The Museum adventures continue here in London town! Managed to get the whole trio out for our adventures today. We looked so cool and put together that three people asked us for directions. Until we opened our mouths they thought we belonged (side note: that’s actually super unfair. London is very cosmopolitain and English accents are like the third most common we hear out of twenty or thirty)
✨ WE SAW THE CROWN JEWELS! ✨
Super awesome, super sparkly! Sadly, no photos are allowed. Boo. Moriarty had a way easier time getting through that line. TV IS ALWAYS MISREPRESENTING THE QUEUE WAITING TIME. Curses. The coolest thing I learned was that the oldest piece in the collection is actually a SPOON!
We managed to walk around the walls, see the Fusilier Museum (Pater adored it, the WWII buff that he is!), grab a lunch, meet a Beefeater, and see the White Tower. The Tower of London is a complex of buildings on Tower Hill named after the original Norman building built by William the Conqueror. That building is now called the White Tower!
Inside is a lovely history of the many uses of the tower including a menagerie, munitions storage, palace, prison, and display of arms. Like every display made for the public here, it was well lit, well written and well represented. There are always interesting hands on aspects for kids and tactile learners. I loved how each room showed how various dynasties used the space! Sadly, there was no Floo powder to use at the many fireplaces.
Look at that Menagerie display! Using the bars to imply how the animals lived and were viewed! Absolutely brilliant.
We also managed to get a photo with Tower Bridge in the background. No Spice Girls sightings though 😭.
Rating: 4/5
Pros: SO MUCH HISTORY
CONS: Tourist trap, kinda hokey and you have to deal with all the slow moving OTHER tourists (we are perfect travellers, did I not make that clear when I mentioned how we were asked THREE TIMES for directions)
After galavanting all over the grounds of the Tower with nary a sight of a royal or Anne Boleyn’s ghosty, we decided to take the Thames Clipper to the Tate Modern. Pater wasn’t feeling it and went straight up to the cafe/ bar with one of the best views in London while Mum and I took in the sights. Pretty sweet deal on both ends.
Look at Pater’s view:
The Tate was lovely and Mum and I feel much more CULTURED. We’re not sure about it, what way or what anything really was about. BUT WE DID THE TIME SO WE ARE OBVIOUSLY BETTER PEOPLE NOW.
Highlights included seeing work by Georges Braque (HELLZ YES), Piet Mondrian, some not so famous guy called Picasso…he may be Portuguese??? Also, Max Ernst and Salvador Dali! The moderns are neither of our favourites but we enjoyed ourselves, mostly.
This piece was by Chen Zhen entitled Cocon du Vide. It’s made of rosary beads and combines multiple cultural traditions.
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Modern Art, great exhibition space, cool building, gorgeous cafe/ restaurant
Cons: Modern Art, not enough space for the permanent collection, saw a guy trip on the “unobtrusive” stanchions (oops!) thank goodness he didn’t fall on the art
We also managed to swing by the Globe Theatre! Take that Shakespeare, you cur.
So, for those of you counting (is that just me? probs) we have now visited 6 different museums in 3 days. Not too shabby for this Museum Nerd. #blessed
Liberté (formerly) of London 