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24 Hour Museum - Museum & gallery heritage guides

November 21 2008

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Rillaton Gold Cup from the British Museum

MGM 2006 - Unearth Hidden Gems With Discover London Trails

25/04/2006


Welcome to the 2006 Discover London Trails created by The Campaign for Museums with support from the Mayor of London and MLA London to celebrate Museums and Galleries Month 2006.

Discover London’s smaller museums and galleries, on a full or half day out, by following one of these trails in a geographical area or through a subject which interests you. Suitable places for refreshments have been suggested and other points of interest included.

 shows a photograph of tower bridge and the Mayor of London's office

The Discover London Trails aim to provide a different and fun way for Londoners and visitors to explore the capital's local history and heritage. Photo: © GLA

Six of these trails now have a supporting audio guide which can be downloaded to an MP3 player or to your computer using i-Tunes from here

This year we have added a sports trail for those who want to find out more about sports – from tennis to cricket, rugby and football – as we prepare for the 2012 Olympics in London.

We have also added a new family friendly box indicating which trails have features, which the whole family can enjoy together.

Some of these trails are walkable, others need public transport. For accurate travel information check Transport for London’s website It’s also a good idea to check opening hours, although every attempt has been to check that these are up to date.

The trails are produced as pdfs, which mean that you can print out the four or five pages and take them with you on your journey. The maps are schematic so if you don’t know London well, take a street map with you as well.

Have fun exploring these trails and let us have your comments and suggestions for Discover London Trails 2007! Email: trails@Campaignformuseums.org.uk.

© The Campaign for Museums (a registered charity).

The shirts, caps and medals of Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Sir Geoff Hurst, a real Champions' Collection - part of the sports trail. Image courtesy West Ham United Football Club.

shows an interior photograph of the West Ham United Museum

Just browse the selection below to access the twelve trails linking up over 100 of the capital's museums and galleries. Click on the pdf links, print out, and off you go...

shows a photograph of the interior staircase at the Gefrrye Museum

Trail 1: Historic Gardens Museum Trail London is rich in historic gardens and this trail takes in the most stunning historic museum gardens in the capital - from Chelsea Physic Garden to the natural herb garden at the Geffrye Museum. Picture © Geffrye Museum.

Trail 2: London's Literary Houses Trail
From Thomas Carlyle's House in Chelsea through to Keats' House in Hampstead major writers who lived in London can be rediscovered in this trail of literary London. Picture © Thomas Carlyle's House/National Trust.

shows an interior photgraph of a drawing room at Carlyle's House
shows an interior cabinet shot of the West Ham Museum

Trail 3: London's Sport Museums
London provides a showcase of sporting excellence that is reflected in this fascinating trail. Prepare to be amazed by some magnificent stadium architecture and enthralled by stories of sporting heroes.

Trail 4: In The Footsteps Of William Morris
Walk in the footsteps of William Morris on a journey that crosses the capital from east to west, south east to south to discover Morris' work, his houses and the arts and crafts treasures at the V&A. Picture © National Trust.

shows an exterior photograph of Red House and gardens
shows an exterior photograph of the Horniman Museum

Trail 5: The Hilltops of South London
Parks, pictures and prehistoric houses are the theme of this trail exploring South London's open spaces, museums and historic buildings - not to mention 150 year old dinosaurs! Picture © The Horniman Museum.

Trail 6: London a World City
Explore the history of immigration and find out how to discover your own London roots in this trail that starts at the Museum of London and takes in the Museum in Docklands, the Museum of Immigration and Diversity and London's two Jewish Museums. Picture © Museum in Docklands.

shows an exterior photgraph of docklands museum with a staue stood in front of it
shows an exterior shot of Brunel Engine House with it's chimney and red warehouse doors

Trail 7: Brunel And The Docklands
Great inventions and great changes in a great city are the themes of this trail, which combines museums, riverside walks, pubs and stunning architecture. You also get to travel through the oldest underwater tunnel in the wolrd. Picture © Brunel Engine House.

Trail 8: Cool Camden, Trendy Islington
From flying high in Hendon to the cool culture and canals of Camden, this trail explores some of the wonderful museums and locations that can explored north of the capital. Picture © London Canal Museum.

shows a photgraph of London Canal Museum
shows a photgraph of Kew Gardens at night

Trail 9: Exploring the Upper Thames
This trail explores the areas of Kew and Richmond around the Upper Thames and takes in several museums, from the stunning Kew Gardens to the beautifully appointed Museum of Richmond and Orleans House Gallery. Picture © Kew Gardens.

Trail 10: Wimbledon
Tennis, temples and gracious living are just some of themes explored in this trail of Wimbledon that starts at Southside House and takes in museums, temples and parks before finishing at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. Picture © Cannizaro Park.

shows a photograph of Cannizaro Park
shows a photograph of Somerset House lit at night

Trail 11: Bright Lights and City Squares
From Mayfair via Covent Garden to Somerset House and Lincoln's Inn this full day trail takes you through some of London's most elegant and lively squares and the museums they contain. Picture © Somerset House.

The Discover London Trails were developed by the Campaign for Museums and supported by the Mayor's Office London and MLA London.

shows the Campaign for Museums Logo
shows the London Logo of GLA
shows the MLA London logo

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Got a story to tell about the old days in London? Do museums miss out your history? Get your past online by having a go with our simple to use Storymaker program. Follow the steps to build a feature or trail and see it online as you work.

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