11 not-to-be-missed events, attractions, collections and exhibitions
In the next phase of the government’s four-step roadmap to remove lockdown restrictions, among other liberties, we’ll also once again be able to return to our favourite museums!
It’s been a sobering time for our culture and attractions industry. Figures released by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) in March outlined an unsurprising, though no less devastating picture for the UKs major visitor attractions who recorded a 70 per cent fall in visits from 2019.
Revenues have plunged, budgets have been slashed and staff have taken redundancies. Despite financial assistance from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund it may be several years before they fully recover, and some may be forced to close their doors permanently.
So, in celebration and support of doors reopening, we’ve rounded up (in no particular order) some of our not-to-be-missed events, attractions, collections and exhibitions to help us get reacquainted face-to-face with our favourite cultural institutions.
Get a rare glimpse of Princess Diana’s wedding dress at Kensington Palace
The iconic dress will be on display for the first time in 25 years as part of the Royal Style in the Making exhibition. The display also features never-before-seen items from the archives of some of the most celebrated royal couturiers of the 20th century as well as a rare, surviving toile for the 1937 coronation gown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother; consort of King George VI.
| What: | Royal Style in the Making |
| Where: | Kensington Palace, London W8 4PX |
| When: | From 3rd June |
| Cost: | Kids £11.50, Adults £25 |
| Book: | www.hrp.org.uk |
Lose yourself in the Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms at the Tate
Yayoi Kusama exhibitions are notorious for selling out fast and one of her largest installations to date the Infinity Mirrored Room – Filled with the Brilliance of Life at the Tate is no exception. Tickets are sold out until October 2021, but you can still sign up to be the first to hear about the next ticket release in September!
| What: | Yayoi Kusama Infinity Mirrored Room |
| Where: | Tate, London SE1 9TG |
| When: | 18th May 2021 to 12 June 2022 |
| Cost: | £10 |
| Book: | www.tate.org.uk |
Experience what life is really like in a refugee camp
In partnership with CNN, the Imperial War Museums present the sobering immersive exhibition Life in a Camp. Across 30 square metres, using three large wall projections, the exhibit offers a glimpse into the makeshift Moria camp on the Greek Island of Lesbos. Designed to host 2,200 people, Moria is currently home to more than 18,000 refugees, many of whom have fled the on-going conflict in Syria, which began in 2011.
| What: | Life in a Camp |
| Where: | Imperial War Museums, London SE1 6HZ |
| When: | 19th May to 13th June 2021 |
| Cost: | Free |
| Book: | www.iwm.org.uk |
Explore the phenomena of skateboarding at Somerset House
Bringing together film, sound, art, fashion, design, photography and archive material, No Comply unpacks the dynamic story of skateboarding in the UK, through three enduring themes that define the subculture’s ethos: the city as playground, skateboarding communities and DIY culture.
| What: | No Comply |
| Where: | Somerset House, London WC2R 1LA |
| When: | 19th July |
| Cost: | Free |
| Book: | www.somersethouse.org.uk |
Take the kids to learn about the Terrible Tudors
Returning to Hampton Court Palace this half-term is the popular Horrible Histories stage show bringing to life the Terrible Tudors and a host of well-known historical characters, many of whom called the palace home!
| What: | Horrible Histories Live at Hampton Court Palace |
| Where: | Hampton Court Palace, Surrey KT8 9AU |
| When: | 29th May to 5th June 2021 |
| Cost: | Kids £8, Adults £14 |
| Book: | www.hrp.org.uk |
Dine like royalty at the Queen’s House
Against the stunning backdrop of the beautiful Queen’s House in Greenwich enjoy seasonal menus for either lunch, Royal afternoon tea or dinner. Each dome caters for 4 to 6 guests making it the perfect outing for friends and families.
| What: | The Queen’s House Dining Domes |
| Where: | Queen's House, Greenwich SE10 9NF |
| When: | 7th May to 6th June 2021 |
| Cost: | Kids from £17.50, Adults from £37.50 |
| Book: | www.rmg.co.uk |
Unwind with yoga in the Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens will host one-hour vinyasa flow sessions in the midst of 10,000 rare and endangered plants in Temperate House. The glasshouse classes will take place across multiple summer days in the peaceful hours before the park opens.
| What: | Temperate House Yoga |
| Where: | Kew Gardens, Richmond TW9 3AE |
| When: | 22nd June to 18th August 2021 |
| Cost: | Member: £30, Non-member: £45 |
| Book: | www.kew.org |
Sneakerheads, get your kicks fix at the Design Museum
Uncover the shoes, subcultures and style icons that have changed the footwear game at the Design Museum’s upcoming exhibition Sneakers Unboxed. From Chucks to Pumps, you’ll take a journey through the history, design, inspiration, collaboration and construction of the most iconic trainers of our day.
| What: | Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street |
| Where: | The Design Museum, London W8 6AG |
| When: | 18th May to 24th October 2021 |
| Cost: | Adult £12, Family £18.50 |
| Book: | designmuseum.org/ |
Enrol the kids in Knight School this half term
Set in the Tower of London’s legendary open-air moat, take in a 30-minute fun-filled show promising daring deeds, chivalrous conduct and superb swordplay. At four daily shows, join the forces of Margaret of Anjou in a plot to free her husband Henry VI and experience life as a medieval warrior at London’s most fearsome fortress.
| What: | Knight School the Show |
| Where: | Tower of London, London EC3N 4AB |
| When: | 29th May to 6th June 2021 |
| Cost: | Kids £14.90, Adults £29.90 |
| Book: | www.hrp.org.uk |
Get up close and personal with Stonehenge
With a maximum of 30 guests per session, the Stone Circle Experience offers an intimate way to experience this magnificent ancient world wonder away from the crowds.
| What: | Stone Circle Experience |
| Where: | Stonehenge, Salisbury SP4 7DE |
| When: | Now until 30th September 2021 |
| Cost: | Kids £28.20 Adults £47 |
| Book: | www.english-heritage.org.uk |
Be inspired by stories of feminist activism in the UK
The upcoming exhibition at the British Library explores how feminist activism in the UK has its roots in the complex history of women’s rights from bodily autonomy and the right to education, to self-expression and protest.
| What: | Unfinished Business: The Fight for Women's Rights |
| Where: | British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB |
| When: | 18th May to 1st August 2021 |
| Cost: | £15 |
| Book: | www.bl.uk |