First off, a couple of days back we were happily trying to figure out what to do for my birthday. Then, just about two days ago I got a confirmation that no one will really have the time or mood to come over, so that went out the window.
Then, today I woke up to the commotion of my parents trying to gather up fishing worm thingies, that got loose somehow after dad left them in his bag.
And then, as if this wasn't enough, I log in to find out that someone tried to hack my Facebook account.
I'm trying to talk myself out of going back to bed and wish this day was over.
(... Oh, never mind. Just got a call that all of the guests changed their minds, so now I have to get the cake ready. It's funny how things turn out, isn't it?).
But till then I'm going to scribble down a few things about London.
Since Emőke is there, she asked me to do a little research about the city (and maybe its surroundings?), and about what it is there to visit... you know, besides the obvious ones.
Here is what I learned.
1. Museums
I'm going to start off with the lesser known, more quirky museums out there, and work myself up to the most well known ones. Feel free to click on the links to learn some more things about it (for example where it is actually located, or the opening times).
The Anaesthesia Museum
This little museum has more than 2000 object related to anesthesia, pain relief and resuscitation, dating from 1774. As far as I saw, the entrance to the museum is free, so if you lack the foundations but have some free time and you are also curious how doctors handled this stuff in the past, be sure to check it out!
The Fan Museum
Although there is a small entrance fee for this one, if you can check this place out. They change the exhibitions every 4 months, so you will probably not see the same thing over and over again. It has elegantly decorated setting, from the 18th and 19th century, for example:
If you are into the 18th century, this little house will blow you away. The whole museum is arranged in a way that brings back that century so well, you practically feel the family's presence around you (which, considering that this is London, isn't too weird).
Let's see who doesn't know where this little museum is located at. Yes, it's 221B Baker Street (an address that is pretty well known all around the world, without people actually living near it - which for me is kinda weird, since I can't even remember the streets in my city). The museum has a nice little souvenir shop too, so after you check out Holmes' apartment, you can buy some nice baubles.
This particular place is again free to enter, and it will blow the minds of those who are into machines and engineering. It apparently has a machine that was used to test the strength of different materials, like concrete and bricks.
Now this is a place to my tastes. Though this place cannot be accessed by anyone at any time, I think it would be worth to call them up and make an appointment for a tour. It houses many different magic tricks and stuff used by famous illusionists, like Houdini.
This is quite unique, if you ask me. It is the only operating theater from the 19th century, and you can actually watch demonstrations of these operations - and even volunteer as a patient for them.
This museum is pretty expensive for my pockets, but for those who don't mind paying around £27 for a ticket should definitely check this place out. I always loved the Ripley show on TV - it had some pretty unique and interesting stuff, that sometimes amazed me and other times they seemed creepy as hell. But it was fascinating, and I bet that this museum would be fascinating too.
This museum has everything from sculptures to drawings, and even the sarcophagus of Seti I. The best part in it is that it is free - courtesy to Sir John Soane, a famous architect, who built the Bank of England.
This museum is also free to enter on different occasions, so keep your eyes open when these occasions come. It has some really famous paintings, drawings and sculptures, so if you like the art this will probably be a good experience.
This museum is not famous without a reason. It has an amazing collection that spans from the start of history to these days, from all kinds of different cultures around the world. It has many, many famous things in it, like the Rosetta stone and Parthenon sculptures, and it is free to enter. Sometimes, though, when there are new events or exhibitions you will require to buy a ticket for those. But the core is free, and I think that it is really really worth checking out. I know that I will if I have the chance!
This museum is again one that is on my map once I visit London. It has thousands of things to see, and the whole thing is interactive. I think I would be able to spend there a few days just to learn everything that is possible. You can go in there free of charge, but if you want to watch the cinema or experience flying on a rocket ship, you will have to pay a small fee. It is the same thing with special exhibitions too (just like with the British Museum).
The permanent museum is free of charge - and it is really beautiful. It has Medieval Renaissance and other exhibitions, and you can see how people lived in those times, how they dressed or what kind of furniture they used. As with the other museums, special exhibitions require tickets.
One word: Dinosaurs! Also... Free entrance! Dang it, I'm moving to London...
If you ever wondered how history shaped this world famous city, here is the place you can find everything out. Museum of London will take you to a journey trough time and show you how London became what it is now starting with the prehistoric ages. Also... it's free to enter!
What do you say about visiting another museum for free? This museum contains maritime stuff from all over the world. The museum is organized by different themes, and although some exhibitions require tickets most of them can be enjoyed without paying anything. Neat, eh?
Again, if you want art, you will have to visit Tate Modern. This is full with modern and contemporary art, as its name says. The money is about the same... entrance is free, you only pay for special exhibitions or events.
If you are not really into the modern arts from other parts of the world you can check Tate Britain. This gallery has stuff starting with the 1500 to these days. Entrance is free.
So you like Western European art? No problem! This gallery has stuff from those places starting with the middle ages. Again... free!
I think this place would be entertaining even for those who don't like art. I would probably make a game of it, and play 'who knows more people'. This museum contains portraits of people back from the middle ages. Ticket? Free!
Here I have to stop for a breather and to give an explanation. There are many, many museums out there that I won't include in here. As you might have realized, I used the site visitlondon.com to learn these stuff. It has a lot more information if you want to check them out - especially about art and photography, which in my opinion is a pretty dull thing, especially in museums. I didn't include them all, because there are so many of them - little galleries, especially. Most of these usually require some payment to enter, though, but the good thing is that the exhibitions are constantly changing. So, if you are into it please forgive me for not showing much enthusiasm for them, and just go on over to that site and check them out for yourself. All right, back to the topic.
This museum has a large collection of stamps and post boxes, so if you are into this kind of stuff, feel free to check it out. You can do it without any charge.
This museum has different kind of stuff exposed starting with the actual production of movies, to the experience of going to the cinemas. Though the museum can't be accessed anytime, you can give it a call and make an appointment for when you want to see it.
It seems to me that nowadays almost everything has a museum dedicated to it. As the name says, this museum is centered around how firefighting evolved in London in the last few hundred years. Ticket prices range somewhere between £2.00 and £3.00.
This museum also has some charge for the entrance, but for gardening enthusiasts it will probably be worth it.
Kew Bridge Steam Museum
Apparently we are back to those museums that have entrance fees, since this one sells tickets for £9.50. But the fact is, the museum has different galleries, including Victorian waterworks (Dickens, anyone?), and interactive exhibitions. I think that it would be the funniest thing visiting this wearing some steampunk clothes.
This museum is open to anyone for free, and it has a whole bunch of different musical instruments, manuscripts and other music related stuff.
And this basically concludes the museums.
All right, guys, I think I will leave the rest for another day - tomorrow perhaps. This is a lot of information for one day, but there are so many other things to visit in London... So, tomorrow I will show you guys some outdoor spaces and if it fits other places, like interesting pubs or shopping centers. Don't forget to check back tomorrow!
