Essential London | The top sights in London and beyond
The best cultural and historical sights in London and beyond.
During the fifteenth century, London’s merchants and elites supported the Yorkists in the infamous Wars of the Roses. So, in 1485, it was somewhat ‘cap in hand’ they greeted the victor of the Battle of Bosworth Field, the Lancastrian Henry Tudor - soon to become King Henry VII. Henry settled in Greenwich and embellished an [...]
Running until 30 July, ‘The Big City’ is a special exhibition exploring three themes of life in the City through large artworks. Grand Occasions portrays the City’s celebrations, Colossal Landscapes exhibits super-wide views of the City and Larger than Life focuses on everyday scenes of London. The exhibition celebrates the artists, past and present, who [...]
Note: Book ahead, walk ups will be accommodated subject to availability. At the age of 25, Charles Dickens rented (as was normal practice of the day) a large home in Doughty Street, London. He did this, just as his writing career, under the pseudonym of ‘Boz’, was taking off. Dickens lived here with his wife, [...]
In 1897 the King of Benin City (in present day Nigeria), Oba Ovonramwen, was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with an agreement he had signed with the British; permitting them to undertake direct trade with locals, limiting his weapons stockpile and banning human sacrifice and slavery – all in exchange for cash subsidies. Having had enough of [...]
Billed as unlocking ancient Egypt, this exhibition explains the painstaking detective work of French and British academics during the combative early nineteenth century. It’s a fascinating study of how the hieroglyphic code was cracked by hard work, perseverance and cooperation. It’s astonishing to think that an entire language disappeared, after foreign imperial powers stamped their [...]
Established in 1989 and moved to Kensington in 2016, the Design Museum holds Britain’s best permanent collection of world-leading consumer product design. The inspiration of the late Sir Terence Conran, the museum was awarded European Museum of the Year in 2018. The astounding new interior complements the Grade 2* architecture of the 1960s building - [...]
Welcome to part two of the ‘Must-see exhibits at the British Museum'! Part one, published recently, explored the ground floor galleries. Part two starts in Room 61 and will work clockwise around the entire first floor. Room 61 Here we find artefacts from the tomb of a senior (and very successful!) ‘financial book-keeper’ [...]
In Bloomsbury, London is the world’s finest collection of historical artefacts under one roof - and even the roof is a world-class masterpiece. This article will highlight the must-see exhibits at the British Museum. If you only have time to visit one museum or gallery, look no further. The British Museum The British [...]
There is less than a month remaining to see ‘The world of Stonehenge’ exhibition at the British Museum. It’s a stunning collection of artefacts from across Europe over the period 4000 and 1000 BC. Charting the rise of the Neolithic communities and their rituals, beliefs and worldview to their demise from the rise of warfare [...]
Fascinating to visit the refurbished Cast Court at the Victoria & Albert Museum in Kensington. Reopened in 2019 after six years of renovation, but then interrupted by Covid, the Cast Court has displayed plaster copies of renowned sculpture since the 1880s. Owing to being indoors, Trajan’s Column is better preserved than the original in Rome [...]