GREAT BRITAIN - Best of Europe 2014 - page 820

SouthKensingtonTubestationtomuseum,tel.[phone],exhibitinfoandreservations
tel. [phone], www.nhm.ac.uk .
▲ Science Museum
Next door to the Natural History Museum, this sprawling wonderland for curious minds is
kid-perfect, with themes such as measuring time, exploring space, climate change, and the
evolution of modern medicine. It offers hands-on fun, from moonwalks to deep-sea explora-
tion,withtrendytechnologyexhibitsandastate-of-the-artIMAXtheater(shows-£10,£8for
kids).
CostandHours: Free,daily10:00-18:00,until19:00duringschoolholidays,Exhibition
Road, Tube: South Kensington, tel. [phone], www.sciencemuseum.org.uk .
▲▲▲ Kensington Palace
Sitting primly on its pleasant parkside grounds, this newly renovated royal residence
provides a glimpse into the courtly lives of several important residents: William and Mary,
the Hanovers (the “Georges”), and Queen Victoria (born and raised in this palace). The
spaces are immaculately restored and creatively presented, with engaging, user-friendly ex-
hibits designed to appeal to adults and kids alike—making this a particularly entertaining
royal sight. The Victoria exhibit is especially worthwhile.
Kensington was once the residence of King William and Queen Mary, who moved from
Whitehall in central London in 1689 to the more pristine and peaceful village of Kens-
ington (since engulfed by London). Sir Christopher Wren converted an existing house into
the palace, which became the center of English court life until 1837, when Queen Victoria
moved into Buckingham Palace. Since then, lesser royals have bedded down in Kensington
Palace. Princess Diana lived here from her 1981 marriage to Prince Charles until her death
in 1997. Today it's home to three of Charles' cousins, and the official London home of Will
and Kate.
After buying your ticket, you have three different color-coded routes to choose from:
the Queen's State Apartments (with highly conceptual exhibits focusing on the later Stuart
dynasty—William and Mary, and Mary's sister, Queen Anne); the King's State Apartments
(the grandest spaces, from Hanoverian times); and the “Victoria Revealed” exhibit (telling
the story, through quotes and artifacts, of Britain's longest-ruling monarch). If you're short
on time, choose “Victoria Revealed.” A fourth, temporary-exhibit route may also be offered
during your visit.
Cost and Hours: £14.50 (includes 10 percent optional donation), save £1 by booking
online, daily 10:00-18:00, until 17:00 Nov-Feb, last entry one hour before closing, a
10-minute hike through Kensington Gardens from either Queensway or High Street Kens-
ington Tube station, tel. [phone] or 0844-482-7777, www.hrp.org.uk .