How would you spend a free Saturday in London?Probably the way I spend most Saturdays - taking the kids to a newly opened exhibition, revisiting a favourite museum, or picnicking in a heritage garden. I visit 100+ cultural sites a year. With the kids at school, the weekends are our main time to explore together. In the last few months we’ve done Saturday trips to private art galleries in Mayfair, the new Heather Phillipson installation at Tate Britain, the Horniman Museum, Somerset House fountains and Kew Gardens.Is there a hidden gem you’re willing to share with us?The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. Dubbed ‘London’s Sistine Chapel’, their recently restored Painted Ceiling is jaw dropping. There’s benches for you to lay down on, and excellent digital guides to help you interpret the symbolism of the art. The kids were so excited to hold their own guides and Museum Boy recognised many of the Greek mythology references from school. It was literally one of the most laid back museum experiences we’ve had - we sprawled over the benches and just soaked it all in. Luke Jerram’s Gaia was also on show, but it was the ceiling which was the real star.Do you have a place you take all your visitors?I tailor my suggestions to my visitors. We recently took a friend to London Transport Museum as their son loves buses and trains - it was a huge hit! You can’t go on the vintage vehicles at the moment because of Covid, but there’s tube driving simulators, soft play areas and lots of other hands on parts. In normal times, we house swap for our holidays and I always recommend our guests visit God’s Own Junkyard, an Aladdin’s den of neon art in Walthamstow.Favourite date night activity?We don’t have childcare so date night is a distant memory. For our birthdays we normally use annual leave to have a date day whilst the kids are at school. Last year we went to Bruce Nauman at Tate Modern followed by food from Borough Market (PSA: Giggly Pig do the best meat pasties, thank me later). One year we took the train to Rye to visit Lambs House, climb St Marys Church tower and eat oysters in Webbes. Another time we saw an exhibition at the Royal Academy followed by lunch at Hélène Darroze at The Connaught. We don’t do it often so it’s a good excuse to push the boat out.Where is your favourite place to day trip from London?We’re currently drawn to Hastings. We did two press trips there last year and were surprised by how much there is for young children. It’s a heady mix of historic streets and lively seaside attractions. We caught the historic funicular railways up the cliff to the old Smugglers caves, then ate freshly-caught fish with chips in Maggies at the fishermen’s quarter. You can see contemporary art with sea views at Hasting Contemporary, or walk inside a Victorian Indian palace at Hastings Museum and Art Gallery. For dinner we had a fantastic meal over board games at The Stag Inn in the historic Old Town, the first time we’ve enjoyed a pub visit with kids! We returned recently for the Creative Coast sculpture and to see the Automaton exhibition, but there’s still more for us to explore. (you can check out the full Hasting guide here)
Vyki Sparkes aka @musummum is a culture blogger and mum who’s goal to inspire families to explore the world of art and culture. As an experienced museum curator she has the best recommendations when it comes to exhibits that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. We asked her about some of her favourite things and got some amazing responses. Read on if you want to be inspired. Favourite area to wander around?Canary Wharf is a surprisingly great place for a wander, especially for families - there’s always something new going on. Its contemporary arts commissions are particularly strong. They’ve just opened their first Summer Lights exhibition, and their Winter Lights are exceptional, both free to visit. The trails have a map on their website and take you through some beautiful pockets. On our last visit, we just discovered a tiny musical playground outside newly-built One Park Drive, with dockside views and plenty of benches - a secluded place to take a picnic. Crossrail Place Roof Garden is stunning, with a charm of goldfinches warbling amongst the plants and trees from all over the world. Museum of London Docklands has just refurbished Mudlarks, its free under 8s play area. Canary Wharf put on free mini golf, street games and ping pong, and special events too. The streets and roads are exceptionally quiet, and the crossings are touch free - you just need to wave! There’s plenty of family friendly restaurants, thousands of parking spaces and plenty of toilets. Favourite museum(s) to explore, and why?To be honest it’s not where you go, but when - that’s why I write regular What’s On guides to London’s museums. A family friendly exhibition or event can transform a visit - and it’s a good reason to go back or try somewhere new. Museum Boy recently enjoyed a family tour of Charles Dickens Museum, somewhere I wouldn’t have taken him without a specific event. We do have some haunts which are great whenever you visit. Now that visitor numbers are limited, we always have a great time at the Natural History Museum. There are so many exhibits that we always find new things to marvel at, and the Hintz Hall is just jaw dropping. Wonderlab at Science Museum with its hands-on experiments is another guaranteed hit. The Horniman Museum has a family friendly exhibition every year - it’s currently on monkeys - plus an aquarium, butterfly house and mini farm. We even cross the river for it!London has some obscure museums, do you have a favourite?The Postal Museum has a special place in my heart, especially as I was lead curator on their new museum. You can take a ride on the tiny underground train Mail Rail, there’s lots of hands on interactives including sorting mail on a moving train carriage, and there’s a bright, clean soft play area for children too. Do you have a favourite movie or book set in London?The Crimson Petal and the White by Micheal Faber astonished me with how viscerally it evoked Victorian London, its class hypocrisies and seedy underbelly. NOT for kids or reading on public transport, you will blush.What is a classic London thing that you’ve never done? I’ve never watched the Changing of the Guard. They march under Wellington Arch, so I’d climb up to their viewing platform to catch a glimpse from on high.To read more of Vyki’s wonderful recommendations be sure to check out her website https://museummum.com/ and instagram.
