Museums & Galleries
Liverpool Street
St. Paul’s Cathedral:
Rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London, St Paul’s Cathedral boasts five levels, a stunning dome and panoramic views across the city. It is still a working cathedral with services for worshippers and occasionally hosts state events. Tourists are welcome for a fee – but only outside of service hours. Check their website for more information on opening hours and the service timetable.
First built in 604AD as a wooden church, St Paul’s Cathedral has been built and rebuilt 5 times after being damaged by several fires throughout history. In its current form, the Cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren with the dome mimicking St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Throughout history, it has served as a key location for important events in British History including the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles and the funerals of Lord Nelson, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.
On entering the Cathedral, you will be greeted by 8 scenes of the life of St Paul and the Nave. At the northern section of the aisle is the Duke of Wellington moment.
To reach the Dome and Whispering Gallery, you will need to walk up 560 steps. Once there, you will have magnificent views of the interior of the Cathedral and can test out the legendary acoustics.
If you are happy to continue walking, the Stone Gallery is a further 117 steps upwards and the Golden Gallery another 166 steps. Both galleries give exceptional views over the capital.
After reaching such heights, don’t forget to visit the Crypt – alongside the tombs of The Duke of Wellington, Christopher Wren and others, there is a small theatre with a 270-degree film highlighting the extensive work done to the Cathedral over the centuries.
Website: https://www.stpauls.co.uk/
Closest Crown Group Hotels: Great St Helen Hotel, London Liverpool Street
Bank of England Museum:
For all the economists and bankers out there, the Bank of England museum tells the story of the Bank of England from its foundation in 1694 to its role in today’s economy. Find out why there are 400,000 gold bars in the Bank’s underground vaults and view a unique collection of old bars, coins and banknotes.
The centre of the Museum is the Stock Office – this is what the bank would have looked like 200 years ago. The next three rooms each tell part of the history of the Bank and the final room is called The Banknote Gallery – you can guess what this room contains!
The Museum often puts on temporary exhibitions lasting 6 – 9 months. Check out their Exhibitions page to find out what’s on currently: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum/whats-on
Bartholomew Lane, London EC2R 8AH- 5 minutes walking distance from the Great St Helen Hotel
Admission is free and they are open 10am – 5 pm Monday to Friday. Last admission is 4pm.
Closest Crown Group Hotels: Great St Helen Hotel, London Liverpool Street
The Tate Modern, London Bankside:
Love modern art? Don’t miss a trip to the Tate Modern on your visit to London – one of the world’s largest collections of modern and contemporary art. The whole museum is housed in the former Bankside Power Station giving an incredible backdrop to the pieces. Permanent collections are free and no booking is required for most of the permanent works.
Split into two sections – The Boiler House and The Switch House – the Tate Modern showcases international modern and contemporary art from 1900 till the present day. With the Boiler House exhibitions covering the whole period, The Switch House covers the 1960s onwards. Between the two buildings is The Turbine Hall – a large open space 6 storeys tall with bridges between the two buildings on Level 1 and Level 4.
The permanent collections are split into 8 main themes:
- Start Display: this 3room display introduces the key ideas in Modern Art
- Artist and Society
- In the Studio
- Materials and Objects
- Media Networks
- Between Object and Architecture
- Performer and Participant
- Living Cities
The Tate Modern also host a continuous programme of special exhibitions, talks and shows. Do check out their What’s On page when planning your trip.
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on
Closest Crown Group Hotels: Great St Helen Hotel, London Liverpool Street
Southbank Centre:
The Southbank Centre is the UK’s largest arts centre and one of the UK’s top five visitor attractions. Frequently showcasing bold, unusual and eye-opening work, the centre hosts numerous special events and theatrical performances alongside their exhibition halls.
The Southbank Centre is made up of
- The Royal Festival Hall
- The Queen Elizabeth Hall
- The Purcell Room
- The Hayward Gallery
- 4 Resident Orchestras
- 4 Associate Orchestras
The Southbank Centre prides itself on being one of the UK’s top visitor attraction and hosting an ever-changing programme of events, performances and exhibitions. As the events and exhibitions change so frequently, it is best you view their What’s On pages to check what they are hosting on the dates you are heading to London.
What’s On Page: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on
Closest Crown Group Hotels: Great St Helen Hotel, London Liverpool Street
Barbican Centre:
As one of the largest performing arts centres in Europe, the Barbican Centre hosts an array of concerts, theatre productions, film screenings and temporary art shows. Book ahead to avoid disappointment!
Closest Crown Group Hotels: Great St Helen Hotel, London Liverpool Street