CROWN GROUP OF HOTELS
Museums & Galleries
Kings Cross St. Pancras
Charles Dickens Museum:
Charles Dickens, generally considered to be one of the greatest Victorian English writers, lived in Holborn from 1837 – 1839 with his young family. The residence has now been turned into a museum with over 100,000 items including manuscripts, rate editions and personal items.
48 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LX – 14 minutes walking distance from the hotel, alternatively you can take bus 46 but the journey time will still be the same
48 Dougherty Street is the only surviving residence of Charles Dickens in London. During his time in London, Dickens wrote Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby and the Pickwick Papers. Explore the house, see his writing desk and even view handwritten drafts of his novels.
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10 am – 5pm; last admission to the historic house is 4pm. The Museum also has a gift shop and a garden café.
Closest Crown Group Hotel: Mabledon Court Hotel, London Kings Cross St Pancras
London Canal Museum:
The London Canal Museum showcases the history of London’s canals and the Victorian Ice (and Ice Cream!) Trade. Peer down into a huge ice well, uniquely preserved or visit the inside of a narrowboat cabin, meet the horse, and watch archive film.
12-13 New Wharf Road,London, N1 9RT,13 minutes walking distance from the hotel or 10 minutes by bus no. 91
Ever wanted a trip along the canal or to visit the inside of a narrowboat? Then this is the museum for you. Showcasing the role canals played in the Industrial Revolution, this little museum is a hidden gem.
Some of the main exhibits include:
- A background to canals in England
- Life on the canals
- Canal painting and decorative pottery
- Carlo Gatti, the Ice Trade, and Ice Cream
- Horsepower
- Water and Locks
- The Regent’s Canal
- Boats and Cargoes
- London Waterways Map
The museum has a small admissions charge but there is a free MP3 audio tour available for downloading. A tour normally lasts about an hour.
Opening times: 10.00-16.30 Tuesdays to Sundays. Late night closing (19:00) on the first Thursday of every month.
Closest Crown Group Hotel: Mabledon Court Hotel, London Kings Cross St Pancras
Madame Tussauds:
Ever wanted a picture with your favourite celebrity? This might be an easier way to get around security! Head to Madame Tussauds and see their life-size lifelike wax work model!
Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LR, 25 minutes walking distance from our Mabledon Court Hotel or 3 stops on the tube. (Tube journey time: 16 minutes)
Madame Tussauds was born in Strasbourg in 1761 and developed her first waxwork by 1777. She moved to England in 1802 and settled in Baker Street by 1835. By this time, she had perfected the craft of waxwork and began developing the museum. Originally famous for its Chamber of Horrors and statues of military heroes, the museum has grown to cover statues of the Royal Family, Star Wars characters, film and music stars and world leaders.
The largest ever figure displayed at Madame Tussauds is the Incredible Hulk; the smallest is Tinkerbell.
And whilst you’re here, why not pop into the Planetarium next door for some incredible views of the night sky!
Tickets for Madame Tussauds start from £29 and are available online or at the door.
Closest Crown Group Hotel: Mabledon Court Hotel, London Kings Cross St Pancras
British Library:
Currently the largest library in the world, the British Library receives copies of all books published in the UK and many of those published abroad too! The Library is a major research hub as well as hosting several paid exhibitions as year.
96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB- 17 minutes walking distance from our Gower Street Hotels. Alternatively, you can take buses 73 or 390 from Goodge Street.
Considered the national library of the UK and the currently the largest library in the world by number of items catalogued, the British Library is home to over 200 million items from all over the world.
Originally part of the British Museum, the British Library was permanently detached from the British Museum in 1973. The collection currently holds 14 million books along with manuscripts, historical items, maps, newspapers and other historical items. Every year, it gains an additional 3 million items taking up 6 miles of new shelf space!
As a major research library, the British Library reading rooms have space for over 1,200 readers. The library is open to the general public, but specific manuscripts may need to be recalled if they are needed for research work. The Library also hosts events, temporary exhibitions and houses a permanent Treasures Gallery displaying the Magna Carta, a Gutenberg Bible and lyrics by The Beatles.
For the current list of temporary exhibitions, please see the link below:
https://www.bl.uk/events?eventsubtype=exhibition#
Closest Crown Group Hotel: Mabledon Court Hotel, London Kings Cross St Pancras
House of Illustration:
Opened by Quentin Blake, The House of Illustration is London’s first bespoke illustration gallery. The gallery showcases 120 original illustrations that have been featured in Ladybird books and has a special gallery dedicated to Quentin’s current work. If you’re feeling a little bit nostalgic, this is definitely the gallery for you!
Closest Crown Group Hotel: Mabledon Court Hotel, London Kings Cross St Pancras
Central St. Martins:
A world-renowned art college, Central St Martins hosts an annual degree show that’s well known for boundary pushing work. The show is normally held in June but visitors can view other parts of the college during the rest of the academic year. The building itself is a restored granary building and overlooks Granary Square.
Closest Crown Group Hotel: Mabledon Court Hotel, London Kings Cross St Pancras