A very personal relationship with Robots

You may have noticed that while we try to bring you an insiders guide into the life of museum workers we can be a bit reluctant here to shout about or review exhibitions we have been working on. While we champion the use of social media for museum staff it can be a conflicting relationship to review an exhibition you have put together yourself. So I tend to keeping any reference to that on my own personal accounts.

Nonetheless some of you will probably be aware that I recently moved jobs from Collections Registration Coordinator at the Science Museum to Registrar at the National Army Museum, leaving the Science Museum was an emotional decision especially as I had put over a year of my blood, sweat and tears into one of the best exhibitions ever (yep this is a totally biased review) Robots!

As the Collections Registration Coordinator on the exhibition I was responsible for negotiating the loans of all of the objects in the exhibition on display in London and the subsequent tour, so these objects in all of their humanoid form became my friends that I didn’t get to meet until the opening night – unfortunately I terminated my contract only a couple of months before install started – so my review is going to focus around the many many loans this exhibition offers.

An insight into the history of humanoid robotics the exhibition takes you from the early automata used in churches right up to the lab robots of today. Now, it would be impossible for me to write a short and snappy blog if I was to take a journey through the whole exhibition so a few of my favourites and highlights of the show are:

The Bowes Swan

I mean, a huge silver swan! That’s an automata! This object really is one of a kind, dating from around 1773 the swan is one of the earliest automata’s that is still operating today and its pretty flashy! Back in 1774 the swan was a crowd puller at the Mechanical Museum of James Cox  (a London based dealer) and now the Science Museum is well and truly blessed to get this object down to London for the exhibition so its only there for the first six weeks of the show!

Cygan

Cygan quite definitely is my favourite object in this exhibition, he was my first loan in for the show and holds a very very dear place in my heart.  He has a bad boy past, having spend some time as a showman in strip clubs and has found love in recent years with his owner in the USA, an 8 foot high gentle giant he can walk, talk and dance with the ladies as showcased in this great film. The perfect example of a fifties robot ready to help around the home and be an aluminium beast.

Nexi

The fourth section of the exhibition has some incredible pieces from current roboticists – who are an absolute joy to work with. There’s some robotic legs – saved by curator Ben Russell from underneath a staircase in north London, ROSA a highly intelligent 3D printed skeletal robot and in it and my favourite interactive – the ultimate machine for an exhibition so high tech its so simple. Nexi is a beautiful disproportionate and creepy looking expressive robot developed to work with humans in uncertain environments. Gizmodo call this one an emo robot 

Icub

Icub robots are incredible, you can catch them on youtube dancing to the Arctic monkeys and again this is a personal favourite because it was an interesting one to negotiate and it felt really emotional seeing it on exhibition as the exit piece in the exhibition its placed to make you consider what the future of robotics is  because its so innovative its an open sourced robot and develops in a similar way to a four year old child.

Robots is open at the Science Museum until 3rd September then heading on a UK and international tour - be sure to catch it!

The Grand Old Duke of York and the Guards Museum #HipsterMuseum

If you’re a big fan of the Ministry you’ll already know of our #hipstermuseum series that sees us review and try to bring to attention the smaller lesser loved museums in London. Often their on your radar but perhaps not top of your list to visit they still deserve a bit of museum loving to ensure that they remain open especially in advance of the vicious cuts we’re likely to hear of soon.

As November 11^th marks Armistice Day , a day of memorial for the fallen heroes of war across the commonwealth counties it seems somewhat apt to remember those who lost their lives fighting by highlighting one of London’s military museums.  

A certainly more obscure museum than ones we usually review  the Guards Museum is situated right in central London opposite St James Park, and as part of the Wellington Barracks that host her royal highness’s foot guards. Costing only £6.00 to visit the displays document the military history of five regiments of the Queen’s foot guards - grenadier, cold stream, scots, Irish and welsh and aims to be a secure repository for artefacts belonging to those troops and help young guardsmen to learn about the history of their regiment.

The showcases are full to the brim with a wide range of objects relating to the military personnel, beginning with the uniforms of the Queen’s guards and a handy video introduction from the curator highlighting the differences in the regiments and how this is reflected in their grand uniforms including those bearskin hats. Moving on to some creepy waxworks and early drawings of the guards the museum gives a full outline of their history, hosting medical, personal and prestigious objects. Perhaps most excitingly the medical kits and objects of infamy such as the Grand Old Duke of York’s (yep the one who went up the hill!) hat. Of course, the place is filled with the expected royalist and nationalistic ephemera including some of Queenies military clothes and the occasional noise of a fanfare but with the Chelsea Pensioners as museum wardens walking around with their cups of tea and offering stories it becomes less intimidating.

However, I personally find it uncomfortable and upsetting to view objects of war and so when some of the more contemporary cases paid homage to members of regiments who have lost their lives in battles within the last ten years in Iraq and the stories of those who survived I found myself feeling that it almost too recent and potentially insensitive. Nonetheless, it is important to remember that this is a museum for research, although their text panels may use outdated language and the objects may seem insensitive to myself its purpose is to teach those young soldiers taking this path and its accessibility to the public is a peak into that way of life and worth a visit, if not just to find out more about those fancy uniforms!

Visit the Guards Museum daily from 10am to 4pm. 

Or if like me, you think all wars should be ended check out Stop the War campaign 

Homes for the Homeless: the experience of Victorian poverty

We have to be honest, we usually find ourselves at the Geffrye Museum only around Christmas time. And for this, we are ashamed. For on a recent visit on a sunny spring day, not only did we realise that the building and its gardens are glorious in the sunshine, but it's exhibitions and displays are fascinating all year round. On this particular trip we were there to see 'Homes for the Homeless: Seeking Shelter in Victorian London' exhibition because, well, you know how we feel about the Victorians. (We love them in case that wasn't clear). What we found was a thoughtful, beautiful designed, multi-faceted exhibition that brought home the realities of life in the nineteenth century city.

The Pinch of Poverty - Thomas Benjamin Kennington 1891

Why is it that we are so fascinated by the Victorians? I think there's something fascinating about being able to look back at history through the medium of photography- which seems so immediate and 'real'. I also think we recognise a lot of ourselves in them - their socialising, family life, businesses, travel, aspirations : the Victorians are really the birth of the modern age we are still living in. But for all of the exciting technical innovations and fabulous clothes, Victorian London was a place of poverty, illness, and a pre-welfare state which left most of the work of looking after the vulnerable to charity organisations.

Meal-time at Holborn workhouse, 1885

We get pretty used to seeing images of Victorian families in slum conditions, dirty children playing in the street, or homeless people sleeping on benches. But we forget that for the homeless of nineteenth century London, they had to figure out everyday how to find a place to sleep and something to eat. How they achieved that shows the maze that was the Poor Law system (hospitals, workhouses), charity, and sometimes just sheer determination.

Corridor at a casual ward, early 20th c.

The Geffrye exhibition really aims to try and humanize all those black-and-white pictures of Victorian poverty that most of us have become desensitised to. Sure it's history, but those are really people's lives. Through recreated voice-recordings of contemporary testimonies, we hear about the experience of getting into a casual ward, living in a crowded common lodging house, or the best places to sleep rough. You can try the harrowing task of picking apart rope or sleeping in a coffin-like box bed. The displays show the savvy needed to navigate what relief was available, the conditions people endured, but also how people made the best of a bad situation.

Sleek, graphics-dense exhibition design

The messages of the exhibition are really hit home by a complimentary exhibition in the corridor in which vulnerable teens and children from the New Horizons Centre in Kings Cross. The participants reflect on their own experiences of homelessness, and see a surprising number of similarities with the situation as it was experienced over 100 years ago. With the new government possibly preparing to slash disability benefits, the Geffrye's exhibition takes on a new meaning as both a well-crated temporary display, and a meaningful warning for the future. 

 Homes for the Homeless is on at the Geffrye Museum until the 12th of July 

South Ken's Kid - The V&A Museum of Childhood

The V&A Museum of Childhood neatly situated in Bethnal Green has also been on my museum-loving radar but it wasn't until recently (prompted by their exciting Small Stories Exhibition) that I purposefully ventured to East London to see it. 

 I have little doubt that most museum geeks have dreamt of walking into one of the buildings of the South Kensington museum and seeing for themselves the high ceilings and classical steel frameworks on the original exhibition road. If you like I have had this dream then the building that hosts the V&A Museum of Childhood is the closest thing to it. And of course it is, the Museum of Childhood isn't a small museum that has been rescued by the V&A in hard times, it is the child of the divorce of the South Kensington Museum. 

Originally known as the Bethnal Green Museum, the V&A Museum of Childhood was a direct response to the success of the area known as Albertropolis on Exhibition Road. Henry Cole alongside the South Ken Museum's Operating Department thought that their museum was so wonderful that every area of London should have their own version of it - North, East and South needed a regional edition. However, it was only East London  who would take up this challenge, assisted by three local figures who had already begun to lobby parliament for a museum to be built on land they had bought for the community in Bethnal Green. So, in 1861 construction began.

Initially the museum displays housed a range of objects, some pieces from the Great Exhibition alongside 18th century French art on loan from the Wallace Collection and it even began to house some of the Royal Families gifts. Closing during the conflicts of  WW1 it became a storage facility for the royal families gifts and the V&A museum. 

Reopening after the war saw a dramatic shift for the museum with the curator Arthur Sabin being pulled in specifically to sort the place out. Having noticed the hoards of bored and noisy children he began to make the museum more child-friendly with displays of childhood related objects becoming more and more popular as the years passed. So popular in fact that as Roy Strong was appointed director of the V&A  in 1973 he instigated a stark change and all childhood related objects from the V&A were ordered to go to the Bethnal Green Site opening in 1974 as the V&A Museum of Childhood.

Visiting the museum today is a mix of nostalgia and fascination with recognisable toys alongside those owned by royalty and the elite. Perhaps this is why their current temporary and touring exhibition Small Stories is so thrilling. Dolls houses are the toys of the elite, and representational of social and economic histories as well as being a familiar toy for many across classes.. I was fortunate enough to have an eighties barbie version that had and still does pass around the numerous female members of my extended family.

With such an exciting exhibition topic that incites wonder in visitors of all ages could it possibly go wrong? Certainly not in the case of the V&A Museum of Childhood and if anything it has reinstated its place on the museum map of London. Tweleve dolls houses dominate the exhibition space on the top floor exploring the history of the home, everyday lives and changing family relationships. 

As you wander among the examples you discover their original intention as the plaything of wannabe controlling adults and for women an opportunity to feel ownership over a home, unlike in real life when their wealth was only in the furniture they owned and not the house in which they lived. The exhibition not only shows off the fantastic collection of roughly 1,900 objects carefully conserved over the last two years but it sheds a light on the idealised life reflected in a simplistic toy. The craftsmanship of the miniatures from tiny paintings and photography to the unbelievable furniture and murals on walls and the characters created in them emphasises the ideal of exerting control over beauty. The Betty dolls house even has its idealised version of a drunken man in its salon whist other scenes show ladies enjoying their parlours. But the exhibition isn't limited to the elite and grand, it also features modern council houses and tower blocks indicating the progression of the modern family.

Not only does the exhibition showcase amazing objects that really do incite wonder and a dreamlike state to visitors they are hosting great events with a haunted dolls house tour on the 25th Feb.  and writing fascinating blogs on their website including this one about how they carefully illuminate each tiny room. 

Small Stories: At home in a Dolls House runs until 6th of September 2016 with free entry 

Film, archive or art? Who cares- it's Sherlock Holmes at the Museum of London

A few months ago we were, well, a little critical of the Museum of London and their penchant for exhibitions that tie in with recent television and film releases (see: this article from November). In fact this question of films, promotion and temporary exhibitions has been picked up elsewhere, including a feature in January's Museums Journal. We wondered whether all these PR driven, crowd pleasing, Hollywood inspired displays were a good enticement or an indication of the decreasing importance of collections. Well, a Christmas visit to MoL's Sherlock Holmes exhibition set us right- it is possible to build something which lures in film fans and also shows off your objects.

Regardless of this debate, I would have gone to see this exhibition anyway. I mean- who doesn't love Sherlock Holmes? Admittedly when most people say this they mean Benedict Cumberbatch or Robert Downey Junior - but who can blame them. It occurred to me as I walked through the party trick door that MoL loves so much- Sherlock Holmes is not a real person. How are they going to pull off an exhibition about a fictional persona? Essentially the MoL had three ways they could go with this- a British Library style archival exhibition with original manuscripts, a media-dense exploration of the major themes and historical context of the works, or to focus on London as an essential character in Conan Doyle's stories. Eureka! thought the curators, we shall do all three.

Sherlock Holmes does very much feel like several exhibitions stuck together, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It begins with exactly what most visitors expect as they walk through the bookcase- lots of videos and film posters creating a cacophony of sights and sounds of Sherlock over the past 150 years. But this is no film exhibition, before you know it...BAM! We are getting archival up in here bitch. Look at these manuscripts, original prints of the Strand Magazine, even some Edgar Allan Poe. Personally I enjoyed the video clip of Conan Doyle himself (although did any one else notice how this was introduced as an interview about his close connections with the spiritual world?! Guess we are just skipping over that one...)

If you only briefly looked at the faded pages of early Sherlock, you may well have been equally surprised to find yourself in the next section - oh its an art exhibition! Personally I like this bit- the Sherlock Holmes stories have been inspired for students of London and undoubtedly the metropolis itself shapes the mysteries even more than the great detective himself. Plus hey, we are in the Museum of London and I'm sure they have infinite amounts of London based photographs, etchings, paintings, and whatnots they are dying to get out of the store. So go on then, relish it art curators. You put up all those Victorian photos of foggy London-town.

The last portion of the exhibition is probably what most people had in mind when they bought a ticket- a dense display about Sherlock as a character featuring historical objects related to the stories plus film props (swoon, Benedict's coat and all). And why not- when it comes the Victorian London I imagine MoL is bursting at the seems with stuff for people to see. Clay pipes, medicine chests, carriage models, boots, guns- you name it. Personally I found the displays around the outside which looked at the development of fingerprinting, phrenology, iris-matching, and all other fodder for Sherlockian detective work fascinating. It's so much stuff in one tiny space you probably need at least 2 times around to see it all.

Is this a good exhibition- overall, yes. It's certainly feels like several exhibitions rolled together, but maybe that's necessary when addressing a topic that people think about in so many different ways. MoL seems to be trying to please everyone in their relatively small exhibition space, and to that I say, hats off to them. When faced with the challenge of creating an exhibition about a fictional detective, the museum turned to their collections to provide the solution. Although slightly disjointed, Sherlock Holmes is well worth a visit for lovers of the original stories, its recent incarnations or just the city of London.

Sherlock Holmes: The Man Who Never Lived And Will Never Die is on at the Museum of London until the 12th of April. 

Museum of London: Clever or evil? You decide...

I came across this image on the internet recently of superstar du jour, Benedict Cumberbatch, posing next to a Paddington Bear statue dressed as Sherlock in the Museum of London. At first I didn't think much of it, and then my brain became rapidly muddled with the stunning amount of cross promotion encapsulated in these images. Cumberbatch, star of the BBC's immensely successful Sherlock, at the Museum of London where they are having their Sherlock Holmes exhibition - fair enough. But the museum also has a Paddington Bear exhibition, which funnily enough coincides with the release of a major motion picture just in time for Christmas. And now they have a Sherlock themed Paddington Bear? Is the Museum of London run by a production studio? Is this incredibly brilliant or incredibly evil?

First off, let's be clear- Benedict I really doubt you designed this paddington sculpture. That is just a bear holding a deer stalker. Everyone calm down. I know he's amazing, but clearly not a particularly original sculptor.

But isn't what's more concerning that the MoL's exhibition masterplan seems to based around popular tv and film programmes? On the one hand, I will admit that both of these franchises are based in London and so would fall within the museum's remit. Also, the MoL has always focused on engaging school children audiences, and these two exhibitions can hardly fail to please. But on the other- the museum has commissioned a new deerstalker hat to be on sale at Liberty- is this an educational institution or an incredibly clever business?

I would say without a doubt the MoL is clever- indeed all we seem to talk about at conferences these days is building our brands, making the most of our collections, increasing visitor figures and income. Check check check- the MoL is on that like, well, like the PR savvy place it is. In fact, I would think the museum would be a paragon of a clever heritage institution - if it still had any of its collections staff.

I don't personally have a problem with the PR and cross-promotional wizardry that the MoL is pulling off. What does bother me is that it seems to come at the expense of its curatorial staff, or just its staff more widely, as we all have seen in its well publicized redundancy plan. The exhibitions are easy to market, because they aren't developed from the collections they are developed to sell, carried out by external contractors. And the scary part is- it is working.

So every time we buy our Liberty/MoL hat or pose for photos with Paddington Bear- are we condoning the rise of museums run with exposure and profit in mind? Or are museums finally getting their fair share of attention from the media? I just don't know guys. For the moment I'll have to leave it that the Museum of London might be the most savvy institution out there, but whose success appears to come at a terrible price.

The Ministry Recommends: Halloween Events!

We think it goes without saying, but the Ministry loves Halloween. The spooky, macabre, off-beat - we think no one does Halloween quite like London. Or should we say... London's museums! Yep- if you check our Time Out you'll notice museums have jumped on the Halloween band-wagon, and why wouldn't they? We all know museums can be a bit creepy (in the good way) so rather than spending your hard-earned cash on fancy dress and expensive entry fees, why not spend next Friday at one of these amazing events?

Subterranean Scream Lates at the London Transport Museum (Fri 31st)

LTM has definitely stepped up it's event offerings of late, and their Halloween evening is no different. Head down to Covent Garden to hear ghost stories of the underground, have your tarot cards read, all lubricated with two for one priced spooky cocktails. Think you already know all about London's haunted history, then test your knowledge at their Deadly London pub quiz. Personally, I've never seen anything quite as scary as next train arriving in 8 minutes. Tickets £10:
http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/events-calendar/friday-lates

Really just an average Friday night on the tube. 

Halloween Lates at the Museum of London Docklands (Fri 31st, Tues 4th, 11th, 18th)

Never been to the Museum of London's docklands branch before? Well you are in for a treat! Head down to West India Quay to learn all about the history of the East End and the docks - London's vibrant melting pot for centuries. And what a better opportunity to get to know the area a little better than on a ghost tour. You'll get a tour around some of the docks most haunted locations before travelling back in time yourself through their reconstruction of Victorian Wapping. Also apparently you get to hear about how the museum is actually haunted. Actually. Haunted. Price is a little steep (£25) but a drink is included: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands/whats-on/adult-events/late-events-docklands/

National Maritime Museum Halloween Lates: Death in the Archives (Fri 31st)

Everyone knows sailor's tell the best ghost stories. Well- apparently this is literally true as the NMM's archive bring forth tales of death, horror and tragedy. From shipwrecks to cannibalism, come here about the terrible treasures of the Archive. Tickets are £15 but you also get a candlelight tour of their 'The Art and Science of Exploration' exhibition.
http://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/events/death-in-archive

London Necropolis Railway (Thu 30th, Fri 31st, Sat 1st)

We have to admit, we have actually already bought tickets for this. It's fairly unclear from the website how historically accurate the evening's experience will be- but the history of the Necropolis Railway is fascinating. In the early 19th century- London had a problem. It's population was booming, but with more people, came more deaths. London's cemeteries were overflowing, leaving ripe pickings for the body snatchers. Some people reporting they could see the ground seeping and rising in London's burial grounds. So what did they do? Built a cemetery out of town in Surrey and built a special railway to accommodate the demand for funerals. To get a taste of what it's all about, head to Waterloo Station for a pop-up night of terror... http://zombieapocalypselondon.co.uk/necropolis/halloween-events-london.html

A Gothic and Ghostly Gathering at the Geffrye Museum (6th Nov) 

The Geffrye are offering a multi-sensory experience for their (slightly later) Halloween celebrations. Not only ghost stories and candle-lit displays, but historically accurate riddles and haunting ballads. I don't know about you but historically accurate balladeer-ing is literally the only way to celebrate the season. http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/whatson/events/special-events/


Or if you are hoping for something a little bit less boozy and terrifying, there are kid-friendly events on at Sutton House, the Benjamin Franklin House

Open House 2014: The Ministry Recommends

It's that time of year again when we stare out our Time Out in shock- is Open House this weekend?! Yes it is this weekend, which means you have only a few days to game plan how you are going to spend your Saturday and Sunday getting behind London's locked doors. If you are like us, then you were probably too caught up with other things to remember to get your name down for the pre-booking only events. But fear not! With over 800 amazing buildings to see all over London, plus guided tours and walks, there is still plenty for you to do and see.

In case this is all knew to you, Open House is an initiative run by OpenCity which aims to engage the public with London's built environment. Once a year they organise for London landmarks, museums, galleries, office buildings, and even private homes to throw open their doors for us noisy lot to wander around. There is literally something for every taste this weekend: whether you swoon for the Brutalists or get down with the Victorians, you can tailor your visits for your interests. Or mix it up and learn something new!

One of the things that was really stressed at the launch event on the 8th was the organisations desire to encourage people to explore not just individual buildings, but urban environments as a whole. To that end they've also added in some pretty sweet treasure hunts, photo tours and walks. To find out more visit: http://events.londonopenhouse.org/Venues?q= 

We think our top picks might give away our love for all things Victorian and macabre, but here's what the Ministry Recommends you see:

18 Stafford Terrace - The Sambourne Family Home

18 Stafford Terrace, W8 7BH, London, England

Open House Says: From 1875, the home of the Punch cartoonist Edward Linley Sambourne, his wife Marion, their two children and their live-in servants. Today, the house is recognised as the best surviving example of a late Victorian middle-class home in the UK. It is remarkably well-preserved and complete with its original interior decoration and contents.

The Ministry Says: Love the sitting room stuffed full of knick-nacks, wonder if I could hire their decorator...

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 10:30am-to-5pm
Event/Entry Details	First come basis. Entry at set intervals - cards will be given out with entrance time.
Last Entry Time	Last entry 4pm.
Entry Areas	Entry: ground floor and basement only.
How to get there	Tube: High Street Kensington; Tube/Rail: Olympia; 9,10,27,28,49,328

68 Dean Street

68 Dean Street, W1D 4QJ, London, England

Open House Says: Fine example of early 18C London domestic architecture by local carpenter/builder, with separate cesspits for the Meards and servants, and largely panelled hidden rooms.

The Ministry Says: Cesspits? Sold. 

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 10am-to-5pm
Event/Entry Details	Tours on the hour (not 1pm), first come basis.
Last Entry Time	Last tour 4pm.
How to get there	Tube: Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Tottenham Court Road; Tube/Rail: Charing Cross

Abbey Mills Pumping Station

Abbey Lane, E15 2RW, London, England

Open House Says: View the Abbey Mills pumping station A, built by engineer Joseph Bazalgette, Edmund Cooper and architect Charles Driver. Built between 1865 and 1868 it has been described as the cathedral of sewage.

The Ministry Says: Can't go wrong with a catherdral of sewage. Who doesn't love Bazalgette?

Event/Entry Details	Sat & Sun tours at 10am, 11am, 12noon, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm. Pre-book ONLY on londonopenhouse@thameswater.co.uk � clearly marking the subject � ABBEY MILLS: Open House � Please do not turn up on the day without pre-booking.
How to get there	Tube: Bromley-by-Bow, Bow Road; DLR: Pudding Lane; 25,86

Apothecaries' Hall

Black Friars Lane, EC4V 6EJ, London, England

Open House Says: A courtyard building with some of the best-preserved 17C livery hall interiors, on the site of the Blackfriars Priory on which the original hall burnt down in 1666.

The Ministry Says: Have always wanted to visit here and see the Great Hall, maybe this weekend is the time to finally get to it!

Event Days/Times	Sunday | 10am-to-3pm
Event/Entry Details	First come basis.
Last Entry Time	Last entry 2.45pm.
Entry Areas	Entry: parlour, court room, great hall.
How to get there	Tube: Monument; Tube/Rail: Blackfriars; 4,11,15,23,26,45,63,76,172

Arts Lav

180 Kennington Lane, SE11 4UZ, London, England

Open House Says: Once a Victorian Gentleman's lavatory, ArtsLav is now a thriving arts hub in a listed and semi-restored Kennington landmark. Original features include marble urinals, glass water tank, mosaic floor, ventilator shaft and horse trough.

The Ministry Says: Are we on an accidental toilet and sewage theme for our picks? Maybe- but the Victorians loved their water and sanitation reform, so much they covered it in marble. 

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 10am-to-5pm Sunday | 10am-to-5pm
Event/Entry Details	First come basis, queuing outside if necessary.
Last Entry Time	Last entry 4.45pm.
Entry Areas	Entry: all areas.
How to get there	Tube: Kennington; Rail: Elephant & Castle; 3,59,159,196,360

Bells and Belfries at St Botolph Aldgate

Aldgate High Street, EC3N 1AB, London, England

Open House Says: Rare opportunity to see the bells and belfry of this church by the architect of Mansion House, with demonstrations taking place. Inside is London's oldest organ

The Ministry Says: Ring my beeeeeeelll, ring my bell. 

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 10am-to-4pm Sunday | 10am-to-4pm
Event/Entry Details	Bell ringing demonstrations and limited belfry tours on Sat only (10am-12noon & 2pm-4pm). Max 20 in belfry.
Last Entry Time	Last entry 3.30pm.
How to get there	Tube: Aldgate; Tube/Rail: Liverpool Street; Rail: Fenchurch Street; 42,78,100,67,15

Bethlem Royal Hospital

Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, BR3 3BX, London, England

Open House Says: The first opportunity to see the 1930 hospital administration building, currently undergoing refurbishment to open in 2015 as the Museum of the Mind.

The Ministry Says: Sneak peek! Yes please, can't wait for the Museum of the Mind!

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 10am-to-5pm
Event/Entry Details	Tours of administration building at 10am and 11am, first come basis.
Last Entry Time	Last entry 4.30pm.
Entry Areas	Entry: archives and museum (10-5), main building by tours only.
How to get there	Rail: Eden Park; 356,119,194,198

Billingsgate Roman House and Baths

101 Lower Thames Street, EC2R 6DL, London, England

Open House Says: Some of London's best Roman remains, comprising late 2C house with a 3C bath house built within its courtyard. First discovered in 1848.

The Ministry Says: Back to ye olde Londinium. Way way back. 

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 11am-to-4pm Sunday | 11am-to-4pm
Event/Entry Details	Museum of London curators on site.
How to get there	Tube: Monument; Rail: Fenchurch Street, Blackfriars; 15,35,40,43,47,48,78

Boone's Chapel

Lee High Road, SE13 5PH, London, England

Open House Says: Grade I listed former almshouse chapel restored in 2008 as an architect's studio and exhibition space. Brick and Portland stone chapel (1682) with contemporary service building and small garden in grounds of the Merchant Taylors' Almshouses. Green features include recycled materials, sheep's wool insulation and lime plaster.

The Ministry Says: Where history and art meet- that's where you'll find us. 

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 12pm-to-5pm Sunday | 12pm-to-5pm
Event/Entry Details	First come basis. Exhibition material on the social history of the building.
Entry Areas	Entry: chapel.
How to get there	Rail: Blackheath, Lewisham, Hither Green; 321,178,261,122

Brixton Windmill

Blenheim Gardens, SW2 5ET, London, England

Open House Says: One of very few windmills in London. Built 1816 when Brixton Hill was open fields and a working mill until 1934. Restored to working order 2011.

The Ministry Says: That pub is named after a real thing?!

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 1pm-to-5pm Sunday | 1pm-to-5pm
Event/Entry Details	Half-hourly tours, duration 40 mins, max 3 per tour, pre-book ONLY on 07587 170 029. 'Short' tours to first floor, first come basis, duration 20 mins, max 6 per tour.
Last Entry Time	Last entry 4.40 pm.
Entry Areas	NB. steep ladders, low beams, heavy machinery and confined spaces. All children must be able to climb stairs unaided.
How to get there	Tube/Rail: Brixton; 45,59,109,118,133,159,250,333

Caroline Gardens Chapel

Asylum Road, SE15 2SQ, London, England

Open House Says: An extraordinary centrepiece of a large almshouse complex, the chapel was originally intended for retired publicans and brewers. It was severely damaged in WWII, but a collection of funerary monuments and painted glass windows survived. Sealed up until recently it is now an arts centre.

The Ministry Says: Tres chic arts venue in Peckham, cool kids only. 

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 8am-to-3pm
Entry Areas	Entry: chapel, general estate.
How to get there	Rail: Queens Road Peckham; P12

City Alleyways

Meet: Outside Guildhall Art Gallery, Guildhall Yard, EC2V 5AE, London, England

Open House Says: A walk through some of the old alleyways of the City of London, passing Wren churches, Livery Halls and many little known historical places, finishing at the Monument. Walk led by qualified City of London guide.

The Ministry Says: Wander the windy streets of London, and not just when you are looking for a night bus.

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 10:30am-to-3:30pm Sunday | 10:30am-to-3:30pm
Event/Entry Details	Regular departures every 45minutes from 10.30am. Duration approx 2 hours. First come first served.
Last Entry Time	Last tour 3.30pm.
How to get there	DLR/Tube: Bank; Tube: Barbican, St Paul's; Tube/Rail: Moorgate; 8,21,23,25,43,133,141,242

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

King Charles Street, SW1A 2AH, London, England

Open House Says: Grade I listed Victorian government office buildings. Former India Office includes the magnificently decorated Durbar Court.

The Ministry Says: Phwoar, the Empire is alive and well in London's architecture!

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 10am-to-5pm Sunday | 10am-to-5pm
Last Entry Time	Last entry 4.30pm.
Entry Areas	Entry: Durbar court, India Office council chamber, Locarno suite and Foreign Office grand staircase.
How to get there	Tube: Westminster; Tube/Rail: Charing Cross, Victoria; 3,11,12,24,53,87,88,159,453

Home House

19, 20 & 21 Portman Square, W1H 6LW, London, England

Open House Says: Built in 1776 by Wyatt with very fine interiors by Adam. Was the London base of the Countess of Home and is probably the greatest surviving Georgian town house.

The Ministry Says: Shout out to the Georgians. Plus Home House for Open House? Too good. 

Event/Entry Details	Sun tours at 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, pre-book ONLY by email on openhouse@homehouse.co.uk, confirmation sent by email.
Entry Areas	Entry: Drawing rooms.
How to get there	Tube: Marble Arch; Tube/Rail: Paddington; 2,13,82,139,159

Langham House Close, Flats

Langham House Close, Ham Common, TW10 7JE, London, England

Open House Says: A landmark in 'Brutalism'. Exposed shuttered concrete and brick construction with iconic oversized concrete 'gargoyles' and geometric fenestration. Interior features exposed brick chimney/mantle/squint and architect-designed cupboards.

The Ministry Says: For all you Brutalist fans out there. Or Westerners. 

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 10am-to-5pm
Event/Entry Details	First come basis, queuing if necessary.
Last Entry Time	Last entry 5pm.
Entry Areas	Entry: entrance hall to flats 25-30, interior of flat 7.
How to get there	Rail: Richmond, Kingston; then 65 bus to Ham Common

Nunhead Cemetery

Linden Grove, SE15 3LP, London, England

Open House Says: Magnificent Victorian cemetery with Gothic chapel and ruined lodge. One of London's wildest and most overgrown cemeteries, a square mile of inner city forest. Restored with the help of a lottery grant. Unique in London - 50 acres of wilderness, complete with bats, owls, foxes and squirrels.

The Ministry Says: A lesser known of the Magnificent Seven - for all you morbid kiddies. 

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 1pm-to-5pm Sunday | 1pm-to-5pm
Event/Entry Details	Tours at 2pm, 3pm of the cemetery and chapel.
Entry Areas	Entry: cemetery, chapel.
How to get there	Rail: Nunhead; 484,P3,P12

Sandys Row Synagogue

4 Sandys Row, E1 7HW, London, England

Open House Says: Hidden gem at the very heart of London. Built originally as Huguenot chapel in 1763, this extraordinary building has been in continuous use as a synagogue since 1860. Oldest Ashkenazi synagogue in London.

The Ministry Says: We had no idea this was here! Oh London, what secrets do you keep...

Event Days/Times	Sunday | 12pm-to-4pm
Event/Entry Details	Regular tours, first come basis. Films will also be shown.
Last Entry Time	Last entry 3.45pm.
Entry Areas	Entry: synagogue sanctuary, vestry, ladies gallery.
How to get there	Tube/Rail: Liverpool Street, Shoreditch High Street; 100,214,205,23,153

The Tin Tabernacle / Cambridge Hall

12-16 Cambridge Avenue, NW6 5BA, London, England

Open House Says: 1860s corrugated iron chapel. Inside transformed after the last war into a ship by local people, complete with decks, portholes, bridge and even a bofors gun.

The Ministry Says: Community engaging with historic spaces, love it. 

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 1pm-to-5pm Sunday | 1pm-to-5pm
Event/Entry Details	Half-hourly tours, first come basis.
Last Entry Time	Last tour 4pm. Last entry 4.30pm.
Entry Areas	Entry: Chapel, roperoom, classroom, wardroom.
How to get there	Tube: Kilburn Park; Rail: Kilburn High Road; 31,328,316,32,206,632

Trinity Buoy Wharf/Container City

64 Orchard Place E14 0JY, E14 0JW, London, England

Open House Says: Home to London's only lighthouse, fine stock buildings and examples of the innovative Container City buildings including the new Olympic Legacy - Clipper House. This former buoy manufacturing site is now a centre for the creative industries with Thames views and various sculptures and installations. 500th anniversary of Trinity House.

The Ministry Says: Container architecture of course - plus plenty of installations. 

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 11am-to-4pm Sunday | 11am-to-4pm
Event/Entry Details	History & art and regeneration tour 12noon. First come basis, meet at lighthouse.
Last Entry Time	Last entry 3.30pm.
Entry Areas	Entry: Trinity Buoy Wharf, Container City, lighthouse, historic buildings, pier, lightship.
How to get there	DLR: East India; DLR/Rail: Canning Town; 277

V&A Study Centre, Blythe House

23 Blythe Road, W14 0QX, London, England

Open House Says: A glimpse of the Victoria and Albert Museum's study centre at Blythe House near Olympia, including new reception area by Haworth Tompkins and display of Eduardo Paolozzi's Krazy Kat Arkive of Twentieth-Century Popular Culture.

The Ministry Says: Unless you work in a museum or are doing research you probably won't ever get to step inside the imposing building that is Blythe House, home to the off-site stores of the V&A, British Museum and Science Museum. Stood in for the Circus in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. A very cool museum behind the scenes!

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 11am-to-5pm Sunday | 11am-to-5pm
Event/Entry Details	Courtyard and reception areas only, including the krazy kat arkive. Tours of the Clothworkers' Centre at 12noon, 2pm and 4pm. Pre-book ONLY on 0207 942 2211.
How to get there	Tube: Kensington Olympia; 9,10,27,28

Wilton's Music Hall

Graces Alley, Ensign Street, E1 8JB, London, England

Open House Says: The oldest music hall in London to survive in its original form, complete with papier-mache balconies, barley sugar iron columns and unique atmosphere. Hall is fronted by five terrace houses; four Georgian and one 1990s.

The Ministry Says: One of our favourite spots in the whole city! Amazing building and a great bar for a rest from all your wanderings!

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 12pm-to-11pm
Event/Entry Details	First come basis, queuing outside if necessary. Audio tours available.
Entry Areas	Entry: main hall, foyer, upstairs foyer.
How to get there	DLR: Shadwell, Tube: Tower Hill, Aldgate East; Rail/Tube: London Bridge; 100

The Old Mortuary

St Marychurch Street, SE16 4JE, London, England

Open House Says: Erected in 1895 and situated in Rotherhithe Conservation Area. Retains many original features including a vaulted ceiling in Russell Hall, original doors, lantern skylight and iron girder in Varney Room (formerly post-mortem room), wooden panelling in chapel. Now community centre with local history group (Time and Talents Association).

The Ministry Says: A mortuary built to house all the bodies washed up by the Thames in Rotherhithe. Or as you look at it now, community centre. Oh London, I love you. 

Event Days/Times	Saturday | 10am-to-5pm Sunday | 10am-to-5pm
Event/Entry Details	Regular tours and special display of features of local history.
Last Entry Time	Last entry 4pm.
Entry Areas	Entry: former mortuary, post mortem room, chapel.
How to get there	Tube: Bermondsey, Canada Water; Rail: London Bridge, Rotherhithe; 47,188,381,C10,P12