👷 5 things to do in London this weekend with the kids (29–30 June)

Hello, fellow DiLF!

Have you heard of the London Greenground Map? It features various walking and cycling paths across the city, with each route designed to pass through parks and open spaces. It’s modelled on the London Underground map, but “lines” are labelled “Thames”, “Regent”, etc. instead of Victoria, Piccadilly and so on. 

You might be able to use the Greenground Map for getting to some of the activities listed below; please let me know if you do! 

Enjoy the listings, 

Jeff xx

1: Do something arty (not sure what) at Dulwich Picture Gallery’s Art Sundays

Art Sundays
Sunday 30 June, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00
Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, SE21 7AD
FREE with a museum ticket (adults £20, children under 18 free); but note that you MUST book a free ticket to the Art Sunday in addition to the museum ticket

In my attempt to uncover what Art Sundays are actually about (other than “art” and “Sunday”), I’ve discovered nothing at all. I reckon I could extract more information from a double agent under deep cover in a hostile territory than what I’ve learned about Dulwich Picture Gallery’s monthly event.  

All I know – all anyone knows – is that Art Sundays are about being inspired to “make art together as a family”. You and your children will be able to experiment with colour and create artworks, and that’s all I can tell you. 

It’s fine, though: it’s Dulwich Picture Gallery. Everything there is ace – including the food, which is so much more original, tasty and reasonably priced than at other galleries. The gardens are lovely, and the art on display is of the classical “this picture looks like something in real life” variety – which can be a welcome relief if you’re tired and not in the mood to interpret something more Pollock-esque on the day of your visit. 

Random fact for you: built in 1811, Dulwich Picture Gallery is the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery. If that comes up in your next pub quiz, you’re welcome. 

Find out more: https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/whats-on/family-events/2024/june/art-sundays/ 

While you’re there… 

👍️ As regular readers will be aware, I still haven’t been to the Horniman Museum. (I’m still intending to go soon: promise.) It’s a half-hour walk or 15-minute bus ride from Dulwich Picture Gallery, and everyone raves about it. The gardens feature a small-animal enclosure, a butterfly house, a nature trail, an ornamental garden, a sound garden (with large musical instruments for playing), and tons more. 

👍️ In the words of George, DINE-SAUR!!! The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs were built in 1854 and are the first dinosaur sculptures in the world. Funnily enough, they’re actually a pretty crap representation of the real things – due to the inaccuracies of early palaeontology. Information boards around the park give insights into the differences between what we knew then compared to what we know now.

2: Visit a secret private island in London that’s normally closed to visitors 

Eel Pie Island Summer Open Studios 2024
Saturday and Sunday, 11:00–16:00
Eel Pie Island, Twickenham Embankment, TW1 3DY
FREE

I’m too young to remember when Eel Pie Island was famous for hosting gigs by Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, The Who and the Rolling Stones. And I’m definitely too young to remember the eel pies (made from locally caught eels) sold there in the 1800s. 

Once only accessible by boat, this former anarchist commune is now home to 26 artists’ studios and a footbridge. While you can cross the bridge at any time of year, there’s not much point because everything is closed to visitors. EXCEPT dum dum duuuuum on two weekends a year – one of which happens to be this very weekend. (The other one? Errr it’s next weekend. But then that’s it. That’s your lot. No more this year. Oh: there might be one in December too. But that’s IT.)  

So what can you do during your visit? You can talk to the artists and buy or commission new artworks. And you’ll probably want to have a nosey around and look at the 50-odd homes there (there are just 120-odd residents in total). I’ve seen some videos and photos of the place, and it really does seem to have retained a hippie-like vibe. Imagine if Canary Wharf had given birth to the world’s most rebellious baby. That. 

Find out more: https://www.eelpieislandartists.co.uk/ 

While you’re there… 

👍️ Everyone raves about the Eel Pie Island Museum, which provides a history of rowing, boat building and – of course – entertainment, music and artistry on the island.  

👍️ Ham Lands Nature Reserve (what is it with the names of places around here?) is lovely for a walk along the river. 

👍️ There’s also York House Gardens, which has a massive beautiful fountain to make up for its less interesting name. The gardens are well maintained, and it’s just a lovely peaceful place in general.

3: Challenge the norm with a unique choir event

Hot Choir Summer with F*Choir
Saturday 29 June, 16:00
The Albany, Douglas Way, SE8 4AG

Adults £14, children £8

​​There are many things you can say about me. “Big fan of crunchy peanut butter” is one of them. “Not enamoured with the Circle Line” is another. But something you definitely can’t say is, “Writes about the same old safe and predictable activities in this newsletter.” In fact, I recently received my first “I am DISGUSTED” email – after mentioning the World Naked Bike Ride the other week. Achievement unlocked!

Now, here’s something equally unique: a 60-piece, London-based, all-genders community choir that sings about “gender, sexuality, freedom and rage”. The avoidance of norms doesn’t end there: they don’t use standard sheet music or gendered voice parts, devising other ways to perform.

Saturday’s matinee event is aimed at children and families, featuring fun singalongs and brand new songs that embrace the “sweat theme for Hot Choir Summer.” You’re encouraged to bring your best rain boots and raincoats”, as well as “your energy, your smiles, and your voices”. That’s a long list for someone who still has to recite “kids, keys, crisps and coat” before leaving the flat. 

You might want to check out some of their output on YouTube before booking, as they definitely have a unique style and subject matter. 

Find out more: https://www.thealbany.org.uk/shows/hot-choir-summer 

While you’re there… 

👍️ A quick DLR or bus ride will take you to the National Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark and Old Royal Naval College. If the community choir wasn’t a slam dunk of a good time for everyone, any of these boaty destinations may well buoy (haha!) their spirits. 

👍️ After doing all the boaty things, you can straddle the Prime Meridian Line – the home of Greenwich Mean Time – at the Royal Observatory. (There’s LOADS of other things to do at the Royal Observatory; check it all out here.)

👍️ Greenwich Park is also nearby, of course. I’m beginning to feel like I’m reciting the chapter of a Lonely Planet guide, so I’ll leave it there for the Greenwich sights.

4: Watch a fun show with an orchestral accompaniment

Far, Far Away: Mendelssohn and the Moving Machines
Saturday and Sunday, 10:00, 11:00, 12:45 and 13:45
King’s Place, 90 York Way,, N1 9AG
Adults £11.50, children £9.50

Many of us like the idea of immersing ourselves in some high culture – but definitely not during any child-free time because that time is for Taskmaster and Love Island. So when classical music is combined with kid-friendly stories and visuals, it’s a guaranteed hit: we feel good for introducing our children to classical music, for introducing ourselves to classical music, for giving our children an enjoyable experience, and for doing all this without much effort. 

And that’s largely why, for the past five years or so, I’ve taken one or both of my children to Aurora Orchestra performances at King’s Place. This time the composer is Mendelssohn (whose music is played live by an in-house orchestra), and the accompanying original story is about cars, hot air balloons, trains and other “moving machines”. There are props galore, encouragements to dance and sing, and plenty of parents and grandparents who – like you – are feeling smug that they’re watching something more highbrow than Blippi.

Find out more: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/aurora-orchestra-far-far-away

While you’re there… 

👍️ The Star of Kings pub was once called The Cross Kings, which we can all agree is a much cleverer name. It was a kooky, strange place back in pre-KX-gentrification days, with odd little club nights and a lentil-heavy menu long before “Plant Based” was the modal adjective at every London restaurant. 

The Star of Kings isn’t quite as weird or wonderful as the original, but it has one massive redeeming feature: Breddos Tacos on the menu. It’s next to King’s Place, and you should definitely go there for lunch after the Mendelssohn thing.

5: Attend the not-quite-opening party of a soon-to-be-restored building (hard hats required for tours!)

The Tate Institute community day
Saturday 29 June, 15:00–20:00
1 Wythes Road, E16 2DN
FREE

So this is cool. The REinsTate Project (which I had to copy-paste because I kept getting the capital letters wrong) is an initiative that’s restoring the beloved-but-derelict Tate Institute building in Newham and turning it into a community hub for creatives, entrepreneurs and the wider community. 

This Saturday, there’s a big open day event that offers guided tours of the Tate Institute and family-friendly events such as arts and crafts, local music and improv theatre. 

Find out more: https://reinstate.info/ (scroll down to “Event highlights”)

While you’re there… 

👍️ Trinity Buoy Wharf is the place where lighthouses, lightships and buoys were once fixed, but these days it’s a creative hub with artist studios, galleries and workspaces made from shipping containers. It also has the city’s only (now non-working) lighthouse – where Michael Faraday conducted experiments on light. 

There’s a bonkers variety of arty stuff to do and see, including the Longplayer – a 1,000-year-long musical composition, which began playing in 1999 and will continue to play (without repetition) until the last moment of 2999. What then? It will start playing again from the start. 

Book now! Shrug, sigh and say “Oh go on then” to yet another Intsagram-tastic immersive museum

Paradox Museum
90 Brompton Road, SW3 1JJ
From 17 July, at various times throughout the day
Adults from £22, children 4–17 from £16.50

Yes, another one. This one is called the Paradox Museum, and it’s part of a global chain – with venues currently open in Berlin, Barcelona and Miami. When the London outpost opens, it will contain tons of optical illusion-style spaces that make for great photos and – when you upload them to social media for everyone to see – free advertising. Think upside-down rooms (where it looks like you’re standing on the ceiling), strange tunnels that make it feel like the world is twisting around you, and lots of mirrors. 

I’ve been to the Barcelona venue and it’s great – but it didn’t seem all that different in scope from the Twist Museum on Oxford Street. If you’ve already done the Twist, maybe don’t bother with this one – but if you’ve been to neither, just go to the one that’s nearer. (Price-wise, there’s not much in it.) Or skip them both – and tell your kids they closed down due to a rat infestation problem or something.

Find out more: https://feverup.com/m/176858