Royal Albert Hall

[AngelMell]

Coming up to London in a couple of weeks, to see one of the Proms. Making a day of it and want something else to do during the day.

Not been to the RAH before, are there any museums, gallaries or other places of interest close by.

I also need recommendations for somewhere nice (but not expensive) to eat beforehand.

Thanks

[VHG]

For us that know London this is quite an amusing question.

The reason is that the Albert Hall is right next to 3 of the best museums in the world.

The Natural History museum, The Science Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum are all a few hundreds yards away.

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/

http://www.vam.ac.uk/

You could spend a day in each, and they are all free.

[AngelMell]

Glad to have put a smile on your face. Not being a regular visitor to London, I didn't realise these 3 were so close. But have already visited them.

Thanks all the same

[VHG]

A bit of background as to why the Albert Hall, and the three museums, are all in that area (South Kensington).

Queen Victoria's husband Albert helped to organize the Great Exhibition in 1851. This was held in Hyde Park in the large glass building nicknamed the "Crystal Palace".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Exhibit ion

(The building was eventually moved to South London but burned down in 1936).

The Great Exhibition was a great success and made a large profit.

Albert decided it would be good to build a lasting tribute so he purchsed land in South Kensington and decided it would be a monument to the arts and sciences.

Many buildings were built (most are still there) and some are wonderful displays of Victorian architecture. The Natural History Museum building is just as wonderful as anything inside it.

Picture of inside

http://bozent.com/tpo/images/BritishNaturalHis toryMuseum5.jpg

The whole area became know as Albertopolis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albertopolis

When Albert died Victoria built the Albert Memorial right opposite the Albert Hall

Here it is with Albert Hall in the background.

http://zooterville.com/pblog/images/albert-mem orial1.jpg

The whole area is a wonderful place to walk round, even if you dont go into anything.

[VHG]

Other buildings in the area also have museums inside them.

For example the Royal Collage of Music has a museum.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_College_of_ Music

Nearby is the Bromton Oratory, an amazing building with an ornate interior (it is Roman Catholic).

It is next to the Victoria and Albert museum.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brompton_Oratory

Harrrods is nearby, one of the largest stores in the world.

This is the amazing escalator

http://image63.webshots.com/163/7/1/53/4464701 53xiqlKZ_fs.jpg

Kensington Palace is nearby in Hyde Park

http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/

This is the building all the flowers were placed outside when Diana died.

[VHG]

One thing I find useful for discovering an area is Google.

Go into google.co.uk

Type South Kensington and press search

Near the top of the Google page select Maps. It takes you to a map of the area.

On the left it shows places to visit (I get History Museum, Harrods, and Albert Hall)

On the left press "Explore this area"

A number of photographs are overlaid over the map.

"hover" your mouse over each photograph and it tells you what it is.

This is a good way of finding out what is in an area.

[VHG]

Of course you can also go into Hyde park which is huge.

Loads of things to see and do in Hyde Park, always something going on.

Large lake (Serpentine) plus a large cafe.

Soem good historic buildings, Diana fountain, Peter Pan statue etc.

http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde_park/

[munchie63]

how about The National Gallery (Art) in Trafalgar Square ?

you could have a walk round, and have lunch in covent garden or leicester square, bith within easy walking distance. The gallery's free to get in.

pretty sure you can get a bus from T Sq to Kensington which will stop outside the RA Hall. If not, Circle Line for about 6 stops - Embankment to South Kensington.

You could also have a walk down the Kings Road and a look in the pricey boutiques, but eating round that way's pricey, that's why I'd recommend going to Covent Garden - lots of little restaurants everywhere, shops to look in, entertainers in the Market Square, and the Punch and Judy pub.

[AngelMell]

Thanks for the info, I've noted the details. And just hope it doesn't rain too much tomorrow