Romantic Restaurants, Getaway Places in Grays

"One of the world’s greatest collections covering human history, art and culture, the museum has around eight million artefacts (only a tenth are ever on display) in almost 100 galleries. I’ve been visiting the British Museum since I was a child myself, fascinated by the Egyptian galleries – and the sheer scale of items on display, the variety and the fascinating stories behind so many artefacts mean that kids are likely to be just as enthralled, whether it’s by the mummified crocodile, the Easter Island Moai or something else. This is one I’d personally avoid during the early toddler years: preschoolers are old enough to be interested, babies young enough to snooze around, but chasing after enthusiastic 18-month-olds in a gallery of priceless artefacts makes me shiver."

"One of the world’s oldest museums, The British Museum, houses a vast collection of antiquities that spans millennia. In fact, the collection is so big, only a smidge of it is actually on public display at any time. If you’ve only got an hour to kill, must sees include the Parthenon Sculptures, the Rosetta Stone, lion hunt reliefs and the stunning Oxus treasure."

"The British Museum, founded in 1753, is a history, arts, and culture museum in London. With more than eight million objects in its collection, the British Museum has one of the world's biggest museum collections. Much of the collection is focused on human culture as it dates back to the earliest times."

"Arguably the world's best decorative arts museum, the V&A, as it's generally known, has been open since 1852 and contains an incredible 4.5 million items. The first floor focuses on Asian (Japanese swords, ancient Chinese ceramics) and some European art, including plaster casts made from Michelangelo's David (note the fig leaf created in the 19th century to protect the sensibilities of Victorian visitors). The Ardabil Carpet in the Middle East-focused Jameel Gallery is the world's oldest, dating from Iran in the 1500s."

"While most London art galleries focus on the medium of painting, The V&A is crowned as the world’s largest museum of applied and decorative arts. In fact, it exhibits a 2.27 million-piece-collection of textiles, jewellery, costumes, furniture, ceramics, sculptures, and more, spanning 5,000 years from all corners of the Earth. The diversity of The V&A serves as a beautiful (and sometimes much-needed) reminder that art is everywhere you look, intrinsically entwined with history and culture."

"The V&A focuses on art and design as well as sculpture, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. For teens who are interested in fashion, and particularly the design and creative side of things is a must-see."

"The Science Museum is filled with fascinating scientific discoveries from across the ages, all presented in a way that’s accessible to all ages. Most of the museum is free to enter but you may want to consider paying the entrance fee for Wonderlab. Here, kids can get hands on with science experiments and watch interactive presentations."

"The hands-on style of this London Museum brings science to life for everyone. Be sure to check the museum’s calendar for regular exciting events, including ‘Science Night’, where children get participate in a range of activities, and then spend a night sleeping amongst the exhibits. The Science Museum © Flickr DncnH"

"Now in its 53nd year, this unmissable exhibition looks at everything from elephants in their natural habitat to urban foxes peering over fences, and is a sheer delight from start to finish. Date: until 10th September"

"Set in London’s busiest open space, Trafalgar Square, this is the grandmother of galleries with more than 2,300 paintings spanning the 13th to the 19th centuries: Heavyweights include Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Velazquez's Rokeby Venus, and Constable’s six-foot long The Hay Wain. It gets packed at weekends, but its so large that you can usually find a quiet corner. You can download an audio tour covering the museum's highlights, but you can also curate your own by selecting the paintings you want to see before you arrive."

"The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square, Central London that houses paintings from the 13th to 20th century. The building was designed by William Wilkins between 1832 and 1838. In 1991 Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown designed the Sainsbury Wing, an extension to the west."

"Lose yourself amongst the stone pines, olive trees, and cypresses of this typical Mediterranean landscape. The King William's Temple stands in the middle of the garden, lending a sense of grandeur to the vibrant landscape."

"Modern and stylish, The Danubius Regents Park is everything you would expect from a London hotel. From chandeliers to marble-effect flooring, its elegant interior is dreamy yet unintimidating. The hotel is not just a pretty face though."

"A rapidly expanding American mega chain somehow beats most homegrown burger restaurants in London. One just needs to know what to order, or rather, how to order the trademark Shack Burger. It’s pretty simple (if emulating classic fast food burgers is the goal.) To best complement the beautifully and aggressively griddled American cheese-covered patty, which is sandwiched between a sliced, squidgy Martin’s potato roll, order sliced raw onion and add pickles."

"A hidden gem located just a short walk away from Kings Cross, Rotunda is known for its epic summer BBQs and heated cocktails come winter. With a strong gate to plate ethos, the produce here is as fresh as it comes, and with canalside tables - the views aren't too shabby either."

"Alternatives: There are many other things to see in the area (mostly in Chelsea), including the Chelsea Physic Garden (fee*), Leighton House Museum (fee), Design Museum, Portobello Road Market, Chelsea Football Club Stadium Tour & Museum (fee*), and the recently renovated National Army Museum. London Itinerary Day 6 – Greenwich or Free Day"

"Leading Victorian artist Frederic (Lord) Leighton lived and worked in this building on the edge of Holland Park, spending 30 years (and…"

"Art galleries don’t come much more cutting edge than White Cube, which was set up by Jay Jopling, a key figure in the famous Brit Art movement of the 90s. The gallery made its name by curating works from art megastars Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Marc Quinn before they hit the big time; so you can be sure the stuff on show now is worth making a note of!. 144 – 152 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ Free entrywhitecube.com"

"Above the gallery’s corridor spans almost 70 metres ©Courtesy White Cube Bermondsey. White Cube is a gallery in Bermondsey, South London owned by art dealer Jay Jopling. The building was designed by CMK architect’s Marianne Mueller and Olaf Kneer Jay Jopling’s newWhite Cube arises in Bermondsey."

"Stefan Kalmár, the Director of the ICA London states: The Institute of Contemporary Arts in London has been the model for most ICAs that exist in the world today. Since its founding in 1946, the ICA contextualises contemporary culture within the socio-political conditions of the times. The ICA was created as an institute (not a museum), for the contemporary (not just modern) and for all the arts (not just art)."

"The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an art gallery near London's Trafalgar Square. In addition to exhibits on contemporary art, the ICA includes two cinemas, a bookshop, a theatre, and a bar. Established in 1947, ICA creators wanted to create a place for artists and other creative and science folk to debate ideas without being constricted by the rules and traditions of the Royal Academy."

"The London Hippodrome opened as a musical hall in 1900, with a young Charlie Chaplin starring in the first show performed at the venue. It was later transformed into a nightclub called The Talk of the Town, which hosted a Who’s Who of 20th century musical legends: Frank Sinatra, The Jackson 5, Judy Garland and Ella Fitzgerald are just a fraction of the names who played there. Subsequent owners included Peter Stringfellow, before the lease was acquired in 2009 by Jimmy and Simon Thomas, who opened the casino in 2012."

"A post shared by Mario (@_________mario_________) on Jan 22, 2018 at 9:44am PST. Head to Leicester Square for a night to remember at the historic Hippodrome Casino. Punters have been entertained on this site for more than 100 years, and with a 180-seat theatre hosting the best of jazz, swing, soul, burlesque and cabaret, there are plenty of years of entertainment to come."

"If you want a casino that is centrally located but doesn’t have quite to draw that the Casino at the Empire offers then you might want to consider the Hippodrome Casino. It’s also in Leicester Square and opened its doors for the first time in 2012. That means that it’s quire modern in style, as well as being one of the country’s biggest in terms of square footage."

"Rich Mix allows creativity in all its magnificent forms – live music, theatre, poetry, film, art, design and drawing, so it’s a little distinct from the other places on the list, but the charity behind the cross-media arts centre, The Rich Mix Cultural Foundation, has a pretty inspiring goal. And that’s to offer the public space to discover more about the creative offerings of people from various migrant populations. Since taking over the former clothing factory on Bethnal Green Road, Rich Mix has put on many free exhibitions, screenings and concerts."

"This fantastic creative space in the East End, on the site of what used to be in a leather factory, has regular exhibitions featuring emerging and established artists. 39-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA Free entryrichmix.org.uk"

"Ham House is a dreamy place to go if you want to escape the inner city for a while. Explore magical gardens and immerse yourself in the 17th Century. COVID-19 UPDATE: The gardens at Ham House have reopened to the public, but you’ll need to book your visit in advance."