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The Capital's Most Exciting Worlds to Leap Inside, as Nominated by YOU in the Time Well Spent Awards Whether its unravelling mysteries in a steampunk town; experiencing an alien invasion; secret 1930s super-speakesy opulence or helping Paddington prepare for the Marmalade Festival, Londoners can’t get enough of immersive attractions. But which is your favourite world to leap inside? You have spoken and your nominations for London’s best immersive experiences are below. The ultimate Time Well Spent Awards winner will be crowned in August. _______________________ Phantom Peak The world's first, fully  immersive open-world adventure invites you to explore a fully realised, 30,000 square foot Steampunk  town inhabited by quirky characters and brimming with mysteries and stories. Over four plus hours, you can go on adventure of your choosing, perhaps strolling along the canal getting the gossip from locals, or even launching a career as the town’s resident criminal?  Then enjoy food and drink in the Wild-West themed Thirsty Frontier Saloon, interact with immersive sets, technology, and live actors. Phantom Peak London, Surrey Quays Rd, London SE16 7PJ Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience Experience a real Martian invasion in London at this immersive blockbuster, with 24 breathtaking scenes, in which you’ll see 300-foot Martian Fighting Machines brought to life. This is all set to Jeff Wayne's extraordinary score, with live actors, 3D immersive sound, holographic projections, virtual reality and realistic physical sensations to ensure you are at the centre of the action. The War of the Worlds , 56 Leadenhall St, London EC3A 2BJ Paddington Bear Experience Read our review There is no greater escapism than leaping into the perfect, joyous London of The Paddington Bear Experience, where the biggest life troubles revolve around a lack of oranges for the Marmalade Festival. The immersive, theatrical experience is forensically faithful to the three much-loved Paddington films, with a series of actors, special effects and magical sets inspired by the franchise’s iconic locations, across 26,000 square feet of Southbank’s County Hall taking you on an adventure from Paddington Station, through the Brown's iconic house, onto Peru and culminating in the big Marmalade Festival. The Paddington Bear™ Experience , London County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB Mamma Mia! The Party Have the time of your life dancing and dining in this extraordinary recreation of the island of Skopelos. As the sun sets, you’ll take your seats at Nikos’ family-run taverna for a four-course Greek meal, while the warm and romantic story is performed around you, before donning your Dancing Queen crowns at a glittering ABBA disco. Mamma Mia! The Party, The O2, Unit 6.05, The O2, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX The Lost Estate: 58th Street Step back in time to 1930s New York, to Manhattan’s last, greatest super-speakeasy where the greatest night of the Jazz Age is reborn for a night of unbridled glamour and total immersion. It features three sets of Wild Harlem jazz, a 6-course Park Avenue feast, and a Pandora’s box of Jazz Age tales and wicked surprises. Each opulent detail of this outrageous true story about speakeasy pioneer Belle Livingstone at 58th Street has been crafted, re-imagined, brought back to life by the team of artists, visionaries and world-makers behind The Lost Estate. 58th Street, 9 Beaumont Ave, London W14 9LP Shrek’s Adventure Read our review Launch into the clouds from the South Bank on a magical flying bus (with Donkey as tour guide) past dragons, witches and Rumpelstiltskin and then land with a crash in Far, Far Away, the home of Shrek and the start of your adventure. It’s a wild adventure through the land of children’s favourite ogres and fairytale characters, technology and immaculately created sets. Shrek’s Adventure tickets.  Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 The London Dungeon Teens can scream their way through deliciously dark and grisly recreations of historical events, brimming with gallow's humour, at one of London's most loved attractions, with 360 degree sets; 13 interactive shows; 20 live actors and 1000 years of history. Our readers' highlights include its Drop Dead Ride, a close shave with Fleet Street barber Sweeney Todd, braving the secrets of the torture chamber and investigating who the mysterious Jack the Ripper might have been. Recommended for ages 12 up. The London Dungeon,  Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7PB Avora Family Experience Read our review Up an unassuming, Shoreditch street is a secret portal to another planet. And on school holidays and Sundays, you can take your kids for a well-deserved break from Earth, on planet Avora. This otherworldly adventure will see you encounter scientists, mocktails, aliens, army villains and closes with a child-pleasing, farty finale. Avora: Family Immersive Adventure  5C, 127 Hackney Road, London, E2 8GY. Sundays, 12pm – 3:30pm. School Holiday weekdays. £24.50 per child (6-13) £29.50 per adult The FRIENDS Experience: The One in London Dance in front of the fountain, peep through the iconic purple door at Rachel and Monica’s apartment, play foosball at Joey and Chandler’s, and take a selfie on the couch in Central Perk. They have painstakingly recreated sets and details - from Phoebe’s New York cab to the 18 page letter - for fans to dive into the hit TV show, as well as the FRIENDS station for turbo-photo opps. Could it BE more immersive? The FRIENDS Experience. Excel London, Immerse LDN, London E16 1XL Frameless Situated in Marble Arch, Frameless is the largest, permanent multi-sensory experience in the UK. Boasting four, themed galleries - Beyond Reality, Colour In Motion, The World Around Us and The Art Of Abstraction - with some of the world’s greatest works of art exploding across the walls, floors and ceilings of a 30,000 sq ft space. You can step inside more than 43 masterpieces by 28 artists, including Kandinsky, Monet, Van Gogh, Klimt, Munch, Monet, Rembrandt, Dali and Cezanne with musical scores accompanying each brushstroke. Frameless , Marble Arch, London W1H 7FD Like what you've read? Please keep in touch!

Ogre and out-out at Shrek’s Adventure Pack a little cushion to catch your kids’ jaws as they drop to the ground, while they launch into the clouds from the South Bank on a magical flying bus (with Donkey as tour guide) past dragons, witches and Rumpelstiltskin and then land with a crash in Far, Far Away, the home of Shrek and the start of your adventure. It kicks off with a winning formula of fart jokes and immersive experience, stomping through Shrek's stinking, mossy, 4D swamp with the first of many excellent actors - this one is Cinderella, who sets the scene for our fairytale, begging us to find the big green guy and reach the happy ending. If participation isn’t your bag, turn your kids into a human shield, wear black and avoid eye contact, because the ten, fairytale-themed experiences require the audience to solve clues, sing, pass on props and get locked in Shrek's toilet. The attention to detail is exceptional, with fantastic sets, puppetry, actors, ingenious Dreamworks animation and VR technology enabling you to see, hear, touch and smell the adventure. You’ll have animated or puppet encounters with Donkey, Puss in Boots, Pinocchio, Princess Fiona and (if your mission is successful) Shrek himself. You’ll also meet all the big, fairytale celebs, from Sleeping Beauty to The Muffin Man, along the way. Highlights included the 4D flying bus, finding clues in Esmerelda’s crystal ball, getting lost in the Spooky Forest and the Mirror Maze, cooking spells with The Muffin Man, meeting Puss in Boots at the Poison Apple pub and rescuing Pinocchio from the Wheel of Torture in a deliciously dark and funny, interactive game show. The target age is 6-12 years, although younger children are welcome. We took our three-year-old daughter and baby son. She loved it and was so immersed that Rumpelstiltskin narrowly avoided a right hook from her at the end, as she valiantly battled to rescue Shrek, who helped us escape a dungeon by smashing the wall with his giant, green fist. Although, there were moments when she gripped my hand a little tighter - as Rump’s coterie of witches chased us through the forest and flew around us on the bus. The attraction was a sensory experience on steroids for our baby, who was in his element. There are no buggies during the tour, so pack a baby carrier or work on your guns. And no photos are allowed during the show, which adds to the immersive experience. But your sprogs can flash their gnashers for the Gram after the tour, in the Dreamworks Play Station, where they’ll be able to pose and play in various scenes with Dreamworks characters including Princess Poppy - a massive highlight for our Trolls-obsessed daughter - Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon creatures. We definitely recommend buying tickets in advance, as prices are much higher on the door and on-the-door queue times plus children can create more than one ogre. Definitely take them for a wee before it starts, not just because Far, Far Away has no loos for guests and the tour is about 75 minutes long, but because your kids will appreciate hearing Shrek and Donkey farting in the cubicle, and so will you. If you like the Shrek films or seeing your kids breathlessly excited and bewitched by immersive magic, you’ll love Shrek’s Adventure, even if you exit the gift shop cradling a tower of stuffed, green toys. Shrek’s Adventure tickets.  Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter

Our Special Time Well Spent Award, Recognising the Capital's Most Inspirational Chefs and Restaurateurs Our special Hospitality Hero Award recognises outstanding achievements from the capital’s most inspiring chefs and restaurateurs, who keep our city at the centre of the culinary map. This year’s Time Well Spent Awards nominees for London's Hospitality Heroes have been announced below, and the ultimate winner will be crowned in August. ______________________ David Carter Born and raised in Barbados and inspired by his constant foodie pilgrimages around the world, David Carter has been blowing up London’s food scene since moving here in 2008, with a succession of acclaimed and wonderfully diverse restaurants. His first restaurant Smokestak started as a street food stall before opening its permanent Shoreditch home in 2016, where its slow cooked, excellent value meats - and dishes like crispy ox cheek with anchovy mayo - earned it a Bib Gourmand award from Michelin and cemented its place as one of the capital’s best barbecue restaurants. He followed this with Manteca, an exceptional British-Italian restaurant, with nose-to-tail cooking, hand-rolled pastas, fire-cooked cuts to share and wood-fired bread. This and dishes like its ’nduja steamed mussels and crispy pig skin ragù, bagged it a Bib Gourmand. His most recent (and most ambitious) venture is OMA - which earned a Michelin star in February, less than a year after opening and is one of London’s most affordable, and extraordinary Michelin restaurants. The serene Borough destination is inspired by the tranquility and romance of the Greek isles and serves orgasmic sharing dishes, from oxtail, topped with bone marrow and beef fat with orzo pasta, to fluffy wild-farmed laffa, and citrusy chalkstream trout crudo. Beneath OMA is its sister restaurant, the more relaxed and buzzy Agora, a Bib Gourmand souvla bar, specialising in skewers and the same, sexy dips and flatbreads as the hotspot upstairs. Our pick is OMA, 3 Bedale St, London SE1 9AL Adejoké Bakare Adejoké Bakare made history last year as the first Black woman in the UK - and only the second worldwide - to earn a Michelin star, for Chishuru in Fitzrovia. The self-taught chef from Nigeria is leading London’s West African food movement, as the trailblazing founder and Head Chef of the modern West African restaurant, which started in 2020 after she won a Brixton Village competition to open a three-month pop-up restaurant. The opportunity inspired Adejoké to finally realise her lifelong dreams of pursuing a career in food, and after pop-ups around London, Chishuru found a permanent home in 2023 in Fitzrovia. Innovative and bold dishes include her signature firewood grilled, spicy and buttery cow tongue, served with bone marrow emulsion; and favourites like the scotch bonnet with ekuru, and caramelised onion and lemon with guinea fowl yassa. It’s a yassa from us and everybody else who has visited her elegant and welcoming destination. Chishuru , 3 Great Titchfield St., London W1W 8AX Chantelle Nicholson This multi-award-winning chef, restaurateur, author and sustainability advocate is one of the leading female voices in the UK’s hospitality industry. Her Mayfair restaurant, Apricity launched in 2022 and earned a Michelin Green Star the following year, which she’s maintained since, for reinventing what veg-forward, conscious cooking can be. Originally from New Zealand, she walked away from a career in law to pursue her true passion - food. And she is dedicated to creating a more sustainable and holistic future across her operations and activities. She is also an independent board member for ReLondon, an ambassador for Chefs in Schools, a member of City Harvest’s Food Council, and an advocate for many other charitable organisations and author of hit, plant-based cookbook, Planted. And if that’s not all, this plant-powered Superwoman has just launched a new, regenerative countryside hub in Sussex. The Cordia Collective - a new, eco-friendly cafe, bakery and restaurant - is centred around her regenerative farming ethos. Apricity , 68 Duke St, London W1K 6JU Scott Collins Smashed burger king, Scott Collins led the way in meaty, Americana food with great cocktails and music, and Londoners followed like eager Bisto Kids. The restaurant and pub owner made the meaty love child with Yianni Papoutsis, starting out as MEATwagon burgers, and then opening a MEATeasy pop-up in New Cross, where they sparked a burger revolution with the deliciously dirty, Dead Hippie - two French Mustard-fried patties with gooey cheese, onions, pickles, and their secret sauce. From there, they moved on to the legendary Welbeck street meat Mecca for seven years, before exploding across the capital and beyond, in unexpected locations, like a former Citroen Garage and an ex Christian mission. And in February, he launched his newest venue, Covent Garden’s BLOODsports, showing live sport peppered with horror movies, alongside pinball and arcade machines, killer Monkey Fingers and Chicago Dogs, and a ‘Psychobooth’ photobooth inspired by the Psycho shower scene. Meatliquor - numerous location Clare Smyth MBE Clare Smyth is the first and only female chef to be awarded three Michelin stars for her restaurant Core by Clare Smyth in Notting Hill. The elegant, fine-dining restaurant focuses on natural, sustainable food, using British produce from dedicated farmers. She trained in some of the most celebrated kitchens in the world including Alain Ducasse’s Le Louis XV in Monaco, and worked under Gordon Ramsay for 13 years, becoming Chef Patron of three Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay before opening her own restaurant. In 2021, she opened her second restaurant, Oncore in Australia. which instantly secured three hats. Unsurprisingly, in 2013 she was awarded an MBE for services to the hospitality industry, and was later honoured with a Doctorate by Queen's University Belfast for her expertise in the hospitality industry. She dedicates her time outside the kitchen to mentoring the next generation, as the President of the Bocuse d'Or UK team as well as working with assorted charities that are close to her heart.  Core by Clare Smyth , 92 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2PN Douglas McMaster At the age of just 21, Douglas McMaster won BBC’s Best Young Chef Award and has made culinary history ever since, as chef, author, presenter and owner of Silo, the world’s first Zero Waste restaurant. In 2012, he worked under the legendary artist and Zero Waste visionary Joost Bakker, who challenged him to ‘not have a bin,’ which fuelled his passion for finding innovative (and delicious) solutions to tackle food waste. He went on to present a TEDTalk called ‘Waste Is A Failure Of The Imagination’ and has become a public speaker on the future of food. In 2014, he opened Silo, the first Zero Waste restaurant, which he describes as a ‘pre-industrial food system’. Doug is also a regular lecturer and faculty member for the MAD Academy, where he inspires the next generation of leaders to think differently about food systems, waste, and the industry. Silo , The White Building, Unit 7 1st Floor, c/o CRATE Bar, Unit 7 Queen's Yard, London E9 5EN Luke Ahearne In February, less than a year after Luke opened his sophisticated Mediterranean bistro, Lita in Marylebone - it bagged its first Michelin star. Combining quality British ingredients – like Scottish langoustines and Norfolk quail - with open fire cooking and the seasonal flavours of Southern Europe, Luke has found his way to Londoner’s hearts by filling their stomachs with smoked Basque sardines and Strozzapreti with duck ragu, as head chef at the restaurant. Guests - and the A-list clientele it now attracts - can watch Luke at work via its grand, open kitchen. The Irishman hails from Tipperary, and helped his mum make sandwiches for special needs children at her school from age nine, then worked at his dad’s cafe and ran it for two years from the age of just 18. Then, after four years at Michelin restaurant, Campagne in Kilkenny, he set his sights on London. Here he started work at two Michelin star restaurant, The Clove Club, and ran its sister restaurant Luca for four years before taking on the role as Head Chef at Corrigan’s Mayfair, when he was just 29. Lita , 7-9 Paddington St, Marylebone, London W1U 5QH Henry Harris One of London’s most loved restaurateurs, Henry Harris is chef and co owner of Bouchon Racine and the 300-year-old Three Compasses pub beneath it in Farringdon. The classic bistro offers a masterclass in ballsy French cooking, with dishes including crispy skinned rabbit wrapped in smoked bacon, duck confit and steak tartare. Restaurant critics were falling over each other to applaud it when it opened in 2022, following the closure of his Racine restaurant in 2002, which was an iconic Knightsbridge institution. Bouchon Racine , Upstairs at Three Compasses, Upstairs, 66 Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BP David Moore Irish restaurateur, entrepreneur and TV personality, David Moore is the founder of London’s longest standing Michelin star restaurant, Pied à Terre. He opened the legendary, French fine dining institution on Charlotte Street in 1991, bagging its first Michelin just 13 months after opening, and following it up with a second, five years later. The restaurant rose like a Phoenix from the ashes, after a fire forced it to close for a year in 2005. In a now legendary hospitality story, Moore kept the entire team on, sending them to gain experience elsewhere, while he had it rebuilt, redecorated and resurrected.  It went on to be voted Restaurant Magazine's Best Restaurant in the World in 2007, and continues to hoover up accolades, from four AA Rosettes to the UK's No1 Vegan Tasting Experience. When he’s not working front of house at the restaurant in his trademark, jazzy shirts, David can be found on telly boxes in shows like BBC MasterChef: The Professionals, or The Restaurant, where he appeared alongside his former mentor, Raymond Blanc. Pied-à-Terre , 34 Charlotte St., London W1T 2NH Matt Harris From fast cars to fast food, former F3 race car driver transformed London’s fried chicken scene, by swapping his race suit for chef whites and opening Thunderbird Fried Chicken. During a move to America’s Deep South for NASCAR - where his racing career finally ended - he discovered a passion for fried chicken and barbecue, inspiring him to come back to the UK and open a BBQ food truck. One dish stood out and bagged him an award - his buffalo wings, with a crispier coating, tender meat, deeper sauce flavour, pickled celery, and truffle oil in blue cheese This led him to close the truck and focus on creating London’s trailblazing fried chicken, and Thunderbird Fried Chicken was born in 2017. I t now has seven restaurants across London, from Canary Wharf and Charing Cross to The O2. Thunderbird Fried Chicken , assorted London locations Roop Partap Choudhary Restaurateur and hotelier, Roop Partap Choudhary is celebrated for introducing authentic, forward-thinking Indian cuisine to London, with his luxury Indian restaurants, Colonel Saab in Trafalgar Square and Holborn, which have been hoovering up prestigious awards. Before opening his flagship Holborn destination in 2021, he spent a year travelling India by car, train and foot, retracing his father (Colonel Saab’s) footsteps and collecting recipes from palaces, homes and markets. His father’s Indian Army postings enabled Roop to experience the continent's rich diversity of food from traditional local lunches in the tents of Rajasthan to banquets hosted by Indian nobility and Maharajas, which formed the basis for his London destinations. The restaurants are filled with museum-worthy art and artefacts collected by his family in India and painstakingly brought back to London. Unsurprisingly the restaurants have become celebrity hotspots - welcoming everybody from Jennifer Coolidge, Phil Dunster and Jonathan Ross to Malala Yousafzai - but also foodies and Indians, excited about experiencing authoritative Indian fine dining. Colonel Saab - Trafalgar Square and Holborn locations Like what you've read? Please keep in touch!

The Capital's Top Art Shows, Nominated by YOU for the Time Well Spent Awards Over the past 12 months, the art world has expanded and blown minds with inflatable museums, kawaii juggernauts, cartoonish hospitals, wonder dolls and light alchemy. But which was your best London art exhibition of the year? You have spoken, and the nominations for the Time Well Spent Awards are below. The ultimate winner will be crowned in August. ___________________________ Cute Exhibition The Hello Kitty-filled, Cute exhibition was catnip for the Instagram generation; an adorable, fluffy playground for children and a fascinating journey through the rise of cuteness in contemporary culture for anybody keen to look deeper than the hearts and doe eyes.  The Somerset House show was a slick, huge and sickly sweet juggernaut, crammed with 'adorable' art and immersive installations by more than 50 artists, including a dreamscape sleepover room; Hello Kitty disco; a shrine to plushies and games arcades.  But beneath the sugar was a compelling story about the history of cute, its powerful links to capitalism and its unsettling, emotional manipulation. Somerset House , Embankment Galleries, South Wing Yoko Ono: Music for the Mind Spanning more than seven decades and featuring over 200 artworks, this was the UK’s largest exhibition celebrating Ono’s groundbreaking, multidisciplinary career, from the mid-1950s to now – including her years in London where she met her future husband and longtime collaborator John Lennon. It included her Instruction Pieces, which you could interact with - shaking hands with a stranger through a hole; making a peace wish and tying it to a tree; drawing on a boat installation; completing tasks inside a black bag and playing chess with all-white pieces as well as her most famous pieces, like the banned Bottoms film and Cut Piece, where people were invited to cut off her clothing. Tate Modern , Bankside, London SE1 9TG When Form Comes Alive Hayward Gallery’s glorious, When Forms Come Alive exhibition spanned  60 years of contemporary sculpture and featured a warren of spaces to explore, with 21 artists’ takes on movement and the poetics of gravity. It included giant, crystallised bubbles, explosions, neon rollercoasters, pink fleshy tubes to investigate to techno music, and dancing lights you lay beneath, with frills which opened and closed like otherworldly jelly fish. Hayward Gallery , Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX The World of Tim Burton We whispered Beetlejuice three times, and the UK premiere of The World of Tim Burton appeared at London's Design Museum. The alchemist of whimsical goth horror’s exhibition explored the darkly unique aesthetic behind some of the most celebrated films of the last four decades, mastering the comically grotesque and the endearingly misfit. Drawing from Burton’s personal archive and representing his creative output from childhood to the present day, this collection of drawings, paintings, photographs, sketchbooks, moving-image works, sculptural installations, set and costume design focussed on the recurrent visual themes and motifs found in Burton’s art and film worlds. Design Museum, 224-238 Kensington High St, London W8 6AG Leigh Bowery! In his short, but brilliant life, Leigh Bowery left an indelible mark on the art world, as artist, performer, model, TV personality, club promoter, fashion designer and musician. This eclectic and immersive exhibition is a rare chance to experience many of Bowery’s looks alongside his collaborations with artists including Michael Clark, Charles Atlas, Nick Knight, and Lucian Freud. It provides a fresh insight into the creative scenes in London, New York and beyond featuring Lady Bunny, MINTY and Boy George and allow us to step into Bowery’s dynamic world that blurred the lines between art and life. Tate Modern,  Bankside, London SE1 9TG Jason and the Adventure of 254 Artist Jason Wilsher-Mills presented his major (and FREE) solo exhibition, which transformed the gallery into a cartoonish hospital ward, full of surreal humour and kaleidoscopic colour, exploring his experience of becoming disabled as a child. The joyful show invited visitors to touch everything. Highlights included a giant installation of a figure in a hospital bed, Seb Coe with a TV for a head, huge calliper boots and penny arcade inspired dioramas. Wellcome Collection ,  183 Euston Rd, London NW1 2BE Balloon Museum: EmotionAir The world’s first inflatable art museum opened in East London, after attracting more than three million visitors on its stops in Paris, Rome, Milan and Madrid. The Balloon Museum launched with huge fanfare and giant queues for the EmotionAir exhibition, featuring works by 20 artists, in which air was a distinctive element. Visitors enjoyed sound trapped in floating bubbles, giant pink rabbits, huge, otherworldly ball pits, psychedelic balls you could swing and monstrous weebles in a show you were invited to immerse yourselves in through play and touch. 1 Old Billingsgate Walk , London EC3R 6DX Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art Textiles are literally part of the fabric of our lives and each thread reveals stories about  gender, labour, value, ecology, ancestral knowledge, and histories of oppression, extraction and trade.  This exhibition shone a light on this rarely explored subject, featuring 50 international artists from the 1960s to today who have explored the transformative and subversive potential of textiles.  It featured more than 100 artworks, from intimate hand-crafted pieces to large-scale sculptural installations.   Highlights included handstitched tapestries used to carry the memories of the deceased it touched; giant, deity-like macrame sculptures; a spatial installation exploring textiles’ use as an ancient form of communication and embroidered blankets, reflecting on an artist’s HIV diagnosis. Barbican Centre ,  Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur To mark his 65th birthday, Sir Grayson Perry presents over 40 new works, in the largest contemporary exhibition ever held at the museum. Visitors encounter ceramics, tapestries and works on paper, displayed alongside masterpieces from the collection that helped shape Perry’s vision for this landmark show. The show questions the nature of craft-making and our drive for perfectionism. Intricate handcrafted objects are shown alongside works made with digital technology – comparing an object that may have taken thousands of hours to create against one that was possible with the click of a button. Through these approaches, Perry asks the viewer to contemplate questions concerning authenticity and the artist’s role in the future. The Wallace Collection , Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN Anthony McCall - Solid Light at Tate Modern The Godfather of immersive exhibitions, Anthony McCall brought his extraordinary, Solid Light show to Tate Modern, inviting visitors to bring artworks to life through movements and interactions. Beams of light projected through a thin mist created large, three-dimensional forms in space, which slowly shifted and changed. As you moved through these translucent light sculptures, you’ll create new, airy sculptures. Occupying a space between sculpture, cinema, drawing, and performance, McCall is known for his innovative installations of light. In 1973, his seminal work Line Describing a Cone redefined the possibilities of sculpture and this show was one of Tate’s big blockbusters. Anthony McCall: Solid Light.  Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG Barbie: The Exhibition The wonder doll (and society’s) evolution was charted in this luminous exhibition, which opened to coincide with Barbie’s 65th birthday. Exploring her story through a design lens including fashion, architecture, furniture and vehicle design, her plastic-fantastic universe engulfed the Design Museum, showing changing attitudes to women’s careers - Barbie has had more than 250 jobs -  race, sexuality, fashion and body image. Highlights included a rare first edition of the very first doll released by Mattel in 1959, the first Black, Hispanic and Asian dolls to bear the Barbie name, as well as dolls that reflect today’s diverse, multicultural society, including the first Barbie with Down Syndrome, the first to use a wheelchair, and the first to be designed with a curvy body shape. Design Museum,  224-238 Kensington High St, London W8 6AG Rong Bao is Me Deliciously surreal artist, Rong Bao transforms everyday objects into playful, otherworldly and interactive artworks to laugh at the absurdity of life. In this show, wonderfully bizarre sculptures resembled giant, robotic trifles or dancing, rainbow coloured burgers in feather headdresses and demanded a smile. Other highlights included a Fragile box, perpetually being dropped from a conveyor belt.  Saatchi Gallery , Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, London SW3 4RY Like what you've read? Please keep in touch!

As nominated by YOU, our readers, in this Time Well Spent Awards category sponsored by Bar-Be-Quick Nothing hits the spot quite like a burger. Late nights, lazy afternoons... hell, we're not too proud to say we'd do a morning burger, too, if anyone's willing to serve it. Thankfully, you're as passionate about burgers as we are, and the nominations came in thick and fast for London's Best Burger. So, let's get to it. Here are YOUR nominations for the finest patties in our city. Smash and Grab at Sam’s Kitchen Hammersmith You'll have to time your visit to grab a smash burger from Sam's Kitchen, as Smash and Grab take over the grill from Thursday to Saturday every week. It's worth it though, if you fancy chowing down on a tip-top burger with loaded fries and cocktails. The Smash and Grab crew offer a bunless version for those of you who are on a diet (did someone say keto feast? ), which works just fine when you consider that the patty is the dealbreaker here. The meat's from award-winning butcher, HG Walter and the burgers are made to order - none of that hot-plate action in THIS place, thankyouverymuch,. The loaded fries come with shallots, jalapeños and cheese, and there's a chorizo version, too. Pair that up with some excellent cocktails or some 'Big Smashing wines chosen by Sam' and you've got yourself a party . Sam's Kitchen 17 Crisp Road,Hammersmith,London,W6 9RL Bleecker Various Locations With the proliferation of American burger joints making their way across the sea to London, it would be easy to get swallowed up in a wave of newcomers, but Bleecker stands out thanks to its willingness to bend to our European ways. Let's be real, American cheese is the pits. Sorry, America, you can tarrif the world all you want, but when you're exporting that plastic muck, we ain't buying it. Step forward then. Bleecker's Blue Burger, which for our money is the pick of the cheeseburgers on this menu. It's exactly what you'd expect - a hunky chunk of beef, slathered in blue cheese and with that crispy goodness of onion and lettuce. Sounds simple, because it is! If you're not a fan of the stinky stuff, there is American cheese on the menu (we won't judge you, promise) as well as straight-up beefburgers that let the patty sing on its own. Oh, and for the veggies among you, the Symplicity burger - made of mushroom, beetroot and onion - is tasty enough to make your meat-eating friends envious. Bleecker Our favourite location: Old Spitalfields Market, London E21 6EA Burger & Beyond Various Locations Borough Market is a Mecca for food lovers, so if you open a restaurant there it had better be good. Thankfully, Burger and Beyond passes the test. Perhaps unexpectedly, they're not your average burger joint. This menu boasts a Chopped Cheese Foccacia burger; Fried Chicken Thigh with sriracha and crinkle pickles; Bacon Butter Burger with burnt butter mayo; and the Japanese-inspired veggie option, Oso Yaki. Our choice? The British French Dip - medium rare rump steak with beef jus, gruyere, fried onions, dijonaise and French roll. Side that up ith Bone Marrow Gravy Fries and you can live the rest of your life knowing you did things right. Burger and Beyond Our favourite location: Arch 231, Borough Yards, Bank End, London, SE1 9FJ Bun & Sum Various Locations Inspired by the US (we'll allow it - they invented burgers, after all) - but born in Bow, Bun & Sum do smash bugers right. In a world where Michelin starred chefs create dishes that look like works of art, there's something primal about a burger that looks like it's been created by a toddler on acid. That's not to say the result isn't exceptionally good, but these patties are created for your taste buds, not Instagram (though you'll find plenty of them on there, too...) What is Bun & Sum? Well, Bun is the burgers - think smash patties with anything from in-house sauces to grilled cheese, jalapeños, pickles, and caramelised onions - and Sum is the fries, which range from In-and-Out inspired Animal Fries to cajun seasoned; chips slathered in beef dripping or portions smashed with cheeseburger. Take a pot of sauce on the side (Beef Bone Broth or Burnt Butter Mayo, anybody?) and you'll be in smash burger heaven. Bun & Sum Our favourite location: 224 Graham Road, London E8 1BP Four Legs at The Plimsoll  Don't panic, people. We're not sending you to a ghastly gastropub with ideas above its station. The Plimsoll in Finsbury Park is a delightfully charming, proper pub that sits exactly where a proper pub should sit - tucked away down a side road. Find it, and you'll be rewarded with a hearty patty that more than warrants a place on this hallowed list. The chefs behind Four Legs - Jamie Allen and Ed McIlroy - previously opened under the same name in a pub called the Compton Arms. There, too, they wowed an unsuspecting crowd with juicy burgers topped with gherkins aside deep fried potatoes. So when they moved to The Plimsoll, people followed. And new people arrived. And soon, you too will find your way there on the mighty recommendation of Time Well Spent magazine, and you'll take your place amongst the throngs of people and order a Dexter Cheeseburger. And then, you will message us and say thank you. This is the way. The Plimsoll 52 St Thomas's Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 2QW Black Bear Burger Various Locations If it's quality meat you're after (and we'd rather hope that's what you're after, on a London's Best Burger page...), Black Bear Burger has an Ace card up its sleeve: Owner, Stew's family run a beef farm in Devon. Not only does that mean he knows his meat, but he's also an advocate for ethical meat-sourcing, and recognises the difference that makes to the taste of your patty. Black Bear started out as a Broadway Market stall with beef straight from the local butcher, and grew into residencies, street food festivals and eventually, bricks and mortar. So, you know they've done the hard graft. But what of the burgers? Well, we're talking dry aged meat, beer braised brisket, garlic mayo, smoked bacon, onion jam, Habanero honey mayo and all the good stuff that makes your mouth do a little water. Black Bear Burger Our favourite location: 11-13a Market Row, Brixton, London SW9 8LB Mother Flipper Brockley Brockley locals don't have a lot to shout about on the London culinary scene, but they're understandably loud and proud about Mother Flipper, the burger joint that draws diners out to the suburbs with its 35 day aged grass fed patties from award-winning HG Walter Butchers. . They're served up in glazed brioche buns and come topped with pickles, American cheese, candy bacon and onions, sweetcorn, ranch mayo and plenty more. It's not all about that beef, though - there's a solid fried chicken burger menu here and the Garlic Parmesan Hot Wings might even be good enough to steal the show, but let's not talk about those on a Best Burger page... Mother Flipper 10 Coulgate Street, London, SE4 2RW Brockley Market Lewisham College Car Park, Lewisham Way, London, SE4 1UT MEATliquor Various locations We've written plenty on this website about our love for rock 'n' roll, dive bars and perfectly cooked meat, so you can be sure a place that combines all three will be on our favourites list. Meat Liquor, owned by Hospitality Hero nominee , Scott Collins, is a masterclass in American grub, offering smash burgers and filthy fries with lashings of liquor, as the name suggests. The Dead Hippie burger is where they made their name, so it seems a sensible place to start: Two mustard-fried aged beef patties, Dead Hippie sauce, lettuce, American cheese, pickles, and minced onions. Whether they'll ever run out of Dead Hippies to make that sauce, we don't know, but we recommend heading to MEATliquor before the last of those ageing Grateful Dead fans pop their clogs. MEATliquor Our favourite location: 7 Dartmouth Road, London, SE23 3HN Lucky Chip You'd be a lucky chip to find yourself sharing a plate with Kevin Bacon, and that's a sentence we never thought we'd write. Kevin Bacon, for the uninitiated, is this restaurant's cheeseburger with added Applewood Smoked Bacon. Other memorable menu items include the J Lopez (with chile con queso, onions, pickles and Habanero Honey Mustard Mayo) and the El Chappo (with Smoked Bacon, Roasted Jalapeños, Blue Cheese and Aioli). Veggies might prefer the Woody Harrelson, while Gus Fring is your go-to if you fancy some chicken. Does that all make sense? Lucky Chip doesn't take itself too seriously, if that isn't immediately clear, but it does take burgers seriously, and that's enough for us. Lucky Chip 7 Roach Rd, Fish Island, London E3 2PA Patty & Bun It's tough to pick a favourite from Patty & Bun's menu. We're inclined to go for The Don - two aged beef patties with pancetta, beef butter, American Cheese, onions and mayo - but we'll never not be tempted by the Lambshank Redemption, where lamb is topped with coriander, chilli, lettuce, buttermilk baby courgettes, pickled aubergine, cumin aioli and feta. You can see why we get ourselves in this muddle, right? The sides are a little easier. Hand cut chips are great, but brisket loaded chips are better, and when they come sprinkled with parmesan and pickled red chillies you've got us hook, line and sinker. Patty & Bun has enjoyed a rapid growth over the past few years, and understandably so. The good news is, that means there's probably one near you and you can go there right now and find yourself in the same burger-choosing dilemma we're suffering right now. Patty & Bun Our favourite location: 12 Northcote Road, London, SW11 1NX Like what you've read? Please keep in touch!

The Capital's Top Art Galleries, as Nominated by YOU In the Time Well Spent Awards There are more than 800 galleries in London - but which are Londoner's favourite places to treat their eyeballs? Our readers have nominated their top London galleries for this year's Time Well Spent Awards, below. The ultimate winner will be crowned in August. __________________________ Tate Modern This free, gargantuan and brilliant gallery presides over Bankside and is one of the world's most popular modern art galleries. Unlike its more traditional sister, Tate Britain, this museum only shows modern art, dating as far back as 1900, with huge, specially commissioned installations in its enormous Turbine Hall and a gaggle of mind-bending displays bursting within its Blavatnik and Natalie Bell buildings, as well as a series of events and special blockbuster shows, like its must-see Leigh Bowery! show, on now. Tate Modern , Bankside, London SE1 9TG Saatchi Gallery Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Saatchi Gallery has been nominated by many of you for its innovative and exciting contemporary art exhibitions, showcasing the work of emerging artists. It's celebrated for introducing artists who would later gain worldwide recognition, like Jenny Saville, Gavin Turk, and Jake and Dinos Chapman. Saatchi Gallery , Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, London SW3 4RY Royal Academy of Arts Art has been created, celebrated and debated for 250 years at the RA, which has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by Royal Academicians, artists and architects elected by their peers. It is home to Britain's longest established art school, and every year since 1768, it has held an annual Summer Exhibition, the largest open-submission art exhibition in the world. RA, Burlington House , Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD Hayward Gallery This world-renowned contemporary art gallery and landmark of brutalist architecture is top of your lists, for eschewing permanent collections and instead, hosting three or four major temporary exhibitions of modern or contemporary artworks each year. Recent highlights have included 2024's undulating, cascading, erupting and dancing exhibition, When Forms Come Alive featuring works by 21 international artists. Hayward Gallery , Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX Serpentine This unique, free gallery in Kensington Gardens has presented pioneering contemporary art since 1970. From the Pavilion to their exhibitions, they champion new ideas in art and architecture. Serpentine hosts a free programme of exhibitions, architecture, education, and live events across their Galleries and online. Serpentine North , Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XA Serpentine South, West Carriage Drive, London W2 2AR National Portrait Gallery When it opened in 1856, it was the first national public gallery in the world that was dedicated to portraits. It now houses the world’s greatest collection of portraits, spanning six centuries - from global icons to local champions, national treasures to unsung heroes - telling the story of Britain through portraits, using art to bring history to life and explore living today National Portrait Gallery , St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE The Wallace Collection This beautiful museum houses masterpieces of painting, sculpture, furniture, arms, armour, and porcelain. Built over the 18th and 19th centuries by the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, it is one of the most celebrated collections in the world and was given to Britain in 1897 by Lady Wallace, so that it could be kept together and enjoyed by generations of visitors. The museum hosts a wide range of shows, including its current must-see, Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur. The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, London, W1U 3BN Whitechapel Gallery Opened in 1901 as one of the first publicly funded galleries for temporary exhibitions in London, founded to make contemporary art accessible and exciting to the widest possible audiences through a bold and radical programme. They are particularly committed to showing under-represented, under-served artists, especially women and people of colour, and to present provocative artworks that expand thinking around the key socio-political concerns of our time. Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High St London E1 7QX White Cube Representing a roll call of of Britain's biggest arftists, from Damien Hirst to Tracey Emin, this radical contemporary art gallery has branches in Bermondsey and Mason's Yard - as well as multiple galleries around the world, from Hong Kong and Paris, to New York and Seoul. It's a huge hit with our readers, who nominated it for it's high profile, large scale and diverse exhibitions. White Cube , 144-152, Bermondsey St, London SE1 3TQ White Cube, 25-26 Masons Yard, London SW1Y 6BU Like what you've read? Please keep in touch!

The Capital's Top Hotel's for Kids, as Nominated by YOU in the Time Well Spent Awards From in-room Nitrogen Ice Cream Trolleys; children's spa treatments; butler delivered movie night popcorn and teddy turn-down service with milk and cookies, children are the ultimate VIPs at these London hotels. For the ultimate kids' stays, you have nominated the best family friendly hotels in London, which go to the moon and back for their little guests. The ultimate winner will be announced in August, _______________________ Mandarin Oriental The five star Knightsbridge hotel offers the ultimate children's stays, inviting them to become a Sloane Ranger, Park Ranger or Royal Ranger. Each Little Ranger will receive surprises like a treasure hunt map, a bespoke toy chest filled with themed toys and costumes, to movie nights filled with popcorn and treats. For babies, there is an exclusively designed, in-room nursery, filled with bespoke rocking horses, toy chests and hooded towels you can keep! In-room fun includes Tipi Tents, Nitrogen Ice Cream trolleys, kids' afternoon tea, and in-room dining kids' menu. They will also love the Mandarin Cake shop and the Mini M.O wellness - their spa's specialised treatments for children. Naturally, their family rooms are stunning and carefully designed for parents and kids, with interconnecting room options available. Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park , 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA Athenaeum Hotel This luxury, five star, family-run - and turbo kid-friendly hotel - has gone to the moon and back to welcome little VIPs. This includes a dedicated Children's Concierge to arrange everything from kite-flying sessions in Hyde Park to making sure milk and biscuits are awaiting them at bedtime, as well as a team of nannies and babysitters on hand. They have interconnecting bedrooms and family rooms; children are provided with Yoto audio players during their stay; and there are special kids' dining options at their restaurant. And they offer everything from kites, bikes, films, games, colouring books and supplies to feed the Hyde Park ducks. A quacking offer. Athenaeum Hotel, 116 Piccadilly, London W1J 7BJ Brown's Hotel From kids' check in cards, children's newspapers, Alby the monkey amenities, teepees and a teddy turn-down service, no magical detail is overlooked in a family stay at this opulent, five star hotel. There are kids' robes, slippers, children's toiletries and rubber ducks awaiting them in the bathroom of the spacious and stylish family rooms and suites, milk and cookies at bedtime, mini spa treatments like "Funky Fingers" or "Twirling Toes" and their popular Jungle Book themed afternon tea with Alby the monkey. Brown's Hotel, 33 Albemarle St, London W1S 4BP The Lanesborough Children are treated like royalty at this luxurious Knightsbridge hotel, where the 'Little VIP Club' offers everything from Little Butler Bootcamp, mocktail lessons, horse riding in Hyde Park, and in-room treasure hunts to splash hours in the pool. On check in, they receive Little VIP business wallets, personalised with their names for treats in the restaurants and bars, and a surprise awaiting them in their room or suite. In-room entertainment includes movie nights with popcorn, hand-delivered by your personal butler. And they are on hand to turn Little VIP's dreams into reality, whether it's a teddy bear's picnic or a beautiful teepee den. There is also their resident cat, Lilibet, who completes this purr-fect treat. The Lanesborough ; Hyde Park Corner 1, London, SW1X 7TA The Berkeley One of London's most luxurious. five star family hotels pushes the yacht out for little guests, who are welcomed to their room with Jellycat toy gifts, sweet treats crafted by their pâtissiers, films and games for family nights in. You can have picnics prepared; in-room biscuit decoration masterclasses, and enjoy a splash in their stunning, heated rooftop pool. There's a dedicated Children's Concierge with the keys to the city, dazzling rooms and suites - many with interconnecting rooms - and snuggly kids' Berkeley robes and slippers for the end of the day. The Berkeley , Wilton Pl, London SW1X 7RL Pan Pacific London Pan Pacific provides an unforgettable kids’ experience, from Children’s Spa treatments - including a Fairy Tale Treatment that combines a relaxing facial with interactive storytelling - exclusive family swimming sessions in their beach themed pool; and an adorable children’s afternoon tea, where they can decorate their own cakes and biscuits. There’s also the Singa Cub Club offering unique experiences for families; kids under 6 eat free at Straits Kitchen and 7-12’s get 50% off the A La Carte menu, and children get a special, turn-down treat at bedtime on the first night. Pan Pacific London , 80 Houndsditch, London EC3A 7AB Haymarket Hotel Located a short stroll from Buckingham Palace and Theatreland, families can unwind after exploring London in its beautiful swimming pool with giant inflatables. Children are also treated to milk and cookies, books, board games, children's bathrobes and toiletries, the use of an Xbox or PlayStation and a late check-out. Haymarket Hote l,1 Suffolk Pl, London SW1Y 4HX One Aldwych Hotel Home of the famous Charlie in the Chocolate Factory afternoon tea - filled with Fizzy lifting drinks, snozzberry jam, chocolate swudge milkshake and fluffy floss - this hotel excels in making magic for children. Kids can splash in their almost-secret, chlorine-free pool. surrounded by otherworldly tropical fish projections. There are mini bathrobes, slippers, games, treats. dedicated (but exciting) kids' menus and even a Little Laundry service, using a special skin-friendly, hyper-sensitive detergent. 1 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BZ Park Plaza Westminster As well as being in the heart of London's Southbank fun, this hotel provides a swimming pool, special kids' check in with goodie bags on arrival; food and drink vouchers; beautiful family rooms with kitchenettes; and a range of restaurants with kid-friendly menus to appease even the pickiest eaters. Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel , 200 Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7UT Like what you've read? Please keep in touch!

The finest places to lay your head, as nominated by our readers in the Time Well Spent Awards Looking for somewhere to lay your head? We've got you! Oh, you want somewhere luxury, where you'll be treated like the rockstar you are? We've STILL got you! Read on to see where our readers nominated as London's Best Luxury Hotels in 2025. Claridge’s Mayfair The Art Deco splendour of Claridge’s has been a symbol of wealth and elegance in Mayfair since the late 1800s - no mean feat in a city that chews up hospitality destinations with alarming regularity. So, what is it that has kept Claridge’s at the top of the tree? Well, it’s never tried to be fashionable , which somehow, has always made it a bit fashionable. It’s London glamour done the ‘old way’ - attentive service, wonderful f&b offerings and, naturally, beautiful decor with well appointed rooms and suites. It’s been a go-to for Royalty, A-list celebrities and important businesspeople for centuries, but Claridge’s never rests on its laurels, always striving to improve its offering and remain one of London’s most luxurious hotels. Claridge’s, Brook Street, Mayfair, London W1K 4HR Claridge's Brook St, London W1K 4HR Raffles London at the OWO Whitehall Having made its name in Singapore as a destination with unrivalled standards in services and accommodation, it wasn’t until 2023 when the hallowed name first appeared on a London building. But it was worth the wait, and what a building they chose. The OWO (Old War Office) on Whitehall was previously the heart of Britain’s military, positioned within a stone’s throw of Downing Street and the Palace of Westminster. For the record, we don’t recommend throwing stones at either building. Raffles London at the OWO is as luxurious as you’d expect, with corner suites costing around £5,000 per night. If that sounds pricey, one of the 85 private Raffles residences in the same building sold for £45m. Three on-site restaurants were opened in 2023 by three Michelin-star chef Mauro Colagreco and deep down in the basment, there’s a swimming pool, wellbeing suite and spa. It’s perfectly located near Charing Cross and Waterloo stations, though we suspect few hotel residents would get the train with the great unwashed. Raffles London at The OWO, Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX Raffles London at the OWO Old War Office Building, 57 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX The Sanderson Fitzrovia The Sanderson is our kind of luxury hotel. There’s no intimidating atmosphere when you stroll in to the lobby which, like the rest of the venue, is festooned with colourful modern art. In fact, there’s a  playfulness to the whole place that seems at odds with its lux offering. The regularly changing afternoon teas are famous, taking on themes including the current Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea, and the Long Bar remains buzzy long into the early hours. The bedroom decor here is modern and minimalist - expect a lot of white, which is a welcome rest for the senses after the colourful onslaught elsewhere in the building - but with balconies overlooking the city and gorgeously presented bathrooms, we guarantee you’ll not want to leave. The Sanderson 50 Berners Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3NG The Ham Yard Soho One of London’s relative newcomers, The Ham Yard is the place you’ll want to spend an afternoon, even if you can’t afford one of the rooms. Its tree-filled courtyard is a stunning haven away from the hustle and bustle of nearby Soho, and the bar and restaurant serve up some of the finest modern European food and cocktails in the city. The Ham Yard has positioned itself as the entertainment hotel du jour, with a beautiful screening room playing host to premieres, early screenings and launch parties, which has helped the hotel to become a regular bolthole for stars of stage and screen. There’s also a full bowling alley downstairs, confirming Ham Yard’s place as the hip, fun place to stay if you’re in the city. Ham Yard One Ham Yard, Westminster, London W1D 7DT Sea Containers South Bank There aren’t many hotels in London with views like Sea Containers. Perched on the edge of the Thames, it enjoys a vantage point across the city, taking in Big Ben, St. Paul’s, The City and the London Eye. Inside, it’s a modern mash-mash of styles that shouldn’t  work, but somehow really do. For the most part, it’s sleek, modern and minimalist, with bars like the 12th Knot cocktail bar looking like a futuristic nightclub. But return to your room and you might find modern minimalism or old-time charm that nods to the hotel’s seafaring theme. The Cabin Suites in particular, boast oak panels, leather armchairs and vintage furniture to give the impression of an old ocean liner. Sea Containers The Standard King's Cross The Standard became… well, the standard for rock ’n’ rollers passing through Los Angeles over the past few decades, earning a reputation as the naughty late night destination on a road that already housed the Chateau Marmont, Rainbow Bar & Grill and Viper Rooms. It’s London venture - the first outside the USA - hasn’t quite managed the same reputation over here, but it has maintained that laid-back, Los Angeles vibe that so many London hotels strive for. While there are more affordable options for an overnight stay (Single and Cosy Core rooms offer the basics in a stylish setting), the Suite Terrace is where it’s at for the big spenders: A huge bed, lounge area and a wraparound terrace offering views of the beautiful Neo-Gothic station across the road. But the facilities are where it’s at when you visit The Standard. Head to The Rooftop for pizza and bubbles in the sunshine; glut cocktails at Sweeties bar; eat Michelin-starred Mexican food at Decimo; keep it simple with beers at Double Standard; go for seasonal, light dishes amidst the greenery off Isla and its garden terrace or bury your head in a book in the holel’s fully stocked library. Oh, and did we mention it has a radio studio that doubles up as a performance space? There’s also a gym, because there’s nothing more LA than quaffing cocktails but still needing a solid six-pack. The Standard 10 Argyle Street, London, WC1H 8EG Chateau Denmark Soho Not long ago, Denmark Street was London's musical mecca, a place where up-and-coming bands would buy their first guitars and established acts would record, hang out and visit their offices. It was here that artistic duo Hipgnosis created Pink Floyd's iconic album covers; where Hendrix and Bowie would hang out and discuss guitars with the experts in the litany of music shops; where the Rolling Stones recorded; where the Sex Pistols lived; and it was here that music magazines NME and Melody Maker started out. 'Tin Pan Alley' as it's known, has been decimated by gentrification - something this writer isn't entirely happy about - but that pang of disappointed is eased slightly by the appearance of Chateau Denmark. A room here isn't your average London experience. The decor mixes gothic with psychedelica - perhaps a nod to the many music genres that have touched this short, historic street - and while every room is different, you'll get a butler, high-end speakers for your music and a balcony... and you can be guaranteed you'll feel like Ozzy Osborne as you drift off to sleep. Any good rock 'n' roll hotel needs a good bar, and Chateau Denmark has two: Thirteen and Dial8. Both are sumptuously decorated, with velvet poured over leather, all bathed in low lighting, and serve Japanese bites and award-winning cocktails. Chateau Denmark Denmark St, London WC2H 0LA The Dorchester Park Lane The Dorchester is a stalwart of the London hotel scene, having opened way back in 1931. It's stood firm through world wars, recessions and high-profile celebrity boycotts. It has seen no less than five Monarchs (and welcomed a few of them through its doors), and various wealthy owners, but it's always been The Dorchester . It's crazy to think that a hotel that existed before instant coffee could still be sitting at the top of the pile, but this little corner of Hyde Park Lane has become synonymous with old-style glamour. It's had its makeovers, of course, but the 30s charm still remains. The liveried doormen still feel like a throwback to time of yore, but it's the service that sets The Dorchester apart - nothing is too much trouble here, whether you're dining in one of the five restaurants, drinking at one of three bars, relaxing in the spa or staying in one of the roughly 250 rooms. The three-Michelin starred restaurant, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, has lived on site for two decades and Cantonese fayre has been served at China Tang for even longer - this is a hotel that knows what its customers want, and isn't in a rush to change things up for the sake of being fashionable. At £900 for the cheapest rooms and extra for breakfast, The Dorchester isn't a cheap overnight stay, but that's not what you're here for. After all, it's The Dorchester . The Dorchester 53 Park Ln, London W1K 1QA The Peninsula Belgravia If you're looking for a little bit of excess, consider this: The owner of The Peninsula likes cars and planes, so when you enter the bar on the top floor, you'll walk under the nose of a Concorde plane, which is pointed in a specific direction as instructed by a Feng Shui master. You'll then stroll past a 1933 Napier Railton motor vehicle, before stepping in to a lift styled like a hot air balloon basket. Yep, that's the Bond-villain levels of wealth we're talking about here. But we're all for a bit of playfulness when it comes to spending, and The Peninsula provides 5-star service without the stuffiness so often associated with high-end hotels. Boasting views over the Wellington Arch, this central bolthole is perfect for those wanting to explore the city, though with six bars and restaurants and a wellness centre, swimming pool and fitness suite on site, we'd completely understand if you never wanted to leave. The Peninsula 1 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7HJ The Adria South Kensington L’Art Otel Battersea Our only criticism of L'Art Otel is that while that name is undoubtedly supposed to sound French and classy, when you're from London, it's almost impossible to say it without sounding like a cockney geeza. Now we've got that off our chests, we should point out that L'Art Otel really is a beautiful place to stay. As the name suggests, it's packed full of art, with every wall space, shelf and drape featuring work by a cultural icon. As you can imagine, that makes for a pretty bold and colourful venue. Then there's the roof terrace , of course, which is a work of art itself. Overlooking Battersea Power Station and far beyond, the terrace, with Joia bar and swimming pool, is one of the finest our capital city has to offer, and we'll be spending plenty of time there when the sun finally shows its face. There's also a Pizza and Chichetti Bar; a food-centric version of Joia's Portugese offering; and a Tozi Bar downstairs, plus a well equipped Wellness Centre. The Jamie Hayon-designed Masterpiece Suite is the room to opt for if you're splashing the cash. It offers views over London and those iconic brick chimneys of the power station, which you'll be able to enjoy from the comfort (or discomfort) of your own Peloton bike. L'Art Hotel 1 Electric Boulevard, London SW11 8BJ London Edition Fitzrovia The London Edition started out life as five townhouses in the heart of Fitzrovia, which were all promptlly bundled together to form the Berners Hotel. When it was threatened with closure, John Betjeman - he of Slough-bashing fame - lent his voice to a campaign to have the building listed. More recently, it was taken over by the Edition group, who tasked Canadian firm Yabu Pushelberg with transforming it into the Edwardian-style beauty you see today. It's a hotel that built its reputation on its excellent f&b offering, with Michelin-starred Jason Atherton drawing in well-heeled customers from far and wide. But there's luxury on display all over the London Edition, from the slick service to the high-end events held at the hotel on a regular basis. The London Edition might slip under the radar compared to some of its more fame-hungry contemporaries like The Ned, but it's a young, friendly and super-luxe hotel that's worth a visit. London Edition 10 Berners Street, London, London W1T 3NP The Hoxton Shoreditch The Hoxton is perhaps the trailblazer for new luxury hotels aimed at the younger market - a sign that high-end doesn't need to mean stuffy. There's plenty of those on this list, but when The Hoxton first launched it felt like a shift in the norms of the hospitality industry. Perhaps that's due in part to its location - Shoreditch is packed with big earners in the creative industry, as well as being on the cusp of the City and an increasingly popular destination for cash-rich bankers who'd rather tell women they work in the creative industry. It means the ground floor bar is buzzing every evening with cocktail drinkers and light-bite eaters, giving the hotel a wonderfully friendly feel. Hoxton Grill is the destination for meat eaters and there are usually DJs in the lobby to keep the vibes strong. Head to the roof for Peruvian food in the sun at Llama Inn. If you're staying the night, there are 210 rooms in total, ranging from 'Shoebox' to 'Roomy' - their words, not ours - and nine concept rooms that have been individually designed by local artists in keeping with the creativity of the neighbourhood. The Hoxton 81 Great Eastern St, London, EC2A 3HU Like what you've read? Please keep in touch!

The Capital's Most Autism & SEND Friendly Family Attractions London can be noisy, chaotic and unpredictable for neurodivergent children - but some of the capital's best attractions have stepped forward with carefully tailored experiences, to ensure all children are included. You have nominated London's best attractions for neurodivergent children and kids with autism and additional needs, below. Our ultimate winner will be crowned in August. _____________________ Dawnosaurs at Natural History Museum These free, relaxed morning events for neurodivergent children enable them to enjoy the Museum, free from the hustle and bustle of the general public. Visitors have access to a wide range of galleries and activities, supported by and led by experienced, neurodivergent-aware facilitators. Natural History Museum , Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD Early Birds at the Science Museum Early Birds is a free sensory friendly event for families with members who need a quieter environment to enjoy the museum. Taking place on select Saturdays and Sundays across the year, they open the museum exclusively before or after hours, and wherever possible, have adjusted operations and/or lowered volume levels on exhibits. As well as exploring some of the galleries, you can enjoy a selection of fun workshops in a gallery space. There are also quiet areas for those needing to take a break. Science Museum , Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD SENsory Sailors at National Maritime Museum These free monthly sessions are brilliantly tailored to children with additional needs, with a team of creatives to support families and a flexible approach. Explore the Museum's collections, enjoy the opportunity to be creative together as a family, and meet other local families. National Maritime Museum,  Romney Rd, London SE10 9NF Quiet At the Aquarium - SEA LIFE London Kids with autism and other sensory requirements can discover more than 6,000 creatures including a colony of Gentoo penguins, two adorable Green Sea Turtles, and the UK’s largest jellyfish display in more comfortable environment. On selected mornings for the events, music will be switched off until 10am , lighting reduced to a static mode and televisions turned to a minimal volume. SEA LIFE London Aquarium , Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7PB Sensory Sound Tour - St Paul's Cathedral Discover the sounds of St Paul’s with the Sensory Sound Tour, specially created for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. St Paul's Cathedral, St. Paul's Churchyard, London EC4M 8AD Relaxed Opening at The Golden Hinde The Golden Hinde runs relaxed opening hours on the last Sunday of every month from 10am to 12pm. Autistic people and those with neurodiverse needs can explore the ship in a calm environment. Visitor numbers are limited, noisy devices are turned off, the space is made as light as possible and quiet breakout spaces are provided with cushions and books. The Golden Hinde , St Mary Overie's Dock, Cathedral St, London SE1 9DE Families with SEND at London Transport Museum For children with special educational needs, the museum opens outside regular hours on select days. Kids can enjoy the Museum at a quieter time, and with many of the gallery sounds turned off. Explore their All Aboard family spaces in peace, have a go at their holiday activities or get hands-on with genuine parts of transport history. They also offer a sensory space at these events, as well as sensory objects including their bespoke stimming board, carefully crafted by their Learning Team to provide a calming sensory experience for little visitors. London Transport Museum , Covent Garden Piazza London WC2E 7BB The RAF Museum The Autism Access Award-winning museum provides free SEND family backpacks to borrow, filled with sensory items to support your visit. Inside you’ll find smell pots, a squishy plane, and binoculars to explore the Museum in a fun, hands-on way. They also offer an autism friendly aircraft trail, workshops for school groups with additional needs, Quiet Rooms and autism friendly trained staff. The RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, London NW9 5LL Like what you've read? Please keep in touch!

The Capital's Most Family-Friendly Museums, Nominated by YOU in the Time Well Spent Awards There are more than 200 museums - including 11 national museums - in London, and many are free and roll the red carpet out for children. But which are the top museums in London for kids? Well, they're all below, as nominated by YOU for the Time Well Spent Awards. The ultimate winner will be crowned in August. _________________________ The Science Museum Read our review There’s a huge difference between reading about the world and experiencing  it. And that’s what the  Science Museum  does so powerfully - big and little guests can see, smell, hear and touch these wonders, leaving the museum to head back into a world that feels bigger, more extraordinary and worth caring for. It's brimming with free (and paid) galleries, events, activites, and exhibitions and particular hits are the excellent Wonderlab and Power Up interactive galleries. Science Museum , Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD Natural History Museum This world famous museum is free and brimming with 80 million specimens, from dinosaur skeletons, to a jaw-dropping life-sized blue whale model, giraffes and gorillas. Kids love its interactive learning opportunities, from earthquake simulators, an animatronic T-Rex you can stomp with and the extraordinary Visions of Nature, Mixed Reality show, to explore the natural world in 2125. Natural History Museum , Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD Discover Children's Story Centre If you’ve ever wondered how it feels to climb inside a child’s imagination, Discover Children’s Story Centre is it. Creep through caves, find fairy worlds within magical trees, explore hidden ships, perform in a puppet castle, leap over alligators and man your own spaceships and rockets across two floors and its Story Garden, or check out its immersive, book-inspired theatre production downstairs. Discover Children's Story Centre , 383-387 High St, London E15 4QZ Horniman Museum and Gardens There aren’t many places for a family to enjoy a butterfly house, aquarium, 16 acres of stunning gardens, alpacas, a merman, gorillas and a giant, overstuffed walrus for less than a chippy tea. So it's no surprise that so many of you nominated Horniman Museum and Gardens. The brilliant, South-East London attraction is one of the capital’s hidden and most eclectic gems and is a huge hit with kids of all ages, as well as grown-ups. Horniman Museum and Gardens,  100 London Rd, London SE23 3PQ Greenwich Maritime Museum Little sailors have endless opportunities for nautical adventure here - and most is free. Children love its free, sea-themed Cove Playground, as well as its fabulous AHOY! Children's Gallery, an imagination sparking, interactive space for 0-7 year olds to climb aboard a replica ship, play with water, try on costumes and become a pirate for the day. It also offers a gaggle of fantastic, free and paid for workshops and experiences for all ages, throughout the year.. Greenwich Maritime Museum,  Romney Rd, London SE10 9NF Paradox Museum Read our review Nothing is what it seems at Paradox Museum, which successfully blows children's minds, while sneakily expanding them, leaving you with a camera reel of amazing snaps to remember it by. The colourful world of more than 50 interactive exhibits is cat-nip for kids, combining flashing lights, candy-coloured walls, rotating rooms, upside-down tube stations, and mirror mazes, to challenge perspective and reality. It's easy to see why the museum has blown up on social media, since launching in 2024. Paradox Museum London , 90 Brompton Rd, London, UK. SW3 1JJ The Young V&A The UK’s first museum designed by and for 0-14 year olds is FREE (woo) and packed with interactive and hands-on activities for kids and families.Highlights of the £13m revamp include colourful, sensory playscapes, including an ‘Imagination Playground’ construction zone, a performance and storytelling stage and sandpit. The museum has been shaped around childrens' interests to encourage playful learning and spark their imaginations. Three galleries, Play, Imagine and Design, help children build the skills and creative confidence they need to thrive, alongside inspiring exhibitions, like the current Making Egypt show. Young V&A , Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets, Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green, London E2 9PA London Museum Docklands This free riverside museums invites families to set sail on an adventure through 400 years of Docklands' history. The fascinating destination is bulging with interactive fun for kids, from the Hamster Wheel, to Sailor Town, where they can , helping to build a Victorian underground and dressing up in period clothes. The Mudlarks Gallery is also a big hit with under 5s, full of hands-on activities, from water play, soft play, stacking parcels and building, to experimenting with toy pulleys. London Museum Docklands , No 1, West India Quay, Hertsmere Rd, London E14 4AL London Transport Museum Children under 17 go free to the world's leading museum of urban transport, packed with vintage London trams, trains and buses. Kids' highlights here include stepping into secret parts of the Underground network, including closed platforms, time-capsule corridors, disused Tube Stations and secret wartime shelters. They also host a range of family-friendly events and exhibitions. London Transport Museum , Covent Garden Piazza London WC2E 7BB The British Museum Your little ones can walk in the footsteps of the ancient Greeks, Pharoahs or journey through the cultures of China at The British Museum's family-friendly, out-of-hours tours. Taking place between 8.50 – 10am, before the galleries are open to the public, you can beat the unsavoury crowds. The British Museum , Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG Like what you've read? Please keep in touch!

The Capital's Best Things to Do with Teens as Nominated by YOU in the Time Well Spent Awards From 12,000 feet free-falls, to immersive Steampunk worlds and selfies with Taylor Swift, London knows how to get teens off their phones to swap eye rolls for grins. You have nominated London's top attractions for teenagers, below - the ultimate winner will be crowned in August. ______________________ iFLY Indoor Skydiving Read our review There are many barriers to skydiving or becoming a superhero - fear, age, weather, Kryptonite or an aversion to wearing underpants over trousers. But anybody from the age of 3 to 103 can experience the superpower of flight at iFLY , as long as they’re not pregnant and can comfortably wear a helmet. A 100-year-old recently flew with them to celebrate his birthday. The vertical wind chamber at The O2 Arena  the perfect place to take your teen to experience the sensation of a 12,000 ft free-fall and flight, without  jumping out of a plane. iFLY London at The O2 , Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX Phantom Peak The world's first, fully immersive open-world adventure is a huge hit with teens, who can explore a fully realised, 30,000 square foot Steampunk town inhabited by quirky characters and brimming with mysteries and stories. Over four plus hours, they can go on adventure of their choosing, perhaps strolling along the canal getting the gossip from locals, or even launching a career as the town’s resident criminal? Then enjoy food and drink in the Wild-West themed Thirsty Frontier Saloon, interact with immersive sets, technology, and live actors. Phantom Peak London, Surrey Quays Rd, London SE16 7PJ The London Dungeon Teens can scream their way through deliciously dark and grisly recreations of historical events, brimming with gallow's humour, at one of London's most loved attractions, with 360 degree sets; 13 interactive shows; 20 live actors and 1000 years of history. Our readers' highlights include its Drop Dead Ride, a close shave with Fleet Street barber Sweeney Todd, braving the secrets of the torture chamber and investigating who the mysterious Jack the Ripper might have been. Recommended for ages 12 up. The London Dungeon, Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7PB Madame Tussauds A stalwart of the capital, this destination was particularly popular with our parents of older children, who recognised most of the celebrities and political and historical figures. Highlights for kids include Shrek, Tinkerbell, an ET you can sit on a bike with, the animatronic King Kong and Star Wars and superhero sections. Older children (8+) can also have their hand made from wax, as a fabulous memento. Madame Tussauds , Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5LR The Twist Museum London's immersive home of illusion explores the power of how your mind sees the world, fusing art, technology and sensory play, with each display offering virbant optical illusions and interactive moments, which will entertain teens, and keep them busy on phones taking pics. Twist Museum , 248 Oxford St, London W1C 1DH Crystal Maze LIVE Experience Older children (from 8 onwards) can take on this immersive adventure, which brings the hit 90s TV show to life.Run around like mentalists, yell, complete a host of difficult challenges and end the game in a fetching, satin bomber jacket. Crystal Maze Live Experience , 22 - 32 Shaftesbury Avenue W1D 7EU The Clink Prison Once one of London's oldest and notorious prisons - operating from the 12th century until 1780 - the site is now home to The Clink Museum, which offers a faascinatingly macabre, hands on experience, seeing archaeological artefacts, experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of the prison, handling torture devices, and seeing and hearing the tales of torment and misfortunes of the inmates of the infamous prison. The Clink Prison Museum , 1 Clink St, London, SE1 9DG Zip World London Teens aren't too old for slides when it's THE WORLD’S LONGEST AND TALLEST TUNNEL SLIDE At Zip World London, they can take on Helix, which spans 178m in length, and is located on the iconic ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture. Appreciate the design of the sculpture’s twists and turns as you loop around 12 times, catching glimpses of London from new heights. Zip World London , Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 5 Thornton St, London E20 2AD Go Ape Battersea Treetop thrills meet city skyline views at Go Ape Battersea, which offers spectacular sights across the park and beyond. This multi-level course is packed with adventure, with crossings above, below, and all around you. A head for heights is essential, as Battersea’s Treetop Challenge soars twice as high as most Go Ape locations. Go Ape Battersea, Battersea Park, London SW11 4NJ Like what you've read? Please keep in touch!

The Capital's Top Things to do with Kids as Nominated by YOU in the Time Well Spent Awards 2025 London excels at banishing the "I'm bored" groan from the mouths of its children, with a gaggle of extrardinary attractions - many of which are free. But which are your top picks? It's a tough job, but our readers have boldly taken on the challenge with the following nominations. The ultimate winner of London's best attraction for 5-12 year olds will be announced in August. ____________________________ Paddington Bear Experience Read our review There is no greater escapism than leaping into the perfect, joyous London of The Paddington Bear Experience, where the biggest life troubles revolve around a lack of oranges for the Marmalade Festival. The immersive, theatrical experience is forensically faithful to the three much-loved Paddington films, with a series of actors, special effects and magical sets inspired by the franchise’s iconic locations, across 26,000 square feet of Southbank’s County Hall taking you on an adventure from Paddingto Station, through the Brown's iconic house, onto Peru and culminating in the big Marmalade Festival. The Paddington Bear™ Experience,  London County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB The Science Museum Read our review There’s a huge difference between reading about the world and experiencing  it. And that’s what the  Science Museum  does so powerfully - big and little guests can see, smell, hear and touch these wonders, leaving the museum to head back into a world that feels bigger, more extraordinary and worth caring for. It's brimming with free (and paid) galleries, events, activites, and exhibitions and particular hits are the excellent Wonderlab and Power Up interactive galleries. Science Museum , Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD Natural History Museum This world famous museum is free and bulging with 80 million specimens, from dinosaur skeletons, to a jaw-dropping life-sized blue whale model, giraffes and gorillas. Kids love its interactive learning opportunities, from earthquake simulators, an animatronic T-Rex you can stomp with and the extraordinary Visions of Nature, Mixed Reality show, to explore the natural world in 2125. Natural History Museum , Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD The Young V&A The UK’s first museum designed by and for 0-14 year olds is FREE (woo) and packed with interactive and hands-on activities for kids and families.Highlights of the £13m revamp include colourful, sensory playscapes, including an ‘Imagination Playground’ construction zone, a performance and storytelling stage and sandpit. The museum has been shaped around childrens' interests to encourage playful learning and spark their imaginations. Three galleries, Play, Imagine and Design, help children build the skills and creative confidence they need to thrive, alongside inspiring exhibitions, like the current Making Egypt show. Young V&A, Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets, Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green, London E2 9PA Madame Tussauds A stalwart of the capital, this destination was particularly popular with our parents of older children, who recognised most of the celebrities and political and historical figures. Highlights for kids include Shrek, Tinkerbell, an ET you can sit on a bike with, the animatronic King Kong and Star Wars and superhero sections. Older children (8+) can also have their hand made from wax, as a fabulous memento. Madame Tussauds , Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5LR Warner Bros Studio Tour London This received a gaggle of nominations from parents of little wizards and witches, who can explore original sets, animatronic creatures and breathtaking special effects. Along the way, you’ll enjoy interactive activities, like the opportunity to ‘fly’ a broomstick, try a frothy cup of Butterbeer, board the Hogwarts Express and step into iconic locations like Diagon Alley and The Great Hall. Warner Bros Studio Tour London . Studio Tour Drive Leavesden, WD25 7LR Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue Read our review The European premiere of the new Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue invites fans of all ages to team up and become heroes, rescuing a village under siege from zombies, in an interactive adventure through seven Minecraft zones. Adventurers are given glowing, vibrating and colour-changing orbs to gather vital ingredients for a life saving potion to save villagers; battle blocky Creepers, and craft buildings. The high octane quest has made quite the impression on our readers, with a highlight being a real-life “the floor is lava” game, leaping across molten magma to reach the fort. Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue . Corner Corner, Maritime Street, London, SE16 7LL Kedi Studio Our review This innovative art studio welcomes all ages and skill levels to enjoy the thrill and freedom of creative expression in their colourful Splat Room. They provide the protective smock and shoes, stretched canvas and paints and kids provide the creativity - splashing, splattering, spraying, and throwing paint - in exactly the way they’re not allowed at home - to create their masterpiece, ready to take home in a custom box. Kedi Studio , Arch 91 Tiverton St, London SE1 6FX Chislehurst Caves There are 22 miles of subterranean history and mystery for families to explore, in this labyrinth of tunnels. Kids enjoy the thrill of grabbing a lamp for an underground adventure, learning about its amazing past, from the Stone Age, Romans and Saxons right up to the Second World War when the caves became one of the largest air raid shelters in the country. Chislehurst Caves, Caveside Cl, Old Hill, Chislehurst BR7 5NL Horrible Histories: Terrible Thames This fabulously revolting, hour-long trip up the Thames omits the dry, boring bits of London's history, and brings the infinitely more fun, dark, gory and naughty bits to life. There are fart jokes, singing and tales of historical characters like King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, Julius Caesar, Queen Boudicca, and Jack the Ripper which delights kids from five and up. Terrible Thames , Tower Bridge Quay, St Katharine's Way, London E1W 1LD Centre of the Cell Deliciously disgusting and sneakily educational centre in a futuristic, light-studded pod suspended above the laboratories of the Blizard Institute in Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Children can learn about the heart, teeth or senses, see scientists at work and enjoy their delightfully vile ‘Snot, Sick and Scabs’ session. Centre of the Cell,  4 Newark St, London E1 2AT Like what you've read? Please keep in touch!