NPR

I’ve got three hours to waste in London next weekend. Any ideas? Can’t drink because of stuff I have to do later. Thinking of museums, art galleries, but any other ideas would be welcome.

Biffer wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 7:56 am I’ve got three hours to waste in London next weekend. Any ideas? Can’t drink because of stuff I have to do later. Thinking of museums, art galleries, but any other ideas would be welcome.

Shopping on Oxford Street

Try the Wallace Collection

Natural History Museum

Zero cost and will kill 3 hours quickly

Insane_Homer wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:07 am Natural History Museum

Zero cost and will kill 3 hours quickly

That and the V&A are my default option, given I’m staying around there.

Biffer wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:09 am

Insane_Homer wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:07 am Natural History Museum

Zero cost and will kill 3 hours quickly

That and the V&A are my default option, given I’m staying around there.

I do enjoy the British Museum more than those two mins you. Could easily get lost in the National Gallery for hours.

If the weather is nice then wandering round St James Park, Whitehall, Westminster etc is also good

Also, if you are in that area then Battersea Park and the new Battersea Power Station complex is pretty cool

Also the river walk from Putney/Hammersmith up to Richmond is a favourite

Slick wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:07 am

Biffer wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:09 am

Insane_Homer wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:07 am Natural History Museum

Zero cost and will kill 3 hours quickly

That and the V&A are my default option, given I’m staying around there.

If the weather is nice then wandering round St James Park, Whitehall, Westminster etc is also good

I love that, hoping that some of the power and wealth will rub off on me. But don’t stand outside the MI5 building taking photographs, the police descended pretty quickly on whoever it was that thought it would be a good idea. Not me.

Biffer wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:09 am

Insane_Homer wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:07 am Natural History Museum

Zero cost and will kill 3 hours quickly

That and the V&A are my default option, given I’m staying around there.

I used to live in that area. Those museums plus science museum and ken gardens/hyde park all within about ten minutes walk of each other. some decent places to eat near south ken tube. If you're going to imperial their restaurants are also decent

Jump on Lime bike and you can go through Hyde Park, down to the Kings Road, across to Battersea PS and then take the Uber boat up to Westminster. Maybe some tapas in Brindisa….

TedMaul wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:30 am Jump on Lime bike and you can go through Hyde Park, down to the Kings Road, across to Battersea PS and then take the Uber boat up to Westminster. Maybe some tapas in Brindisa….

I came across those Lime bikes when I was down a couple of weeks ago. Can you just dump them where you want? Seemed to be littering pavements everywhere

Slick wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 11:15 am

TedMaul wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:30 am Jump on Lime bike and you can go through Hyde Park, down to the Kings Road, across to Battersea PS and then take the Uber boat up to Westminster. Maybe some tapas in Brindisa….

I came across those Lime bikes when I was down a couple of weeks ago. Can you just dump them where you want? Seemed to be littering pavements everywhere

Nicking them for free rides is absolutely rife, then they get dumped.

The best museum in London IMHO is the National Maritime Museum if you have the time to get to Greenwich.

Get the app. Pick one up. Leave it pretty much where you like. Marvellous things.

Biffer wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 7:56 am I’ve got three hours to waste in London next weekend. Any ideas? Can’t drink because of stuff I have to do later. Thinking of museums, art galleries, but any other ideas would be welcome.

All the museums will be rammed due to school holidays. The Natural Histrory had a half mile queue last half term unless you had prebooked your arrival
So National Portrait Gallery near TRafalgar Sq
Just reopened last week after a 3 year refurbishment and a complete rehang of exhibits

Paddington Bear wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 12:25 pm

Slick wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 11:15 am

TedMaul wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:30 am Jump on Lime bike and you can go through Hyde Park, down to the Kings Road, across to Battersea PS and then take the Uber boat up to Westminster. Maybe some tapas in Brindisa….

I came across those Lime bikes when I was down a couple of weeks ago. Can you just dump them where you want? Seemed to be littering pavements everywhere

Nicking them for free rides is absolutely rife, then they get dumped.

The best museum in London IMHO is the National Maritime Museum if you have the time to get to Greenwich.

The Royal Observatory is also excellent, just behind the Maritime Museum, although I'd think Greenwich is not really doable in 3 hrs. from Kensington. If you do have that bit more time and can make it out there (you can get clipper/uber boat out along Thames to Greenwich which is pleasant in its own right) there's a nice indoor market with street food in Greenwich as well.

If not, the museums in Kensington are all good, the Science Museum currently has an exhibition on Science Fiction if you've any interest in that.

Just found out I don't have three hours. I'm needed until four then needed again at six. Fuxake.

But thanks for the suggestions anyeay

Biffer wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:52 pm Just found out I don't have three hours. I'm needed until four then needed again at six. Fuxake.

Just enough time for 3 pints.

GogLais wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:14 am

Slick wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:07 am

Biffer wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:09 am

That and the V&A are my default option, given I’m staying around there.

If the weather is nice then wandering round St James Park, Whitehall, Westminster etc is also good

I love that, hoping that some of the power and wealth will rub off on me. But don’t stand outside the MI5 building taking photographs, the police descended pretty quickly on whoever it was that thought it would be a good idea. Not me.

Isn't that a bit dense? Having a really unique, fück off massive headquarters in central London, on the riverfront and then getting annoyed when people take photographs of it.

Uncle fester wrote: Mon Jul 24, 2023 6:54 am
Isn't that a bit dense? Having a really unique, fück off massive headquarters in central London, on the riverfront and then getting annoyed when people take photographs of it.

And allow it to star in every James Bond film since 2005. "Yeah, tourists definitely won't want to take selfies standing on that bridge, Constable"

Visit the Roman Mithraic temple? It's free

https://www.londonmithraeum.com/

Uncle fester wrote: Mon Jul 24, 2023 6:54 am

GogLais wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:14 am

Slick wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:07 am

If the weather is nice then wandering round St James Park, Whitehall, Westminster etc is also good

I love that, hoping that some of the power and wealth will rub off on me. But don’t stand outside the MI5 building taking photographs, the police descended pretty quickly on whoever it was that thought it would be a good idea. Not me.

Isn't that a bit dense? Having a really unique, fück off massive headquarters in central London, on the riverfront and then getting annoyed when people take photographs of it.

To be pedantic the MI5 building is the more discreet Thames House one. Obviously I can’t tell you how I know.

Uncle fester wrote: Mon Jul 24, 2023 6:54 am

GogLais wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:14 am

Slick wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:07 am

If the weather is nice then wandering round St James Park, Whitehall, Westminster etc is also good

I love that, hoping that some of the power and wealth will rub off on me. But don’t stand outside the MI5 building taking photographs, the police descended pretty quickly on whoever it was that thought it would be a good idea. Not me.

Isn't that a bit dense? Having a really unique, fück off massive headquarters in central London, on the riverfront and then getting annoyed when people take photographs of it.

Not sure you can really hide it or put it at the bottom of a dormant volcano, given it does need to be near government.

To be honest the security bods get irked with anyone taking photos of any such site, I've seen MOD guards come out of abbey wood to have a word with a few people taking photos. No idea why they'd want photos of abbey wood, but each to their own.

Uncle fester wrote: Mon Jul 24, 2023 6:54 am

GogLais wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:14 am

Slick wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2023 10:07 am

If the weather is nice then wandering round St James Park, Whitehall, Westminster etc is also good

I love that, hoping that some of the power and wealth will rub off on me. But don’t stand outside the MI5 building taking photographs, the police descended pretty quickly on whoever it was that thought it would be a good idea. Not me.

Isn't that a bit dense? Having a really unique, fück off massive headquarters in central London, on the riverfront and then getting annoyed when people take photographs of it.

The iconic building on Albert Embankment is the HQ of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). MI5's HQ is Thames House on Millbank and looks like every other Government building in Whitehall.

MI6:



MI5:

mos_eisely_ wrote: Mon Jul 24, 2023 7:59 am Visit the Roman Mithraic temple? It's free

https://www.londonmithraeum.com/

Temple of Mithras is indeed brilliant. You can then go round the corner to see the London Stone and wonder what the fuck it is.