Summer ART AND EXHIBITIONS FAMILY MUSIC SPECIAL EVENTS THEATRE WALKS AND TALKS
| SUMMER IN THE CITY
SUMMER EVENTS 2013
After the cold start to 2013, summer has finally arrived. Enjoy being outside in the City with this season’s packed programme of events. Whether you love music, dance, history, art or sport there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors.
This summer's highlight is the City of London Festival (p.16) which sees performances in venues across the City from 23 June to 26 July. It honours the City’s special 400-year relationship with Derry in Ireland and the fantastic outdoor programme promises to bring the City to life through music, art, street theatre and dance. Get to know one of the most invigorating parts of London at the Spitalfields Music Summer
The information in this leaflet has been researched and compiled in good faith and checked as thoroughly as possible with the relevant sources. It is correct to the best of the publisher's knowledge at the time of printing (May 2013) and the publisher cannot accept any liability for errors and omissions howsoever caused. No payment was either solicited or accepted for inclusion of entries and it does not claim to be fully comprehensive.
www.visitthecity.co.uk
Festival from 7-22 June (p.14) and uncover the City’s history at archaeology events at the Museum of London and Tower of London including late nights, tours and family fun (p.10,11,15,17). You can also explore the City on a fascinating walk or tour (p.21-23), admire architecture with the family at the Archikids Festival (p.9) and discover City gardens at the Open Garden Squares Weekend (p.16).
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ART AND EXHIBITIONS
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FAMILY
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MUSIC
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SPECIAL EVENTS
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THEATRE
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WALKS AND TALKS
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For more events and information about the City go to www.visitthecity.co.uk or visit our City Information Centre by St Paul’s Cathedral, where our friendly multilingual staff are ready to help you plan your days out: City of London Information Centre St Paul’s Churchyard London EC4M 8BX
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On-going
This is London Don’t miss this brand new exhibition at Tower Bridge featuring copies of over 60 iconic illustrations and excerpts from painter and illustrator Miroslav Sasek's classic children's book, This is London.
Daily 10am-6pm (last admission 5.30pm) Admission: £8; concs £5.60; children £3.40; under 5s free Tower Bridge Exhibition Tower Bridge Road SE1 2UP www.towerbridge.org.uk T 020 7403 3761
On-going
Sculpture in the City – 2013 Wander past some of the City’s most eye-catching architecture (the Gherkin, the Lloyd’s Building and the Willis Building) and see on-street artworks by world famous sculptors including Tracey Emin, Julian Opie, Michael Craig-Martin and Angus Fairhurst. Look out for brand new sculptures in June! FREE to view anytime Around Leadenhall Street St Mary Axe, Great St Helen’s and Undershaft EC3 www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ sculpturespace
Until 31 May
Shape in the City Five floors of office space on Gracechurch Street have been transformed by SHAPE, a disability-led arts organisation, to showcase a range of contemporary pieces by more than 30 artists. Mon-Thu 10am-2pm or by appointment – email popupgallery@shapearts.org.uk FREE Shape Arts, 40 Gracechurch Street EC3V 0BT www.shapearts.org.uk T 020 7621 0900 or 07849 281 054
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Michael Caine As Sir Michael Caine celebrates his 80th birthday, the Museum of London reflects on his life as a prolific actor and an iconic Londoner. The exhibition focuses on key moments in both Caine’s personal life and his acting career, exploring how his background as a rebellious working-class Londoner influenced his path.
| ART AND EXHIBITIONS
Until 14 July
Daily 10am-6pm FREE Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844
Until 28 July
Geoffrey Farmer: The Surgeon and the Photographer A UK premiere, The Surgeon and the Photographer consists of hundreds of puppet-like figures created through collage and assemblage, and is accompanied by a new film commission.
Daily 11am-8pm; Thu until 10pm FREE The Curve, Barbican Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/ artgallery T 020 7638 8891
Geoffrey Farmer, The Surgeon and the Photographer, 2009 (detail). Paper, textile, wood, metal. Collection of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Purchased with funds from the Jean MacMillan Southam Major Art Purchase Fund, Phil Lind, Vancouver Art Gallery Acquisition Fund, Canada Council for the Arts Acquisitions Assistance Program and the Michael O'Brian Family Foundation.
Until 9 December
British Landmarks in Art To accompany the Painted Faces exhibition at the Guildhall Art Gallery, British Land has kindly loaned several works by British artists. These will be displayed in rotation, within the following landmark themes: Pop Art from 26 April to 20 June; Abstraction from 21 June to 22 August; Photography from 23 August to 17 October; and Goldsmith’s College from 18 October to 9 December.
Until 9 December
Painted Faces Take a fresh look at portraits from Guildhall Art Gallery’s permanent collection, some of which haven’t been on public display before. See some of the earliest paintings in the collection, as well as charming pictures of children, royalty, influential figures, and enigmatic unknown faces. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12-4pm FREE Guildhall Art Gallery Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhallartgallery T 020 7332 3700
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12-4pm FREE Guildhall Art Gallery Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhallartgallery
2 May to 26 July
The Worshipful Company of Gardeners The Temple of Flora, plants as medicine, the history of botany and London gardeners are all brought vividly to life through manuscripts, monographs and objects at this rare exhibition. There's also a photographic exhibition celebrating the City Gardens team’s commitment to beautiful spaces called The Green Team: The Gardeners who transform your City and a launch event on 1 May – see the website for details.
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Cartoons and Caricatures See the Bank of England’s own collection of prints and drawings which includes the work of consummate artists such as James Gillray, John Tenniel and, more recently, Steve Bell.
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17 May to 19 November
Mon-Fri 10am-5pm FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545
Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm FREE Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1870
8 July to 30 September
60 Lustrous Years
28 May to 26 September
Shakespeare and London Exploring the relationship between the Bard and the capital, this exhibition displays a range of documents and images dating from Shakespeare’s lifetime to the present day. His signature on ‘The Shakespeare Deed’ will be on display at set times, please check the LMA website for further details.
Visit the London Silver Vaults, the home of silver shopping since 1953, to see a selling exhibition of silver connected to royalty, lifestyles and special family occasions which celebrates their 60th anniversary. Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm; Sat 9am-1pm FREE entry London Silver Vaults 53-64 Chancery Lane WC2A 1QS www.thesilvervaults.com T 020 7242 3844
Mon 9.30am-4.45pm; Tue-Thu 9.30am-7.30pm; see website for Saturday openings FREE London Metropolitan Archives 40 Northampton Road EC1R 0HB www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma T 020 7332 3820
31 May to 20 July
Ultra Vanities – Bejewelled Make-Up Boxes from the Age of Glamour This extraordinary exhibition showcases a unique, private collection of finely wrought, jewelled and enamelled boxes dating from the 1920s through to the 1970s. See pieces by leading jewellery houses such as Cartier, Boucheron, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Chaumet.t.
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm FREE Goldsmiths’ Hall Foster Lane EC2V 6BN www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk T 020 7606 7010
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17-19 May
Fire! Fire!
Archikids Festival 2013
Travel back in time to 1666 with the magical storyteller and learn about the Great Fire of London. How did it start? How long did it last? How was it finally put out? See the website for more Museum of London family events. When: 1-1.30pm, 2-2.30pm and 3-3.30pm FREE Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844
6 May
Lullabies for the Whole Family Bring the whole family to this performance of traditional songs from the Comoros Islands performed by a community group of mothers, teenagers and children from Marseille, France. When: 2.30pm Admission: £5; children £3; under 12 months free Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke’s 161 Old Street EC1V 9NG www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891
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6 May
Join in with over 50 exciting architectural activities including workshops, trails, explorations and competitions run by architects, artists, engineers and designers. Highlights include the On your Scooter trail, the City of a Thousand Architects workshop, String Scape and the Hatwalk catwalk. Commissioned by Open-City. For families and children aged 5-12. Daily 10am-5pm FREE Venues across the City www.open-city.org.uk/education/ informal/archikids.html T 020 7383 0782
25 May to 2 June
16 June
May half-term fun
Soldiers on the march
Learn about the River Thames at the Museum of London. There, you can enjoy action-packed tales about London Bridge, make a piece of art at the Frost Fair and join the archaeologists for a walk along the Thames to see what exciting finds you might discover. Daily 10am-6pm; see website for activity times FREE Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844
15 June
The Great Enormo Join musicians from the City of London Sinfonia and novelist Michael Rosen in the Idea Store library to time-travel a thousand years and help create a theme tune for Mr Enormo Biggins’ Great Fun Park. Part of the Spitalfields Music Summer Festival – see website for other family activities. When: 2-3pm FREE; booking required Idea Store 321 Whitechapel Road E1 1BU www.spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk 020 7377 1362
Meet a company of Roman soldiers and take a closer look at their clothes, armour and way of life. When: 11.30am-4pm FREE Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844
From 4 July
Fortress Tower Join in with 14th-century daily life at the Tower of London as the moat becomes home to siege machines, archery, combat, cooking and games. Tue-Sat 9am-5.30pm; Sun-Mon 10am-5.30pm Admission: included with entry ticket – £21.45; children (under 16) £10.75; concessions £18.15; family ticket (up to 2 adults and 6 children) £57.20 Tower of London EC3N 4AB www.hrp.org.uk/toweroflondon T 0844 482 7777
22 July to 30 August
World of Treasure Find the answers to the clues on the fun-filled trail and make a treasure chest-shaped money box to take home. There’s a chocolate coin for every child and prizes to be won. Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum T 020 7601 5545
27-28 July
Archaeology weekend Get ‘hands on’ with the Tower of London’s annual archaeology extravaganza. Go down onto the Tower’s river foreshore and see what you can discover, speak to experts, see displays and try fun activities.
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Music Explorers (for families with under-8s)
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29 June
Take part in music workshops and make something to take home with you in this fun and interactive day with LSO musicians and other artists. Workshops 10am–12pm; concert 12-12.30pm Admission: £5; children £3; under 12 months free Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke’s 161 Old Street EC1V 9NG www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891
Daily 11am-4pm; check website for foreshore access timings FREE Tower of London EC3N 4AB www.hrp.org.uk/toweroflondon T 0844 482 7777
15 May
Tomasz Stanko New York Quartet + John Surman: Saltash Bells Stanko and his New York Quartet present a mix of soulful free ballads and pure boppish energy, inspired by and dedicated to the memory of Polish poet, essayist and Nobel Laureate Wisława Symborska.
8 May
Magdalena Kožená The voice of this mezzo soprano award winning star has become one of the treasures of the vocal world. She comes to the Barbican for a recital with regular collaborator, pianist Malcolm Martineau.
When: 8pm Admission: £15-£20 Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 020 7638 8891
When: 7.30pm Admission: £9-£35 Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 020 7638 8891
18 May
22 May
Soundhub Showcase
Valery Gergiev 60th Birthday Gala Concert
LSO Soundhub, the Orchestra’s latest initiative to support upand-coming composers across a wide range of musical genres, showcases extracts from the latest projects at LSO St Luke’s. With everything from visual art, choreography and film thrown into the mix, audiences should expect the unexpected. When: 7.30pm Admission: £7; concs £5 Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke’s 161 Old Street EC1V 9NG www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891
The special gala performance to celebrate the 60th birthday of the LSO’s Principal Conductor Valery Gergiev includes Paganini’s Violin Concerto No 2, Third Movement La Campanella; Ravel’s Tzigane; Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen and Berlioz’s Act Five from The Trojans. When: 7.30pm Admission: £10-£36 Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891
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31 May, 7 & 21 June
Friday Lunchtime Concerts LSO players and Guildhall musicians explore American music, including works by composers Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland, as well as music inspired by visits to the continent. When: 12.30-1.15pm FREE Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke’s 161 Old Street EC1V 9NG www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891
4-6 June
Praxis Makes Perfect An immersive gig about the life of the communist millionaire Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, conceived by Gruff Rhys' band Neon Neon in collaboration with National Theatre Wales. When: 8pm Admission: £20 Village Underground 54 Holywell Lane EC2A 3PQ www.barbican.org.uk/music T 020 7638 8891
5, 7, 10 and 12 June
Britten: Owen Wingrave Britten’s pacifist opera is presented by the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in a co-production with the Banff Centre, Canada to celebrate the centenary of Britten’s birth. When: 7pm Admission: £25; concs £15 Silk Street Theatre Silk Street EC2Y 8DT www.gsmd.ac.uk/events T 020 7638 8891
22 June
Rachid Taha & Souad Massi Following its celebrated first edition two years ago, the Shubbak festival – the City’s celebration of contemporary Arab art and culture – opens its 2013 edition with a double bill bringing together Algeria’s two most exhilarating musical rebels. When: 7.30pm Admission: £15-£22.50 Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 020 7638 8891
9 July
The Templars
7-22 June
Spitalfields Music Summer Festival East London’s most extraordinary and treasured spaces resound with classical music, contemporary sounds and family activities this summer. Associate Artists Early Opera Company and Scanner lead an eclectic programme showcasing a range of inspirational global and local talent. Admission and times vary by event Various venues across Spitalfields and Shoreditch www.spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk T 020 7377 1362
Join the Choirmen of Temple Church as they present a musical and light-hearted voyage around transport and places from Manhattan to Scarborough, in the company of Flanders and Swann, Thomas Weelkes, Lennon and McCartney and many more. Doors open at 6.15pm; starts at 6.45pm Admission: £10-£20 Temple Church Middle Temple Lane EC4Y 9AT www.templemusic.org T 020 7427 5641
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| SPECIAL EVENTS
1 May, 5 June and 3 July
20-24 May
Monthly Food Market
Watch Workshop Week
On the first Wednesday of every month, One New Change will serve up a gourmet treat bringing an international popup food market to the ground and lower ground floors – the perfect way to spice up your lunch hour!
To celebrate the art of watchmaking, luxury watch boutiques will be showcasing their expertise with craftsmanship displays and workshops. Look out for special in-store events and activities.
When: 11am-3pm FREE One New Change EC4M 9AF www.onenewchange.com
Daily 10am-6pm FREE Royal Exchange, Bank EC3V 3LR www.theroyalexchange.co.uk 020 7708 4181
17 May
Archaeological Archive by twilight The Museum of London holds the largest archaeological archive in the world. Discover some rarely-seen finds after dark alongside curator-led tours, object-handling, performances and a special London pub quiz. When: 6.30-9pm Admission: ÂŁ7; book in advance Museum of London Archaeological Archive, Mortimer Wheeler House N1 7ED www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844
Until September
Salsa, Swing, Tango and Tea Dances All are welcome at Spitalfields for monthly open-air freestyle salsa, swing, tango and tea dances. Salsa, Swing and Tango dance nights start with a half-hour lesson for beginners and are followed by social dancing for all abilities. Tea dances are mid-afternoon and are accompanied with live music by the New Covent Garden Dance Orchestra. See website for dates and times FREE Spitalfields Market Brushfield Street Spitalfields E1 6AA www.spitalfields.co.uk/dance
23 June to 26 July
City of London Festival This year’s festival promises to build on previous successes with a packed programme of world-class concerts, performances, walks, talks, debates and exhibitions at various venues across the Square Mile and a series of outdoor events that will bring the City to life through music, street theatre, circus and dance.
7-8 June
Lord Mayor’s City Dip Take part in this annual sponsored swim and raise money for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal. You can enter as an individual or as part of a team to swim 5,000 metres and there are prizes up for grabs. Email csd-col@fusion-lifestyle.com for an application form. Admission: £20; children £8; teams £60; fees are donated to charity Golden Lane Sport & Fitness Fann Street, Barbican EC1Y 0SH www.goldenlanefitness.com T 020 7250 1464
Highlights for 2013 include Britten’s War Requiem performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and others at St Paul’s Cathedral (25 Jun), the Festival Children’s Parade from Guildhall Yard to St Paul’s (28 Jun), lunchtime recitals by musicians from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (25 Jun-10 Jul), the newly commissioned At Sixes & Sevens which will be performed at both London’s and Derry~Londonderry’s Guildhalls (3 Jul), Open Air Ballet (15-19 Jul) and the Mobile Orchard (23 Jun-26 Jul). See website for full programme of events. Admission and times vary by event www.colf.org T 0845 120 7502 You can book tickets at the City Information Centre
8-9 June
Open Garden Squares weekend Discover gardens around the capital that you didn’t know existed. Among the City spaces opening their gates are Drapers’ Hall, Fann Street wildlife gardens, Salters’ Garden and Inner and Middle Temple Gardens. Admission and times vary by garden – check website FREE Gardens across the City and wider London www.opensquares.org 23 June to
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Festival of British Archaeology 2013
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13-28 July
Get exclusive behind-thescenes tours of the stores and laboratories at the Museum of London and the London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre. Curators will guide you around these usually hidden spaces and explain the secrets of the collections. Admission varies by event; book in advance Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844
24 June to 5 July
Great British Summer New Street Square is bringing Centre Court to the capital this June with FREE outdoor Wimbledon tennis screenings. Simply pull up a deck chair and relax in the sunshine! Mon-Fri 12pm-8pm FREE New Street Square New Fetter Lane EC4A 3BF www.newstreetsquare.co.uk / www.greatbritishsummer.com
17 July
Cart marking ceremony From handcarts to horse-drawn carriages and steam-driven vehicles to the new London bus, see this parade of vehicles old and new as they come into Guildhall Yard to be marked with a red hot iron by the Master Carmen and the Lord Mayor. When: 10am FREE Guildhall Yard Guildhall EC2V 5AE www.thecarmen.co.uk
27-28 July
East A weekend of international music, public art, theatre and dance productions to celebrate the opening of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on the first anniversary of the London 2012 Olympics. Schedule and prices to be announced soon – check the website for details Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park www.barbican.org.uk/music T 020 7638 8891
Fräulein Julie
Postcard from London
Katie Mitchell, 'the closest thing the British theatre has to an auteur' (Independent on Sunday), directs this re-imagining of Strindberg’s Miss Julie. When: 7.45pm Admission: £16-£42 Barbican Theatre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 020 7638 8891
17 May to 16 June
Fallen in Love: the secret heart of Anne Boleyn See Joanna Carrick’s brand new play about the woman who changed the world forever by capturing the heart of a king at the site of Anne’s trail, execution and final resting place, the Tower of London. Various dates at 3.30pm, 6.30pm and 9pm; see website for details Admission: £27-£32; concs £22-£27 Tower of London EC3N 4AB www.redrosechain.com T 0844 800 3371
The London Ballet Company present Postcard From London, a unique story following three adventurers as they set out off to London and embrace the sights and sounds they encounter in this diverse and exciting city. Tue-Fri 1pm Admission: £7; in advance £6 Bridewell Theatre Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.sbf.org.uk T 020 7353 3331
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18 June to 5 July
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Until 4 May
25-28 June
How Like An Angel Awe-inspiring acrobatic feats from contemporary circus company Circa, lifted by the soaring harmonies of the I Fagiolini vocal ensemble in the sublime setting of one of London’s oldest churches. Part of the City of London Festival (page 16). Tue and Thu 9pm; Wed and Fri 8pm and 10pm Admission: £20; returns only St Bartholomew the Great West Smithfield EC1A 9DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 020 7638 8891
10-27 July 2-6, 8 and 10 July
Rags The Guildhall School of Music & Drama presents a new production of this vintage Broadway musical about a young Russian immigrant mother, arriving in America with her son. Follow her struggle to adapt to a new way of life and culture while she searches for her lost husband. When: 7.30pm; performances on 5 & 8 Jul at 2pm Admission: £15; concs £10 Silk Street Theatre Silk Street EC2Y 8DT www.gsmd.ac.uk/events T 020 7638 8891
SEDOS Summer Festival An exciting three-week summer season at the Bridewell Theatre featuring Enron (10-14 Jul) – an award-winning play based on one of the most infamous scandals in financial history; Autobhan (16-20 Jul) – a provocative series of one-act plays; and A Man of No Importance (23-27 Jul) – a musical about friendship, theatre and forbidden love. Daily 7.30pm; Saturday matinees 2.30pm Admission: see website for details Bridewell Theatre Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.sedos.org.uk
On-going
Gresham College lectures Each week, you can pop into Gresham College and hear free lectures on a huge variety of subjects. This season highlights include Rome: Muffat and Corelli (2 May), the Gresham Special Lecture The UK and the New Face of Europe (6 Jun), From Soap Boxes to Tea Sets: How the Suffragette Movement got into the People’s Hearts and Homes (10 Jun) and the Lord Mayor’s Gresham Lecture (21 Jun). Times vary by event – check website or call FREE; booking is required for some events Gresham College Holborn EC1N 2HH www.gresham.ac.uk T 020 7831 0575
On-going
Guided City walks Hear about the City’s rich history on one of these guided walks that leave from the City Information Centre every day. There are plenty to choose from including Roman London (Mon 2pm and Fri 11am), City Highlights (Wed 2pm and Sun 2pm) and London’s Burning (Thu 2pm and Sun 11am). Daily 11am and 2pm Admission: £7; concs £6; under 12s free Meet at City Information Centre, St Paul’s Churchyard EC4M 8BX www.cityoflondonguides.com
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Guildhall Library afternoon talks
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On-going
Find out something fascinating about London at one of Guildhall Library’s free and regular afternoon talks. Highlights include: Sheep Across London Bridge: The Freedom of the City of London (22 May), Rediscovering the vanished medieval friaries of London (6 Jun), Shakespeare’s First Folio 1623 (18 Jun), and The Architecture of the City of London (26 Jun). When: 2-3pm FREE; unreserved seats, please arrive early Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1870
On-going
Open-City architecture tours Walk, cycle and photograph London architecture with Open-City’s weekly programme of tours with specialist guides. See website for dates and booking information. Admission prices and times vary by event www.open-city.org.uk/tours T 020 3006 7008
22 May, 19 June and 17 July
Smithfield Market tour Fancy doing something different on a Wednesday? If so, join the City Guides for an early-morning tour of historic Smithfield Market and experience the hustle and bustle of central London’s last surviving wholesale meat market. Starts at 7am
16 May, 13 June and 18 July
Guildhall tours The Gothic Guildhall, built around 1411, is an impressive sight. These tours explain its history, including its survival through the Great Fire and the Blitz and some of the notorious trials that took place here. When: 10.45am-12noon Admission: £6; advance booking required via info@cityoflondontouristguides.com Meet at Guildhall Art Gallery off Gresham Street EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondonguides.com
18 May to 13 July
Open Discussions Join this series of open philosophy discussions to explore concepts, events and ideas that change the way we think. Highlights include Socrates vs the Establishment (18 May), Reason, Religion and Conflict (22 Jun), How to Change the World (13 Jul). When: 2.30-4pm on dates shown above FREE Bishopsgate Institute 230 Bishopsgate EC2M 4QH www.bishopsgate.org.uk/events T 020 7392 9200
Admission: £8; concs £6 booking via website essential Meeting point given with booking confirmation www.cityoflondonguides.com/ tours/smithfield-market
20 June
Johnson’s Neighbourhood: Past and present Don’t miss this opportunity to see 19th and 20th century photographs and watercolours of Dr Johnson’s neighbourhood, exhibited exclusively for this evening. When: 6.30pm-8pm Admission: £5; FREE for Castle Baynard residents Dr Johnson’s House, 17 Gough Square, off Fleet Street EC4A 3DE www.drjohnsonshouse.org T 020 7353 3745
Patriots and Scoundrels: Johnson on Independence Day
Guildhall Library Open Day
Ever wondered what Dr Johnson thought of our American cousins’ bid for freedom? Find out over a celebratory glass of wine at this late opening of Dr Johnson’s House. When: 6-8pm; curator talks at 6.15pm and 7.15pm Admission: £4.50; £3.50 for US Citizens; no booking necessary Dr Johnson’s House, 17 Gough Square, off Fleet Street EC4A 3DE www.drjohnsonshouse.org T 020 7353 3745
6 & 13 July
Open Door Enjoy 30-minute guided tours of parts of the Bank of England that are not generally accessible to the public. Part of the City of London festival (p16). When: 9.30am-5pm FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545
Visit the library of London history for an opportunity to see some rarely viewed treasures or enjoy a talk, film, tour or workshop relating to the library’s collections and London’s history. When: 10am-5pm FREE Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1870
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20 July
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4 July
Stuck for ideas? Check out our new City Visitor Trail – an easy-to-walk route through some of the world’s best-loved attractions. Whether you’ve an hour, a day, or more, there’s plenty of time to explore and the Trail tells you how. Pick up a map at the City Information Centre (see p.3).
Take a longer look