St Pauls;
train: Blackfriars or City Thameslink.
Royal Albert Hall
This famous concert venue hosts many famous stars and the
annual proms. Meet at 9am by the main entrance for a guided
tour, £2.50. Kensington Gore, London SW7. Tel. (020)
7589 8212. Tube: South Kensington.
