h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello fellow London Meet attendees.

Below are listed a few options for the Afternoon Meet on Saturday 28th of April.

I have tried to give a choice that could cover everyone’s taste, and also with a mix of free and chargeable events.

A number of people have already expressed an interest in some events, so it is now over to you.

For those of you that are in London on Friday and would like to meet up, please advise. I am off all week and quite happy to meet somewhere.

Please advise!

A) The old tried and trusted Science Museum has a couple of expeditions on.

1) The Science of Spying exhibition. It is a timed event of 75 minutes attendance time.
Adult: £8:00

2) Photos from Post-War Britain in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Free.

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/

B) Then there is the National History Museum

Shell Wildlife Photographer of theYear.
See some of the best Natural History photos from the world’s best photographers.

http://www.naturalhistorymuseum.org.uk

C) Victoria and Albert Museum
1) On the Threshold: The changing Face of Housing
What ‘Home’ actually means
Free Entry

2) Kylie: The Exhibition
Online ticket booking essential
Free Entry

3) Uncomfortable Truths - The Shadow of Slave Trading on Contemporary Art & Design.
A Bicentennial commemoration of the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
Free Entry

http://www.vam.ac.uk

D) Tate Art Museum
1) Hogarth Exhibition: C18 witty, subversive and satirical artist, possibly the most comprehensive range of his works.
£10:00
2) Jake and Dinos Chapman: When Humans Walked the Earth.
Free Entry

http://www.tate.org.uk

E) Tate Modern

1)Gilbert and George: Major Exhibition
The first major retrospective in Britain.
£10:00

http://www.tate.org.uk

F) National Army Museum

http://www.national-army-museum.ac.uk

G) Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew
The Bulbs and Trees burst into flower.
Entry £12:25 (+ possibility of free evening bite at chez MMF before heading for the Shakespeare depending on numbers.) plus free amateur guided tour.

http://rbgkew.org.uk

H) The Sir John Soane Museum
Three interconnected houses designed by the architect. Assorted collections

1) Soane and Turner - Illuminating a friendship
Free Entry

2) A passion for building: The Amateur architect in Eighteenth Century England
Free Entry

http://www.soane.org

This list is not exclusive, but may whet a few appetites.

Happy to advise or co-ordinate.

Hhmmmm...now which one would i choose? I think you know the answer to that already Maz

Wouldn't have a , except that about five others have expressed an interest in that one as well.

Wow! That's a lot of choices. There are several of them I'd enjoy.

The Summer Reading theme this year is "Get a Clue". So whether or not we do it as a Meet event, I definitely want to see the spy exhibit at the Science Museum during one of my London days. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

As to an actual vote - my first choice is Kew. But I'm agreeable to whatever the rest of you want to do.

Well, that's two and counting, and I know I have three reserve votes on that, just waiting for the HooTooers to find the thread and .

Btw, I live a five minute walk away from Kew Gardens, hence the possibilty, if Kew does get chosen, of a (free) bite to eat. I can possibly manage 10, before it gets to be a squeeze.



MMF

A lot of those places MMF has listed have concession prices for member of the Art Fund, a national charity devoted to saving art works for the nation.
http://www.artfund.org/

I've been a member for about 10 years and even if I don't get to go to as much as I'd like, I know I'm helping. So I can highly recommend joining up.

I've just checked here for examples. http://www.artfund.org/whatson/great_savings_ong.html#london

£5 for the Hogarth and £5 for the Gilbert and George.

I'd vote for either spying or Kew. Never been to Kew. Does that make me a bad person?

I never go to art galleries unless entry is free, because the visual bits of my brain are a bit odd, and I cannot summon up mental images. This means that I can look back fondly on events and conversations, but can't picture a painting even a couple of seconds after looking at it, though I would probably recognise it if I saw it again. Isn't that strange?

So that is three for Kew Gardens, with one option on the Spying Exhibition, and Ceolocanth gave no indication.

Btw, can I advise attendees either get Oyster cards if they are doing multi-travel (they cost £3:00 plus top-up, but give half price travel that may be advantageous, and are re-usable) or One-day travel cards.

Just a suggestion. I hate people paying more than they should in this extortionate City.

Btw, DB, although there may be a problem with recall, if I can get my computer to work, I could always send a CD of memories of Kew to you, post-Meet. I will be asking people to cvontact me on my e-mail address on my PS so I can give out my contact number for ease of organising.

Thanks.

Impressing list, MMF

I can surely do most of the suggested things. Call back later when I've made up my mind.

...but Kew in the spring would really be nice...

I'll join you at Kew, too. Mainly because it's more conducive to walking round and talking to each other, although we did have some good conversations when in the National Gallery a couple of years ago.

At the moment the voting stands at:

Kew Gardens: 5
Spying Exhibition: 1

Any more?

Still plenty of time, only 46 days to go...



MMF

I think I'd like to join in that very british habit of Kewing please

Ok, Phil. Added to the list.

Kew Gardens now standing at 6.

Spying exhibition standing at 1.

Balance remaining on the starting blocks.

Mazin, what time are you planning to start the Kew meet?

Just trying to work out what I can do where and when, with whom, if at all


~W~

I'll be the one trotting behind Wilma....

Just make sure you leave your stick at home!


Carnation, was it, GB?

If Kew becomes the option then I was anticipating meeting at Richmond station at 12:00-ish and then getting a to Kew Gardens. Around 16:00 - 17:00 back to my place for a bite to eat (vegetarians catered for if requested), then tube or train to the Shakespeare, aiming to arrive there at around 19:30 (if I remember where it is ).

At the moment I have six interested in Kew, but you have yet to add your names to the list.

I will then advise on Oyster cards, directions and ask those who don't have my mobile number, to contact me by e-mail, which is on my PS, so late-comers can catch us up.

That's assuming something else doesn't prove more popular in the mean time.



Btw, is that 'my' stick you are referring to, Wilma? Wouldn't be able to do much guideing without it I'm afraid, and definitely wouldn't make the evening meet either!