London - Lambeth
This area of London includes the South Bank and further south to Brixton. Following the Festival of Britain in 1951, the South Bank arts scene grew up around the newly erected Festival Hall. Today much of the architecture is modern and garish like the London Eye, the National Theatre and Hayward Gallery, however, the area functions well and is crowded with culture seekers much of the time. As well as theatres, concert halls and galleries, the South Bank also has the National Film Institute and the innovative IMAX cinema.
Attractions and places to visit in Lambeth
London Aquarium
One of Europe's largest aquariums, housing a vast array of tropical and European species. Display tanks are organised according to geographical origin, including brightly coloured fish from the coral reefs and Indian Ocean to freshwater fish from the rivers of North America and parts of Europe. Among the more unusual species are sharks, jellyfish and octopuses. A touch pool allows visitors to enjoy contact with giant rays. Feeding sessions take place throughout the day.
London Eye
Erected in 2000, it was originally designed to be in place for just 5 years, but the London Eye has proved to be so popular that it is scheduled to keep rotating for a further 20 years. It has 32 capsules that continuously rotate on its 443 ft high frame. Each flight takes 30 approximately minutes, commanding superb views of up to 25 miles (40 km) across london.
Florence Nightingale Museum
Located near the entrance to the St Thomas's Hospital, this small museum gives a fascinating account of this determined woman's career. Exhibits include displays of original documents and personal memorabilia that illustrate Florence's life and the developments in health care she pioneered, until her death in 1910.
Imperial War Museum
Large museum, built in 1812-15, has displays covering Britain's many wars since 1914. Two Gigantic naval guns, each weighing 100 tons stand before its columned portico. Attractions include the reconstruction of a 1914 recruiting office and a WW1 trench system. Other exhibits include various vintage armoured fighting vehicles, hand guns and weapons, field guns, small submarines, and airplanes, including a restored Spitfire from World War II. Also on display is the original surrender document of the German forces in World War II. The museum's art galleries house paintings of various battle scenes by well known artists.
Lambeth Palace
This palace has been the official home of the Archbishop of Canterbury since the 13th century. Its Tudor gateway dates from 1495 and the Great Hall from 1660. The hall is 93 ft long and has a fine hammerbeam roof. The much restored chapel dates from around 1230 and features modern stained glass by Powell and Edwards. The crypt under the chapel, built around 1200, has Purbeck marble pillars.
Museum of Garden History
Housed in a former 19th century church, the museum commemorates father and son, John Tradescant, both gardeners to Charles l. A small 17th century garden, featuring plants brought to Britain by the Tradescant family from their world travels, is behind the church. Specimens include yuccas, lilacs and honeysuckle. An interesting collection of Victorian gardening tools is also on display. Graves of the two Tradescants and one of Captain Bligh (of mutiny on the Bounty fame) lie in the nearby churchyard.
Theatres and galleries in Lambeth
Hayward Gallery
A brutally stark concrete building, constructed in 1968. The 40 year-old gallery provides an excellent program of temporary exhibitions of both paintings and sculptures, loaned from around the world. Free entry is provided to exhibits displayed the Hayward Project gallery. The ground floor has a contemporary style cafe that becomes a bar at night.
National Film Theatre
The film centre has two cinemas, seating 466 and 162. Home to the London Film Festival.
National Theatre
Three theatres: Olivier, Lyttleton and Cottesloe, make up the National Theatre. The building was designed by Sir Denys Lasdun and opened in 1976.
Old Vic
One of the great theatres of London. Opened in 1818 and restored in the 1980s. During first half of this century it was the centre of Shakespearean theatre, ballet and opera.
Royal Festival Hall
The only permanent building built for the 1951 Festival of Britain. The concert hall can seat 3000 and its stage can accommodate more than 100 players and singers. Its open design allows views across the Thames.
Parks and open spaces in Lambeth
Archbishop's Park
a large open park next to Lambeth Palace, comprising 20 acres of gardens, walks, shrubberies and flower borders, plus a children's play area.
Albert Embankment
A pleasant riverside walk, created during the 19th century. The walk is about a mile long, from Lambeth Palace in the north to Vauxhall Bridge in the south. Plenty of seating is provided, with benches raised on plinths so the River Thames can be easily viewed over its retaining wall. The wall is decorated with iron lamp standards in the shape of dolphins. Near Westminster Bridge is the lone statue of a lion on a tall plinth, which stands on the site of the now closed Lion Brewery.
Jubilee Gardens
A short walk from Hungerford Bridge to Westminster Bridge through these peaceful gardens provides views of the River Thames and Houses of Parliament, beyond. These paved gardens cover the site of the 1951 Festival of Britain, and were opened in 1977 as part of the Queen's Silver Jubilee.
Lambeth Walk
Street made famous by the Cockney style song of 1930s 'Doing the Lambeth Walk'. A market is held here daily. A plaque marks the house where Charlie Chaplin once lived.
Other sights to see in Lambeth
New Covent Garden
A modern market place, transferred in 1974 from its old site at Covent Garden, where it had been held since 1670.
The Oval
The headquarters of the famous Surrey County Cricket Club since 1848. It was the scene of the first ever cricket Test Match between England and Australia in 1880.
Other Popular Places to Visit in London
Carlyle's House | National Army Museum | Bank of England Museum | Dr Johnson's House | Clock Museum | Mansion House | Museum of London | National Postal Museum | St Paul's | Tower Bridge | Tower of London | Wesley's House | Cutty Sark | Fan Museum | Gipsy Moth | Greenwich Park | National Maritime Museum | Royal Naval College | Royal Observatory | Baden-Powell Museum | Kensington Palace | Natural History Museum | Science Museum | Victoria & Albert Museum | Clink Museum | Golden Hinde | HMS Belfast | London Dungeon | Shakespeare Globe | Tate Modern | Canary Wharf | Docklands Museum | Bell Foundry | British Museum | Jewish Museum | London Transport Museum | Madame Tussaud's | National Gallery | National Portrait Gallery | Pollock's Toy Museum | Sir John Soane's Museum | Apsley House | Buckingham Palace | Cabinet War Rooms | Downing Street | Horse Guards | Houses of Parliament | Tate Gallery | Westminster Abbey
Inner London Boroughs
Camden, City of London, Chelsea, Fullum, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith, Islington, Kensington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth, Westminster & West End
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