so, after I left Kew, I jumped on the Tube (underground, metro, whichever you prefer) and headed for South Kensington in London and the Victoria and Albert museum - fondly know as the V&A... for the newly opened (yesterday!) entrance and a new wing to the museum... having seen some photos online and on the news, I wanted to see for myself...
you can approach the famous London museums (V&A, Science, Natural History) from a subway entered straight from the tube exit...
the new entrance... sparkly and clean!
hopefully you can enlarge this to read- but the hole in the wall is bomb damage from WWII
I got snap happy - love the actual building, I don't go to the V&A often, but the brickwork is fantastic...
although the entrance is new, the walls themselves aren't
the much heralded ceramic floor!
to mark the opening, the first week sees the V&A putting on various events, some interactive performances going on (telling the history of the V&A this one - I arrived part way through - they were very funny!
the little boy in the lime green sleeved top was doing lots of heckling, but they wove him into the story
I imagine the Sackler of the Sackler Courtyard is related to the Sackler family of the Sackler bridge at Kew
contemporary meets old - love it
inside, for this first week, in the new Sainsbury Gallery; a very conceptual light display (sorry, immersive light experience in the "blurb") - couldn't capture it on camera - needed video..
the space will be used for various exhibitions once the opening week's Festival is over.
I like the stairways - reminded me of a ship for some reason
from the new gallery, I headed outside to the John Madejski Garden (never knew it had a name before) which I love...
stopped for coffee and a cake.. it was nearly lunchtime but I didn't fancy any of the (very expensive) lunch offerings here...
Don't think I've been here in summer before, or seen such huge hydrangea heads!
gorgeous - not sure how they've got blue and pink ones together, as I thought they changed colour depending on whether the soil was acid or alkaline, perhaps the soil is confused!!
they stretch round the courtyard garden, it was gorgeous.
you're allowed to paddle in the shallow pond (no, I had nothing to dry my feet on!)
love how you can see through to the new entrance the other side of the corridor
I sat on the (very hard) steps and had my coffee and cake, though I had to fight the pigeons off - they were so bold, swooping down for the muffin case and eating the crumbs off my tray!
I love the archways, so ornate
cool reflections!
fantastic ornate doors
inside, a fabulous ceiling to another cafe
love, love love
apparently, the V&A was the first museum in the world to have a public restaurant!
the main entrance with the magnificent Dale Chilhuly glass sculpture - I always forget it's here
caught sight of an exhibit through a doorway...
went to investigate...
Love this - it was fascinating, as hopefully can read above.
reminds me of frozen charlotte dolls!
got a bit carried away!
the Daylight Gallery - never discovered this before...
ancient oak wooden staircase...
doors with ironwork dating from 1200-1300... lasted well!
found myself (I always get lost inside the V&A) looking down on the mass of limbs
and the Chihuly, looks great from this level...
the 'front door' is pretty spectacular...
natural history museum next door neighbour!
walked past the new entrance again...
loved the cloud patterns
this was fascinating, another opening week activity anchored by ropes and manouvered by two men, it floated and drifted about
I headed past the Natural History Museum next, to see their wildlife garden, nestling in the corner of their site (involving a walk around 2 sides of the museum)
I'd read about it last year and was given a leaflet outside the V&A so went to explore..
it was a very wild Wildlife garden
from the Natural History Museum (didn't go in, looked too busy) I kept on walking down the road to Kensington Gardens where I found a Flying Trapeze school - as you do!
walked towards the Albert Memorial... don't remember ever seeing it up close before, somehow
walked all round it...
headed further into Kensington Gardens ....
past a rather strange looking ...something or other... outside the Serpentine Gallery...
then went to find the Princess Diana memorial fountain - it would have been her birthday today - and in the 20 years (this August ) since her death, I've never seen this before...
there were loads of people enjoying it as you can see...
continued to walk through the park, on into Hyde Park...
sat on a bench for a while.. a very tame squirrel came scampering up, this little boy and his mum were trying to pet it... and it ran halfway up my leg!
by now (it was about 2pm) I was getting very tired - been on my feet walking, since 6.30 what with Kew first... so it was time to head home!! Hope you've enjoyed both parts of my very long day!
sat on a bench for a while.. a very tame squirrel came scampering up, this little boy and his mum were trying to pet it... and it ran halfway up my leg!
9 comments:
Great photos, pity they've made the outside so modern x
I really need to go to V&A - beautiful building and art. I love your photos. As for the hydrangea - mine change colour every year! I thought the same as you but my hydrangea and one of my roses have never been the same colour for 2 years running! What a fabulous day you've had - if not tiring!!
Really enjoyed this additional journey today (and no sore feet either ;-)). Wonderful photos but I have to say I'm more or less in agreement with Sam. I'm not too keen on the modernisation but it's more the inside new gallery I don't like. Much too clean and clinical for my taste but you are right about the similarity to a ship. I thought the same! Love the porcelain and glass sculptures and the beautiful oak staircase and many features of the architecture are stunning. Such an intersting post Helen so thanks again. Oh, nearly forgot the wildlife garden, that looked lovely.
Hugs
Lesley Xx
I love the combination of brick and stone on the V&A building. It is beautiful. BTW, is the first photo from a platform on the tube?
I'm not sure how I feel about the old meeting the new. The new looks a bit out of place to me, but I didn't see it in its entirety, either.
I liked what you captured for the "light display." I know what you man about needing a video in times like that.
I admit the stairs remind me of the new part of the outside, so there was some continuity, at least.
Goodness! I'm like you and wondered how they got both colors in one pot of soil.
OMGosh. Your photos of the Chilhuly are wonderful. So very different from the one at WAM, yet aspects of both pieces were so similar.
399 Days was reminiscent of frozen Charlottes, but also a sculptor from Oslo Johanna showed on her blog last week. That sculptor also dealt with intertwining nudes, although his column was continuous.
The oak staircase in the Daylight room was incredible. Oak is my wood of choice.
The Natural History Museum would have been fun to see, but if it was busy, it probably would have turned me off.
I was surprised and a bit disappointed by the Princess Diana memorial fountain. Somehow, I didn't "get" it. it just looked like a concrete wading circle to me.
I really enjoyed your trip into London, and the areas you covered in this post. As usual, your photos are incredible, and I really enjoyed being there, too!
I love the V&A and the new entrance is stunning, I love the combination of contemporary structures and materials with the older building, it works incredibly well. I must try to plan a visit to London, I can't wait to see it. Thank you for all the great photos - and for all the walking! :-)
I've never been to the V&A but it looks lovely and those hydrangeas- wow! Looks like you had a fab day except for the random squirrel running up your leg lol! Xx
What a fantastic post Helen. I love the Chilhuly glass sculpture but I always wonder how they clean it. I'd be terrified to go near it!! Any clues??
Wonderful photos, Helen! Not surprised you were tired after that! I too am rather confused about Hydrangeas. They have a wonderful collection at Chirk castle, just over the border into Wales, and there too they seem to have a range of colours. Maybe it depends on the variety
Fantastic Helen. The V&A is on my wishlist to visit, and your photos have made me put it on my radar again. I love how your posts take us akong on your journey
x
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