You’ll have no trouble finding arts-related activities to do in London. From the museums to the shows, the only real trouble will be fitting it all in.
Concentrated within the West End lies an unbelievable number of theaters, some with long running shows such as “Chicago”, “Saturday Night Fever” and “The Producers”, while others such as the Old Vic showcase smaller plays “off West End”.
The best way to get a deal on tickets is to either buy directly from the ticket office or check out the day-of-show deals at the Half-Price Ticket Booth in Leicester Square. The booth accepts cash and credit cards and opens at 10.00am. Be careful of the other booths and kiosks around here - these are NOT official Half-Price Ticket Booths, despite what they might say. The only official one stands alone in a small building at the south side of Leicester Square.
If you want to venture outside the bounds of the West End, the Royal Court in Sloane Square and the Bush Theatre in West London amongst many others offer a variety of shows, from plays by new writers to varied musical acts. For lighter entertainment, you could look out for Zippo's Circus, which spends a good part of its tour each year in and around London and its suburbs.
London has a rich musical life. It is home to five symphony orchestras (the London Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, the Philharmonia, and the BBC) and is well established on the touring roster for all of the World's great performers. The main concert venues are the Barbican Centre, the South Bank Concert Halls (the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Purcell Room), the Cadogan Hall, and the Wigmore Hall. Also, during the Summer, the Royal Albert Hall is host to the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts ("the Proms"). There are two opera companies, the Royal Opera at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the English National Opera at the London Coliseum. The Royal Opera House is also the home of the Royal Ballet. Touring dance companies are usually to be found at the Sadler's Wells Theatre (and its smaller auditoria, the Peacock Theatre and the Lilian Baylis Theatre), which also plays host to touring opera companies.
The top museums that are a must for any visitor include the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Victoria & Albert, Imperial War Museum and the National Gallery. The Courtauld Institute Gallery is much less well-known, but houses several impressive pieces of Impressionist art. Chances are good that you'll have this small gallery to yourself!
The British Museum is oldest museum in the world and has over 94 galleries, including an exhibit of the Rosetta stone. For those on a budget, you’ll be happy to hear that admission is free. The National Gallery overlooking Trafalgar Square is also free, and houses an astonishing amount of famous artwork by such artists as Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Monet. Adjacent to the National Gallery is the National Portrait Gallery, which as you may have guessed, showcases over 10,000 portraits of everyone from politicians and pop stars to the only surviving portrait of Shakespeare taken from life.
At the Victoria & Albert Museum (or V&A as it’s often called), you’ll find that it’s all about the fine arts here. Sculptures, examples of interior design from centuries past and a dress collection that will have fashion mongers begging for more, the V&A is also free to the public, with the exception of some special exhibits.
All aspects of war are showcased at the Imperial War Museum, from the vehicles and weapons to a reconstructed air raid shelter. A bonus bit of trivia – the museum occupies the space of the former Bethlehem Hospital for the Insane (“Bedlam’).
On Friday and Saturday evenings, some museums are open until 10pm. The Tate Modern is a great place to go on a weekend night to see art, have a glass of champagne and watch the boats sail on the Thames.
Contact Info
- Adelphi
Tube Charing Cross
Telephone 0870 403 0303 - Apollo Victoria
Tube Victoria
Telephone 0870 4000 650 - Drury Lane, Theatre Royal
Tube Covent Garden
Telephone 0870 890 1109 - Old Vic
Tube Waterloo
Telephone 0870 060 6628 - London Apollo
Tube: Hammersmith
Box Office: 0870 606 3400 - Bush Theatre
Tube: Shepherds Bush
Tel: 020 7610 4224 - British Museum
Nearest Station: Great Russell Street tube
Information: 020 7323 8000 - National Portrait Gallery
Enquiries: 020 7312 2463
Tube: Leicester Square or Charing Cross - The National Gallery
Enquiries: 020 7747 2885
Tube: Charing Cross or Leicester Square - Victoria & Albert
Enquiries: 020 7942 2000
Tube: South Kensington - Tate Modern
Tube: Southwark or Blackfriars
Enquiries: 020 7887 8000 - Imperial War Museum
Tube: Lambeth North, Waterloo or Elephant and Castle.
Enquiries: 020 7416 5320