OUT & ABOUT HOME Free London - May , 2012 by Shophound Alexia Heritage and pageantry highlights, the Royal Parks, Church music, festivals, free art exhibitions and museums in and around London. Royal Heritage & Pageantry Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Parade Date: Ongoing. 11.30am. Check website for schedules. Venue: Buckingham Palace Forecourt, Westminster, SW1A 1AA London Transport: Nearest Tubes. Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, Victoria mainline rail terminus Description: The new guards from one of five Household Guard Regiments, (Coldstream, Grenadier, Scots, Irish or Welsh Guards), arrive at the forecourt of the Palace at 11:30 from Wellington Barracks. Their march takes about 5 minutes and the soldiers are accompanied by a band. The ceremony is conducted on the Palace forecourt and takes approximately forty minutes to complete. Subject to wet weather cancellation. Beware the nuisance of pickpockets outside the Palace gates. Please check site for exact days; whether odd or even days according to each month. See also the colourful changing of The Queen's Lifeguards, (Blues & Royals or Life Guards), at Horse Guards Parade, (weekdays 11am, Sundays 10am); a spectacular piece of royal pageantry. Check Changing the Guard for further details, regimental uniform identification, and special guidebook. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes, in St. James's Park. Ceremony of the Keys Date: Ongoing. Daily. 9.30.pm. Venue: Tower of London, Tower Hill, EC3N 4AB Tickets: Complimentary tickets are obtainable on application in writing. Check Tower website for details. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Tower Hill. Description: The Ceremony of the Keys is the traditional locking up of the Tower of London and has taken place on each and every night, without fail, for at least 700 years. The Yeoman Warders, (the famous Beefeaters), in their royal livery, and military guard, lock the outer gates of the Tower of London and deliver the keys to the Governor of the Tower, (always a retired General), who resides in the Tudor Queen's House overlooking the infamous scaffold site within the walls. The importance of securing this fortress for the night is still relevant because, although the Monarch no longer resides at this royal palace, the Crown Jewels, including the Coronation Regalia and many other historic valuables, still do and felonious attempts have been made to steal them! Check Historic Royal Palaces/Tower of London for daily opening times, etc., for the Tower, Crown Jewels, etc. London's Royal Parks The Royal Parks play an important and popular role in the Londoner's Diary, providing a varied programme of events, as well as providing a safe family environment for recreation and relaxation in colourful surroundings of remarkable bio-diversity. London's Royal and municipal parks are superbly kept with seasonally planted flower beds, shrubs, trees, lakes, fountains, historic monumental statuary and teeming, people-friendly, wildlife. Birdlife is remarkably abundant with some 144 species of woodland bird, raptor and wild and ornamental waterfowl recorded, many of which breed in the avian-friendly surroundings. Both Regent's Park and Battersea Park support flourishing breeding heronries. Most Royal Parks were originally royal hunting grounds and Hyde Park and Richmond Park remain popular equestrian venues, while herds of deer still graze, (no longer chased by Royal huntsmen), at Richmond and Greenwich. There are plenty of restrooms and excellent catering facilities, ranging from tea houses to gourmet restaurants, a wide range of sporting facilities and many interesting historic monuments and Heritage sites in and around each Park. Schedule of Guided Walks Check out the schedule of 'Guided Walks' and events in the Royal Parks. Tel: 020 7298 2083. Contact: Nick Lane to assure a place on the walks, as places are limited. Alexia's tip: The Princess Diana Memorial Walk. Make a point of seeing the four Royal Parks in central London by taking the Princess Diana Memorial Walk; a seven mile figure-eight walkway with its hub at Hyde Park Corner, (the best starting and finishing point). The fascinating walkway is marked by 70 plaques set into the ground and passes a number of places with which Diana was associated in her life - and death. Break the walk into at least two parts unless you have legs and stamina for a marathon. Do the Green Park and St. James's Park stretch on one day, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens section on another. Be sure to wear sensible shoes and take your time to pause and see all the places of interest. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. There are restrooms and refreshment points in St. James's Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. St. James's Park Opening Times; Daily. 5am-midnight. London Transport: Nearest Tube: St. James's Park. Description: This is London's oldest park and, although open to the public, is historically within the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Bounded by the Palace on the west by historic St. James's Palace, Clarence House and the Mall on the north, Admiralty Arch and Horseguard's Parade on the east, Wellington Barracks and Birdcage Walk on the south, it lies at the very heart of London's Royal heritage and pageantry and should on no account be missed by London visitors. The beautiful ornamental lake overlooked by the Palace is stocked with fifteen species of exotic waterfowl including Pelicans and Black Swans, and the shady walks are bordered by superbly planted seasonal flowerbeds and flowering shrubs. As well as Buckingham Palace, Horseguard's Parade and Admiralty Arch, pause to see the Queen Victoria Memorial with its marble statue of Victoria and glittering figures of Victory, Courage and Constancy, bordered by the ornamental gates given by Britain's former Dominions; Australia Gate, South Africa Gate and Canada Gate. See also in the Mall, the superb new memorial bronze of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, (unveiled February, 2009). Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. Alexia's Diary: Check St. James's Park "Events in the Park" London Marathon Date: April 22, 2012. London Marathon Check official site for more information. ExCel London: London Marathon Exhibition Venue: ExCel, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London. E16 1XL Date: 18-21 April. Times vary. Tickets: FREE. London Transport: Check online for road, rail and river access details. ExCel is outside the London congestion charge area. Undercover car parking. Description: The Best Free Event In The Running Year. Whether you are running in what will be the biggest ever London race or not, this is an unrivalled opportunity for anyone interested in running and fitness. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes. A variety of dining and refreshment options are available in the main concourse. Pelican feeding time. Daily. 2.30pm. Lakeside. A popular time for both Pelicans and spectators! Changing the Guard at Buckingham PalaceThe colourful ceremony at the western end of the park takes place at 11.30am on odd dates in November. Musical march past from Wellington Barracks down Birdcage Walk on south side of the Park to the Palace and return. Changing the Queen's Lifeguard at Horseguards Parade. Mornings: Daily 11am and 4pm. Sundays 10.am. Horseguard's Parade, situated at the eastern end of the park, is in fact the official entrance to Buckingham Palace. Green Park Opening Times: Daily. 5am-midnight. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Green Park, Hyde Park Corner. Description: Originally called, appropriately, 'Upper St. James's Park' this green open space to the north of Buckingham Palace was a once popular dueling spot. In Regency times there was a small sanitized dairy farmhouse here where fashionable ladies of the haut monde could pay an afternoon visit and play at being milkmaids. The park is now a peaceful grassland devoid of rapier wielding and pistol toting duelists and bucolic bovine attractions. Its mature tree'd open space is much enjoyed by Londoners in February and March for its picturesque sea of daffodils and in summer as a picnic and sunbathing spot. Few events take place here, other than the firing of a Royal Salute on the occasion of a State Visit by a foreign Head of State. The Park is bordered in the north by Hyde Park Corner with its Apsley House and Wellington Arch museums, and the fine houses lining Piccadilly, in the east by leafy Queen's Walk overlooked by the imposing Ritz Hotel, Spencer House and Lancaster House, and in the south by Buckingham Palace's walled gardens. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. No. Nearest toilets in St. James's Park and Hyde Park. Alexia's tip: Wander down Queen's Walk after Tea at the Ritz on your way to the Canada Memorial and the Canada Gates facing Buckingham Palace and pause to admire the superb Palladian facade of Spencer House, onetime ancestral London residence of Princess Diana's family. At Hyde Park Corner see Decimus Burton's 1828 triumphal Wellington Arch, (an English Heritage Museum); his imposing Ionic Screen, (1825) and his charming little neo-Classical lodge next to it, (now an excellent tourist information office staffed by very helpful assistants). Note also the Greek Revival frontage of the Lanesborough Hotel, (William Wilkins, 1827); the neo-Classical frontage of Apsley House, London home of the Duke of Wellington, (architect Benjamin Wyatt, 1828/9; now an English Heritage Museum). Alexia's Diary: The Ritz Hotel at the northeastern corner of Green Park and the Lanesborough Hotel at Hyde Park Corner are civilized though expensive venues for Afternoon Tea. Advance booking is essential at the Ritz and advisable at the Lanesborough. No special events are listed for Green Park in April. Hyde Park Opening Times: Daily. 5am-midnight. London Transport: Nearest Tubes. Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Lancaster Gate. Description: Onetime private Royal hunting ground, opened to the public in 1637 by Charles I. Site of the 1851 Great Exhibition Crystal Palace; Speaker's Corner; the annual Prince's Trust open-air concert; Last Night of the Proms Concert; the setting for the 2012 Olympics Open Water Swimming and Triathlon; and the 300 year old bridleway Rotten Row, England's most famous equestrian venue where kings, consorts and courtesans once paraded in style each morning and where smartly accoutred ladies and their squires exercise their mounts. For more about this historic site read my Spring in Rotten Row. The carpets of crocus in early spring and later sea of daffodils are well worth seeing, as is the rose garden near Hyde Park Corner. Among many famous landmarks, be sure to see: Decimus Burton's Ionic Screen, (1825), marking the Park's S.E. entrance at Hyde Park Corner; the controversial Diana Memorial Fountain, (2004). Sir John Nash's triumphal Marble Arch, (1828), originally designed as the entrance to Buckingham Palace and now marking the Park's N.E. entrance near the site of the infamous Tyburn gallows and the famous Speaker's Corner. There are a number of monuments and bronzes in the Park near Hyde Park Corner, notably the impressive bronze of Hercules; St. George and the Dragon; the understated Holocaust Memorial and the newly dedicated memorial to the victims of London's 7/7 bombings four years ago. There are no Free Events in the park for April. Alexia's Diary: The Grosvenor House Hotel, with its charming Park Room overlooking Park Lane and Hyde Park is a perfect place to relax and enjoy Anna's Afternoon Tea. Note, in passing, the high distinction of this hotel's 1930s towered frontage by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Kensington Gardens Peter Pan, Kensington Park Opening Times: Daily. 5am-midnight. London Transport: Nearest tube. High Street, Kensington. Description: Originally part of Hyde Park, the gardens were laid out with formal avenues of magnificent trees, shrubs and ornamental flower beds as a setting for Kensington Palace, (Sir Christopher Wren 1689-1702); birthplace of Queen Victoria who later commissioned the beautiful, peaceful Italian Gardens at the head of the Serpentine Lake and later still the Albert Memorial, (Sir Gilbert Scott 1863-72), facing the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington Gore. The Memorial is a brilliant example of the best of Victorian craftsmanship, designed like a medieval reliquary shrine built on a monumental scale. Children, (and parents), will love the whimsical bronze statue of Peter Pan commissioned by the novelist J.M.Barrie, (Sir George Frampton,1912), set in a leafy glade bordering the Serpentine Lake; the Elfin Oak carved with fairies, goblins and animals; and the fabulous Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground with its Captain Hook's pirate galleon. Pause to admire the Palace's stately south frontage and the water lilies and sunken garden created by Edward VII on the Palace's east wing on your way to take tea in the Orangery, (Nicholas Hawksmoor, 1704-05). Note the statue of Queen Victoria outside the Palace, sculpted by her gifted daughter Louise to celebrate her Golden Jubilee, 1857. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. Alexia's Diary There are no events in the park for April. Serpentine Gallery Date:10am-6pm, Daily. 2012. Venue:. Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, W2 3XA. Tel: 020 7402 6065. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Knightsbridge; Lancaster Gate. Description: Now celebrating its 40th year, the Serpentine is one of London's best loved galleries for modern and contemporary art. The late Diana, Princess of Wales was patron. Regular exhibitions of fine art and installations, talks and projects. The Gallery celebrates its 40th anniversary with a series of downloadable audio walks by noted artists and architects which explore the many highlights of historic Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. Wheelchair Accessibility :Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. The Regent's Park Opening Times: Daily. 5am - dusk. London Transport: Nearest tube. Baker Street. Description: The Regent's Park, 166 hectares (410 acres), is a masterpiece of landscape design and town planning. It includes stunning rose gardens with more than 30,000 roses of 400 varieties. The Park is the largest outdoor sports area in London with 'The Hub' a community sports pavilion and sports pitches, nearly 100 acres available for sports fans of all abilities. Henry VIII appropriated what was then known as Mary Bourne Park for use as a hunting ground, which he considered to be an invigorating ride from Whitehall Palace. It remained a royal chase until 1646. John Nash, architect to the crown and to the Prince Regent developed the Park as part of his patron's grandiose design for central London extending from Piccadilly Circus up Regent's Street and ending in a vast rounded park surrounded by palatial terraces, a lake, a canal, 56 planned villas (only 8 were ever built) and a summer palace for the Prince Regent, which was never built because the Prince Regent turned his attention and money to creating Buckingham Palace. It wasn't until 1835, after the Prince Regent ascended the throne as King George IV, that the general public were actually allowed into the sections of the Park and this was only for two days of the week. The Park later became the home of the Zoological Society and the London Zoo. The celebrated Queen Mary's Gardens, (the Rose Gardens, named after the Queen Consort of King George V), and the now famous annual summer open air theatre season draw Londoners and visitors alike to this most northern of London's Royal Parks. The park's lake is notable for London's largest heronry and is much loved by film makers for location work. Relax at the Garden Cafe at the Rose Garden. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. There are no events in the park for April. Greenwich Park Opening Times: Daily. 6am, pedestrians. 7am for traffic. London Transport: Riverboat to Greenwich pier; North Greenwich tube then 188 bus to Greenwich Park Gate. Description: Together with Richmond Park, Greenwich is the oldest of the Royal Parks, with a Royal history stretching back to mediaeval times. Situated on top of a hill, the park provides visitors with sweeping views across the River Thames to St Paul's Cathedral and beyond and is home to a small herd of fallow and red deer, reminders of a bygone era when this was a royal hunting ground. The park is now part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site, host to the Prime Meridian Line and the old Royal Observatory, as well as having the National Maritime Museum, built on the site of the old Tudor Palace of Placentia, as a neighbour. King Henry VIII was born and spent much of his early time here before transferring his affections to Hampton Court Palace. We can thank the 17th century Stuart monarchs, however, for the park as we see it today. They transformed it from a Tudor hunting ground, demolishing the decaying old Tudor palace of Placentia and jousting lists, embarking upon a magnificent era of building that has given us the exquisite Classical Queen's House, (Inigo Jones, completed 1635), and Wren's superb Baroque waterfront palace completed for Charles II in 1702 as a Royal Naval Hospital. Together with the Queen's House it is now the National Maritime Museum. Charles II also commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to build the Royal Observatory in the park. All are open FREE to the public. The Queen's House is a popular venue for wedding and civil commitment ceremonies. The park is best approached from the river, (regular service from Westminster and Tower quays). For a full description of the palace, Free entry particulars, etc., see Burlington Bertie's Royal Greenwich There are no Free events listed for April in Greenwich Park. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. Battersea Park Bandstand Photo by Ian MacWatt Battersea Park Opening Times; Daily. 5am-midnight. London Transport: Rail. Battersea Park. See also Wandsworth Council. Description: While not a Royal Park, Battersea deserves mention and has historic royal connections. Battersea Park is a 200 acre green riverside gem with beautiful planting, quiet lake and delightful Thames-side walks. Managed by a forward looking and energetic Wandworth Borough Council Parks Service, it is much loved by the local residents but relatively unknown to visitors despite its full programme of events, Fairs, Exhibitions and Cultural Festivals throughout the year. It is also notable for its beautiful Buddhist Peace Temple overlooking the Thames. Once marshy land notorious as a venue for dualists, (the Duke of Wellington and Lord Winchilsea famously fought a dual here over a matter of honour), the Park was landscaped with one million cubic yards of soil, dug out during the construction of Victoria Docks and shipped upriver. Queen Victoria opened it in 1858. The park has recently undergone a 11 million restoration programme and is now an oasis of peace; one of London's finest recreation amenities lying on the south bank of the Thames opposite the Royal Hospital Chelsea, home of the Chelsea Pensioners. The charming boating lake is home to a flourishing heronry and many species of waterfowl. Expect to see chick hatchlings paddling frantically behind proud parents on the lake. Note the Barbara Hepworth sculpture and the Australian War Memorial bordering the lake. Wandsworth Borough make the most of their beautifully kept and run Thames-side park to host a wide variety of events there throughout the year. Expect fashion shows, art exhibitions and antiques fairs, horticultural displays and competitions, firework displays and sporting events. To find out what is going on in Battersea Park call: Tel: (020) 8871 7534 Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. Somerset House: Free Tours Venue: Somerset House, Strand. WC2R 1LA. Tel: 020 7845 4600. Date: 1.15pm, 2.45pm Weds. 12.15pm, 1.15pm, 2.15pm, 3.15pm Sats. London Transport: Nearest Tube: Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus. Carparking and Congestion Charge payment: Trafalgar/Spring Gardens. Tickets: FREE tickets from the Information Desk in the Seamen's Waiting Hall, available from 10.30 am. Description: Discover evidence of Tudor intrigue and Georgian Enlightenment, scientific curiosity and naval power, extravagant entertainments and 'the King's Shilling', as you are led from the airy lightwells of graceful staircases to the atmospheric Deadhouse.. Wheelchair Accessibility: No. Adapted Toilets: Yes. Burlington Bertie selecting mushrooms. London' Street Markets London is well-known for its popular street markets which provide rich pickings for the collectors of antiques, collectibles and vintage clothing. Shophound Alexia's favourite hunting grounds for antiques and collectibles are the markets in Camden Town and Portobello Road in Bayswater. For retro clothes Spitalfields Market is a must. Berwick Street Market Dates: 9am-6pm, Mons - Sats, throughout the year except Bank Holidays Venue: Berwick Street and Rupert Street, Westminster, London, W1F 8TW London Transport: Nearest Tube: Piccadilly Circus. Carparking and Congestion Charge payment: Poland Street. Description: A colorful West End street market that has been going for over 200 years in the heart of Soho specializing in fresh fruit and vegetables, fabrics and some clothes and household items. There are also some excellent stalls selling cheeses, flowers, breads and cheap CDs. Lining the street are many good second-hand record shops. This is an entertaining place to visit and mingle with an exotic mix of costermongers, fashion and media types, suits and shady characters. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes, but expect to be jostled by the crowds. Adapted Toilets: No. Borough Market Venue: Southwark Street, Southwark, London, SE1 1TJ . Date: 11am - 5pm, Thurs; 12-6pm Fris; 8am-5pm Sats, 2012. London Transport: Nearest Tube. London Bridge. Carparking: Union Carpark/53 Southwark Street. Description: Nestled in-between Borough High Street, Bedale Street, Stoney Street and Winchester Walk lives "London's Larder", more formally known as Borough Market. This is Londons oldest food market; first established on the south bank of the Thames when the Romans built the first London Bridge. It has occupied its present site for 250 years. Borough has a long and distinguished history as a wholesale fruit and vegetable market. On Thursdays through Saturdays it becomes London's spectacular foodie paradise for gourmets and gourmands. Here, under the Victorian wrought-iron roof, you will find a mouth-watering range of fresh food stalls from all over England and Europe; every variety of cheese, fresh fish and seafood, French German and Spanish sausage, French and Eaest European fungi, Mediterranean olive oils, artisan breads, organically grown meat and vegetables, game and much more. Whether you wish to prepare for a gourmet dinner party, (check out Traders before you go), or merely soak up the heady atmosphere and exotic aromas, this is a must! Pop in to the cozy old pub nearby 'The Market Porter' for a refresher after your tour. While in the area visit historic Southwark cathedral overshadowing the market, and the nearby Tabard Inn, from where Chaucer's Canterbury Tales journey begins. The Dickensian George Inn, London's sole surviving coaching inn, (first or last stop on the old Dover Road out of London), is also nearby. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes in the market but expect a severe crush of people. Adapted Toilet: No information. Camden Market Dates: Daily and weekends. Busiest day Sunday. Venue: Camden Town. NW1. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Camden Town, Chalk Farm. Description: Once a weekend affair, the Camden Market complex in North London has now become a daily fixture. Camden Lock Market, by the Regent's Canal, began as a craft market back in the 1970s but now has a much wider spectrum of goods on sale. Add to this the Camden Stables Market, (Alternative Fashion); Camden (Buck Street) Market and Inverness Street Market, which are all now trading in parts throughout the week. The markets are liveliest at weekends however, with the 'Camden Lock Village' opening Friday to Sunday and the indoor fashion market at the Electric Ballroom drawing crowds on Sunday. A colourful mix of pubs catering to a colourful clientele, (Goths only at the Devonshire Arms), as well as ethnic restaurants, offer good and reasonably priced pub grub or neighbourhood nosh. For best value food and drink relax at the Wetherspoons Lloyds Bar on Suffolk Wharf where you can cool your feet in the canal while sampling one of their many unusual guest ales and stouts. Wheelchair accessibility: Yes in parts and pubs. Adapted Toilets: Yes. Dover Street Market Dates: 11am-6pm, Mon-Sat; 11am-7pm, Thurs-Sat. Closed Suns. Venue: 17/18 Dover Street, W1S 4LT London Transport: Nearest Tube. Green Park. Description: Over 70 trendy Fashion, Perfumery, Home and Kitchen stalls from around the world show one offs and interesting quirky items in this four story building. Well worth a visit to enjoy the designer layout and booths as well as buy. Enjoy a tasty snack at the top floor cafe. Wheelchair accessibility: Yes, on all floors. Adapted Toilets: Yes. Portobello Antiques Market Dates: Saturdays. Venue: Portobello Road, Westbourne Grove, W11. London Transport: Nearest Tubes. Notting Hill Gate, Ladbroke Grove. Description: The Portobello Antiques Dealers Association, (PADA), runs what is described as the largest antiques market in the world. The famous Saturday Market starts from around 5.30am with trading between dealers from the UK and overseas. Most stall holders are open to the public by 8.00am and the market is in full swing for the rest of the day, with collectors and visitors from all over the world. The shops and stalls of Portobello Road and Westbourne Grove offer an extraordinary variety of goods and specialist services, with antiques and collectibles ranging in price from a few pounds to several thousands. Be sure to check out the extensive PADA website before your visit. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes in parts. Adapted Toilets: Yes, nearby. Spitalfields Market Dates: Traders Market: Tuesday to Friday, 10am - 4pm, Sundays, 9am - 5pm including public holidays. Shops: Monday to Sunday, 10am - 7pm Venue: 105 Commercial Street, Spitalfields, E1 6BG. London Transport: Nearest Tubes. Description: Well worth your visit to London's East End. Great for hidden gems of fashion and one off designer pieces. Wander around five different local markets and a growing number of interesting shops and oriental restaurants. Markets: Thursday - Antiques & Vintage; Friday - Fashion & Art; All shops and no stalls; Sunday: All shops and all stalls. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes in parts. Adapted Toilets: Yes, nearby. Cabbages and Frocks Market Date: 11am-5pm Saturdays. Venue:St. Marylebone Parish Church grounds, Marylebone Road/High Street, W1 London Transport: Nearest Tubes. Baker Street; Regents Park. Description: Every Saturday, this unusual market mix of speciality gourmet foods and organics, craft jewellery and cottage industries, designer label and retro fashion takes over the grounds of St.Marylebone Parish Church. Listed by Vogue, this is an interesting addition to the pleasures of Marylebone High Street which boasts a growing number of excellent gourmet shops in a village atmosphere, making Saturday morning browsing and shopping here such a pleasure. Wheelchair Accessibility :Yes. Church Music Westminster Abbey Dates: Sundays and special Holy Days. Venue: Parliament Square, SW1P. Tel: 020 7222 5152. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Westminster. Description: Attendance at services is free. Check Westminster Abbey to confirm scheduled times of services and music. The choir is world famous. The Abbey is closed to sightseers on Sundays and special days in the Abbey's Royal calendar, (the Abbey is a 'Royal Peculiar' under the personal attention of the Sovereign). Famous for the inspired Gothic interior, (Thomas Yevele 1320-1400), royal history and tombs dating back to King Edward The Confessor, (d.1066), Poet's Corner, etc. Check website for times of services. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets, Yes, near by. St. Paul's Cathedral Dates: Sundays and special Holy Days. Venue: EC4M 8AD. Tel: 020 7236 4128. London Transport: Nearest Tube: St. Paul's. Description: Attendance at services is free. The Cathedral is closed to sightseers on Sundays and special dates in the Cathedral calendar. Check St. Paul's Cathedral to confirm scheduled times of special and regular services. Sightseers are charged an entrance fee on weekdays to see the stunning grandeur of Sir Christopher Wren's Renaissance interior, the dome, crypt, etc. Wrens remains are deposited in the great Vault beneath the dome. A plain stone plaque has the Latin message LECTOR, SI MONUMENTUM REQUIRIS, CIRCUMSPICE. Which translates as Reader, if you seek his memorial  look around you. Tickets can be bought online through the Cathedral website. Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for details. St. Martin-in-the-Fields Dates: Sundays and special Holy Days. Venue: Trafalgar Square WC2N Tel: 020 7766 1100 London Transport: Nearest Tube: Charing Cross Station. Description:8am - Holy Communion. 10am - Sung Eucharist. 1.15pm - Service in Mandarin. 2.15pm - Service in Cantonese. Check St. Martin-in-the-Fields > to confirm times of special and regular services. Historic landmark church overlooking Trafalgar Square; an interesting fusion of High English Baroque and Palladianism. Considered to be the church masterpiece of architect James Gibbs, (1682-1754), it replaced an earlier church built by Henry VIII, (1542), which itself replaced a 13th century Gothic edifice. Noted for its popular lunchtime concerts, (Mons/Weds/Fris). Check website for details. Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for details. Westminster Cathedral Dates: Sundays and special Holy Days. Venue: 42 Francis Street, SW1P. Tel: 020 7798 9055 London Transport: Nearest Tube: Victoria Station. Description: 10.30am. Solemn Mass, (sung by the Cathedral's world famous choir). Check http://www.westminstercathedral.org.uk/">Westminster Cathedral for full details of this and special services. This is the Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster, built between 1895 and 1903 in the Neo-Byzantine style; the architectural masterpiece of John Francis Bentley (1839  1902). It ranks architecturally as one of the noblest of all English churches. The interior which was never completed, provides a serene, quiet and inviting place to worship and meditate. Entry is FREE at all times. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Under construction Brompton Oratory Dates: Sundays 11:00am. Venue: Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, SW3. London Transport: Nearest Tube: Knightsbridge. Description: 11am. Solemn Mass, (Sung Latin Novus Ordo). Check Brompton Oratory for this and special services. Fashionably popular Roman Catholic church for the Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Kensington communities. Built 1880-84 by Herbert Gribble who was awarded 200 by the incumbent Oratorian monks of St. Phillip Neri's Order for his winning Renaissance design. Several other architects worked on this structure through the years, contributing to its distinctive character and rather florid interior. Entry is FREE at all times. Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for details. Fine Art Collections Permanent collections in London's public art galleries and museums are entry free. Individually mounted temporary exhibitions within specified rooms of the gallery or museum normally carry a ticket charge however. This is bookable online, (recommended), or at the door if tickets are still available. Check Burlington Bertie's London Diary for current ticketed exhibition highlights. Courtauld Institute of Art Gallery Venue: Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, WC2R ORN. Tel: 020 7848 2526 Dates: Permanent Collections ongoing. Tickets: FREE on Mondays 10am-2pm, and to under 18s, registered UK students. London Transport: Nearest Tube: Temple. Description: One of the most important Art collections in Britain, including world-famous Old Master, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings; an outstanding prints and drawings collection featuring works by Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Cézanne and Turner. The collection includes around 530 paintings, 7000 drawings and 15,000 prints as well as significant holdings of medieval, Renaissance and modern sculpture, ceramics, metalwork, furniture and textiles. The collection has been formed through a series of major gifts and bequests made by some of the leading collectors of the 19th and 20th centuries. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. Tate Britain Venue: Tate Britain, Millbank, SW1P 4RG. Tel: 020 7887 8888. Opening Times: Daily. 10am-5.40pm. London transport: Nearest Tube: Pimlico. Description: Tate has the world's finest collection of British Art 1500 - 2007, presenting an unrivalled picture of its development from the 16th century to present day. Special attention is given to Blake, (1757-1827), Constable, (1776-1837), and Turner, (1775-1851), the three outstanding British artists from the Romantic age who have dedicated spaces within the gallery, while the unique Turner Collection of some 300 paintings and many thousands of watercolours is housed in the specially built Clore Gallery. The gallery also holds rich collections of Hogarth, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Stubbs, the Pre-Raphaelites, twentieth century artists Stanley Spencer, Henry Moore, Francis Bacon and young British Artists of the 1990s. There are free lecture tours of the gallery's various collections daily. An entrance charge is made for some temporary exhibitions which may be mounted in association with other galleries. Check Burlington Bertie's London Diary for details. The gallery itself is notable as a good example of Edwardian Grand Manner architecture, ( S.R.J.Smith, 1897-1900). Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. Tate Modern Venue: Bankside, SE1. Tel: 020 7887-8008. Opening Times: Daily. 10am-5.40pm. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Embankment. Description: Britain's national gallery of international Modern Art. A converted power station on the Thames embankment, Tate Modern houses work from the 1900s Fauvists to today's Arte Povera. The collection can be interactively explored online. An entrance charge is made for some temporary exhibitions which may be mounted in association with other galleries or sponsors. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. The National Gallery Venue: National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN. Tel: 020 7747 2885. Opening Times: Open Daily 10 am to 6 pm, Friday until 9pm. London transport: Nearest Tube: Charing Cross, Leicester Square. Description: The National Gallery houses one of the greatest permanent collections of European painting in the world, suitably catalogued and illustrated on the gallery website. These range from 13th century altar-pieces to the work of modern artists such as Tim Gardner. There are free guided tours and lectures daily. See website for details. In Room 1, until 6 April: The Landscape: Oil Sketch. Most landscape oil sketches from the 18th and early 19th centuries were never intended for exhibition - sketching out of doors was used primarily as a training for the hand and the eye. Often sketches remained overlooked, staying in artists' families rather than being offered for sale. Only a few collectors recognized the quality of pieces in this tradition. It is these collections which are celebrated in this exhibition. Degas owned studies by Corot and Théodore Rousseau - the National Gallery purchased these pictures at the sale of his collection in 1918. They now form the core of a small but distinguished group of works, recently augmented by the loan of the Gere Collection. This is a charming exhibition of a much underrated medium. Recommended. Admire the Greek Classical revival facade which faces onto Trafalgar Square, (William Wilkins, 1834-38). Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. National Portrait Gallery Venue: National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin's Place, WC2 0H3. Tel: 020 7312 2463. Opening Times: 10am-6pm. Thurs/Fri 10am-9pm. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Charing Cross, Leicester Square. Description: The National Portrait Gallery has some 92,000 portraits of great and famous British men and women in its unrivalled permanent collection, some 51,000 of which can be researched online. A selection is on permanent display here together with others which are shown for shorter periods due to their fragility. An entrance charge is made for some temporary exhibitions, (see Burlington Bertie's London Diary), which may be mounted in association with other galleries. Special Events The Southwell Brothers: Photographers Royal. This FREE event is running now until 19 February, various times. Example of the brothers' carte-de-visite photographic portraits of royalty and aristocracy, including a recently acquired portrait of Queen Victoria. Herbert Morrison: The Cockney Socialist Free Event, Running through March 18. Various times. A display featuring caricatures, drawings, press photographs and paintings, which chart the career of the influential, post-war Labour minister, and grandfather of Perter Mandelson. More Free Special Exhibits Going On: Check Your Favorites for Dates and Times by visiting this site. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. The Photographers' Gallery Venue: Ramillies Street, London Opening Times: Open Spring of 2012 after renovations. Description The Photographers' Gallery is the largest public gallery in London dedicated to Photography. From the latest emerging talent to historical archives and established artists - we are the place to see photography in all its forms. Contact: info@photonet.org.uk. The Saatchi Gallery Venue: Duke of York's HQ, King's Road Chelsea, London, SW3 4SQ, U. K. Times: 10am - 6pm, 7 days a week. Transportation: 3-4 minute walk from Sloane Square Underground. Description: The Saatchi Gallery is an ideal way to view contemporary art in very well proportioned rooms in a 70,000 sq. ft. building, giving the Gallery scope for a book shop, restaurant-café, educational facilities. Parking for the disabled. Wheelchairs available upon request - Tel: 0207 811 3085. White Cube Hoxton Gallery Venue: 3 locations: 48 Hoxton Square, London N1 6PB: 144  152 Bermondsey St., London SE1 3TQ: 25 - 26 Mason's Yard, London SW1Y 6BU Opening Times: 10am - 6pm, Tues - Sat. Description: White Cube Bermondsey The largest of the gallery's three London sites, providing more than 5440 m2 (58,000 sq ft) of interior space on a site of 1.7 acres (74,300 sq ft). The building dates from the 1970s and was primarily used as a warehouse before the current refurbishment. White Cube Bermondsey was designed by Casper Mueller Kneer Architects who are based in London and Berlin. The building includes three principal exhibition spaces, substantial warehousing, private viewing rooms, an auditorium and a bookshop. The 'South Galleries' provide the principal display area for White Cube's expanding programme of significant exhibitions. Three smaller galleries, collectively known as the 'North Galleries', feature an innovative new programme of exhibitions. In addition, at the centre of the building, there is a gallery of 81m2 entitled '9 x 9 x 9'. An auditorium will allow White Cube to present an education programme, artists' films and lectures. For Information about Wheelchair accessibility and Toilets, Tel: 44 (0) 2079 305373. The Wallace Collection Venue: Hertford House, Manchester Square, W1. Tel: 020-7563-9500 Opening times: Open daily 10am - 5pm. From 2 January, 2008. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. The use of buggies is not permitted within the building. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Baker Street; Bond Street Opening times: The Wallace Collection the finest private collection of art ever assembled by one family. It was bequeathed to the nation by Lady Wallace, widow of Sir Richard Wallace, in 1897, and opened to the public just over three years later on 22 June 1900 as a national museum. Its first visitors were variously delighted, amazed and bemused. In 25 galleries are unsurpassed displays of French 18th century painting, furniture and porcelain with superb Old Master paintings and a world class armoury. Free general guided tours of the Collection are usually given on each weekday at 1pm, also Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11.30am, and Sundays at 3pm. These are sometimes replaced by specialist gallery talks covering aspects of the Collection in more detail, often given by members of The Wallace Collection staff. the The historic Hertford House is itself worth visiting. A new online database that will eventually contain information on every work of art in the Wallace Bequest. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. London Walks London Walks with Richard Jones Richard Jones, the noted author and London historian, who hosts the ever popular ticketed guided tours theJack the Ripper Walk, and London Ghost Walk, has compiled a fascinating selection of 25 meticulously researched leisured walks, with FREE downloadable, easy to follow routes that take in the vibrant and historic diversity of our great city. Enjoy the Victorian London of Charles Dickens and his characters; the secret city of hidden alleyways and courtyards that Dickens knew; the Bohemian Chelsea of Oscar Wilde, the ghostly royal shades at Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Windsor, historic cemeteries. Strongly recommended. Walk This Way Four guided walks from 'Walk This Way' which explore Thames-side points of architectural and historical interest. Check the downloadable pdf guide. 1. Southbank: London Eye - Imperial War Museum. 2. Millenium Bridge: St. Paul's Cathedral - Borough Market. 3. Golden Jubilee Bridges. Soho and Covent Garden - South Bank. 4. Riverside London: Tate Britain - Design museum. London's Blue Plaques Venues: Various throughout London. Description: Directory of houses bearing commemorative plaques to famous occupants together with a history of the blue plaque scheme and the (sometimes fictional), people who once lived or were born there. Top 5 Plaques: Sherlock Holmes, 221b Baker Street, (see Burlington Bertie's London Diary for description of this museum); Charles Dickens, 48 Doughty Street, (now a Museum, pay to enter); John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 14 Princes Gate; Karl Marx, 28 Dean Street; John Logie Baird, 22 Frith Street. Alexia's tip: Make a note, or, if you have children in tow, have them make a note of each blue plaque you see. See who can spot the most! You and they can learn about the famous occupants on the internet when you return home. Free Museums & Art Galleries Permanent collections in London's public art galleries and museums are entry free, providing the visitor with a wealth of historical, cultural and artistic interest.. Individually mounted temporary exhibitions within specified rooms of the gallery or museum normally carry a ticket charge however. This is bookable online, (recommended) or at the door if tickets are still available. See Burlington Bertie's London Diary for current ticketed exhibition highlights. British Library Venue:St. Pancras, 96 Euston Road, NW1. Tel: 020 7412-7332. Opening Times: Mon/Wed/Thurs 9:30am-6pm. Tues 9:30am-8pm, Fri/Sat 9:30am-4:30pm, Closed Sun. London Transport: Nearest Tube: King's Cross/St. Pancras, Euston and Euston Sq. Description: An exhibition of antiquarian maps and views from the Library's collections bring the city's transformation from medieval to modern life. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. British Museum Venue: Great Russell Street, WC1B. Tel: 020 7323 8299. Opening Times: Daily 10am-5:30pm. Closed 1 January, Good Friday, 24-26 December. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Tottenham Court Road. Description: One of the world's greatest collections of Human History and Culture artefacts dating from the dawn of civilization. Ancient Civilizations, Elgin Marbles, Rosetta Stone, Sutton Hoo Burial, etc. Very popular with children. An entrance charge is made for some temporary exhibitions, (currently much praised The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army), which may be mounted in association with other museums. Sir Robert Smirke's main frontage, (1823-47), embodying a giant Ionic colonnade with pedimented portico is London's finest example of early 19th century Greek Classical revival; a fitting entrance for visitors to the Elgin Marbles taken from the Athens Coliseum. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. Freemasonry Library and Museum Venue:60 Great Queen St. WC2B 5AZ. Tel: 020 7395 9257. Opening times: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. Check by phone or online for Christmas Holiday Closings. London Transport: Nearest Tube: Covent Garden. Description: Freemason's Hall has been the center of Freemasonry for 230 years. It is the meeting place of over 1000 Masonic Lodges and is the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England, the oldest Grand Lodge in the world. It is a Grade II listed Building, by architects, H. V. Ashley, and F. Winton Newman. The interior of the building is richly decorated. Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for details. Geffrye Museum Venue: Kingsland Road, E2 8EA. Tel: 020 7739 9893. Opening Times: Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays 12- 5pm. Closed 24-26 December and 1 January. London Transport: Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street, Old Street. Description: The Geffrye Museum is one of London's best loved museums. It depicts the quintessential style of English middle-class living rooms, with collections of furniture, textiles, paintings, and decorative arts displayed in a series of period rooms from 1600 to the present day. The museum is set in elegant 18th century almshouses with a contemporary wing surrounded by attractive gardens, which include an award-winning walled herb garden and a series of period gardens. Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for details. Horniman Museum Venue: 100 London Road, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ. Opening times: 10.30am-5.30pm daily. Closed 24-26 December. 2011. London Transport: London Overground - Forest Hill. Description: The Horniman Museum & Gardens is a family friendly venue with a unique range of exhibitions, events and activities which illustrate the cultural and natural world. Collections of anthropology, natural history and musical instruments provide the inspiration for a programme of permanent and temporary exhibitions, events and activities. A full range of events and activities take place for different audiences including storytelling and art and craft sessions for children, and courses and workshops for adults. Among interesting exhibits is African Worlds, the first permanent exhibition in Britain of African art and culture. Admission charges apply for the Aquarium. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes Hunterian Museum Venue: 35-43 Lincoln Inn Fields, Holborn WC2A 3PE. Tel: 020 7869 6560. Date: Mon-Sat. 9:30am - 5pm, 2007. Closed Sundays 25-26 December and 1 January. London Transport: Nearest Tube: Hillhead. Description: Founded by William Hunter, Anatomist, the Hunterian Museum celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2007. Works of art by Chardin, Fergusson, Pissaro, Gavin Hamilton, and The Mackintosh House. Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for details. Imperial War Museum Venue: Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ. Tel: 0207 416 5320. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Lambeth North; Elephant and Castle; Waterloo, (wheelchair accessible); Southwark, (wheelchair accessible). Car Park: Union Car Park/53 Southwark Street. Description: A museum of art, artifacts and memorabilia of all British and Commonwealth armed conflicts since the start of the Great War in 1914. A number of free temporary exhibitions are mounted on a regular basis. The architecturally interesting museum building was formerly the central portion of Bethlem Royal Hospital for the mentally ill, or 'Bedlam', as it was commonly known. Designed by James Lewis, it was completed in 1815. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Accessible Toilets on all floors except the 3rd and 4th. Accessible cafe on ground floor. The Museum has a number of manual, folding frame wheelchairs that can be borrowed for the duration of your visit. Check website for full details. Museum of London Venue: London Wall, EC2Y 5HN. Tel: 0870 444 3851 Opening Times: Mon-Sat 10am-5:50pm. Sun 12pm-5:50pm. Closed 24 - 26 December and 1 January. London Transport: Nearest Tube. St. Paul's. Description: London's urban history backed by a remarkable collection of artefacts dating from prehistory to present. Ongoing programme of free temporary exhibitions and projects, archaeological digs and surveys. This is a superb museum, imaginatively laid out to take the visitor through 3000 years of London's history. Strongly recommended as part of your visit to the City of London. Very popular with children. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes Natural History Museum Venue: Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL. Tel: 020 7942 5000. Opening Times: Daily 10am-6pm. Closed 24 - 26 December. London Transport: Nearest Tube. South Kensington. Description: A remarkable world collection of flora, fauna, minerals, mammals, dinosaurs, etc., housed in Alfred Waterhouse's superb Romanesque building, (opened 1881). The Dinosaur collection is brilliantly laid out. Not surprisingly this is a top pop venue for children. Take out a Reader's pass to view the fine library collection of original Victorian book illustrations by pre-photography flora and fauna bird illustrators such as J.G.Keulemans, (1841-1911). Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for details. National Maritime Museum Venue: Romney Road, Greenwich, London SE10 9NF. Tel: 020 8858 4422; Recorded Information: 020 8312 6565; Bookings: 020 8312 6608. Opening Time: Daily 10am-5pm. Admission Free for Museum, Observatory, and Queen's House. Planetarium requires paid admission; check website for details, opening times, etc. London Transport: Local Bus Stops; Maze Hill and Greenwich Stations. Description: The National Maritime Museum comprises three sites; the Maritime Galleries; the Royal Observatory and the Queen's House (Queen Anne). Together these constitute one museum working to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people. Check website for full description and history. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes but check website for details. Science Museum Opening Times: Daily 10am-6pm. Closed 24 - 26 December. Venue: Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2DD. Tel: 0870 870 4868. London Transport: Nearest Tube. South Kensington. Description: Comprehensive record of scientific, technological and medical change since the eighteenth century. Though rich in British material, this is a worldwide collection. Very popular with children because of the interactive hands-on touchy/feely/smelly displays, (fossilised Dino dung is a popular exhibit). Atmosphere A Permanent Climate Science Gallery, called "Atmosphere" explores climate science providing dedicated space for Science Museum visitors to deepen their understanding of climate science in an enjoyable, engaging and memorable way. It includes interactive exhibits and a variety of objects to explain how the climate system works and summarises the current state of knowledge about the climate Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. Sir John Soanes Museum Venue:13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3BP. TEL: 44 (0) 20 7440 4263. Opening Times:TuesdaySaturday 10am-5pm plus First Tuesday of the month open 6 9pm. Closed Bank Holidays, Christmas Eve. FREE on regular days except for large tour groups and special exhibits. London Transport:Holborn Tube Station on the Central Line. Description:Soane was born in 1753, the son of a bricklayer, and died after a long and distinguished career, in 1837. Soane designed this house to live in, but also as a setting for his antiquities and his works of art. After the death of his wife (1815), he lived here alone, constantly adding to and rearranging his collections. Having been deeply disappointed by the conduct of his two sons, one of whom survived him, he determined to establish the house as a museum to which 'amateurs and students' should have access. Wheelchair Accessibility:No. All wheel chairs must be left at the door; no large bags allowed. Victoria and Albert Museum Venue: Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL. Tel: 020 7942 2000. Opening Times: Daily 10am-5:45pm, Fri 10am-10pm. Closed 24 - 26 December. London Transport: Nearest Tube. South Kensington. Description: 3000 Years of Art and Culture. Permanent Collection collected from the four corners of the Globe from the days of Empire. An entrance charge is made for some temporary exhibitions which may be mounted in association with other museums. Admire Aston Webb's eclectic design of the building, (1891). He is better known for his later Neo-Classical facade of Buckingham Palace, (1912-13) and Admiralty Arch leading from Trafalgar Square to the Mall. Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted toilets. Yes. Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art Venue:53 Gordon Sq. WC1H OPD. Tel: 020 7387 3909. Opening Times: Mon-Fri. 10-12:30 and 1:30-5:00pm. Closed Bank Holidays and weekends. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Covent Garden. Description: The Percival David Foundation exists to promote the study and teaching of Chinese Art and Culture. Its unique collection of Chinese ceramics and library of East Asian and Western books related to Chinese Art were both presented to the University of London in 1950 by the collector and scholar Sir Percival David. Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for details. The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology Venue:University College London, Malet Pl., London WC1E 6BT. Tel: 020 7679 2884. Opening Times:Tues-Sat, 1pm-5pm. Closed over Easter Holidays. Telephone for exact details. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Euston Square. Description: Part of the University College London teaching faculty hidden away on campus, the Petrie Museum houses one of the greatest collections of Egyptian and Sudanese archaeology in the world with c. 80,000 objects illustrating some 6,000 years of life in the Nile Valley from pre-history through the time of the Pharaohs to the Islamic period. Notable exhibits are one of the earliest pieces of Linen, (c. 5000 BCE); two lions from the Temple of Min at Koptos from the first group of monumental sculpture (c. 3000 BCE); a fragment from the first Kinglist or calendar, (c. 2900 BCE); the earliest example of Metal from Egypt; the first worked iron beads; the earliest example of glazing; the earliest Egyptian 'cylinder seal', (c. 3500 BCE); the first 'wills' on papyrus paper; the oldest gynaecological papyrus. The museum houses the world's largest collection of Roman period mummy portraits (1st/2nd centuries CE). You will not see any fabulous treasures from Tut's tomb, but if you have any interest in Ancient Egypt and an outline of its historical background your visit will be memorable. Photography without flash is allowed. The bright new website with its online catalogue facility offers a good insight into the collection, every item of which has its provenance. A new, more wheelchair accessible, museum is opened in 2011 where the entire collection will be visible for the first time. You can access collection items online if you know what you are looking for. Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for details. University College London Collections Venue: Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT. Tel: 020 7679 2884. Opening times: Tues-Sat 1pm-5pm. London Transport: Nearest Tube: Euston Square. Description: These collections of Art, Archaeology, Medicine, Anthropology, Geology, Anatomy, Zoology and Science Collections, are centred on the UCL campus. Check out the website for a fascinating list of free events, lectures, etc. Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for details. V & A Museum of Childhood Venue: Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9PA. Tel: 020 8983 5200. Opening Times: 10am-5.45pm. Closed 25 - 26 December and 1 January every year. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Bethnal Green, Central Line, Zone 2. Description: UK's national collection of childhood related objects from 1600. Toys, dolls, teddy bears, games, costumes, childcare, etc. A superb Collection. Current exhibition, (until 19 April, 2009): Top to Toe: Fashion for Kids explores the fascinating world of children's clothing from 250 years ago to the present day.Very popular with children. Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for details. 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