Ilona’s pick: Visit the Buckingham Palace
One of the most important and iconic places in London is without a doubt the Buckingham Palace. The second day I was in London, I went and visited the Palace from outside and I remember thinking how great it would be to see it from the inside as well someday. Lucky for me, and for anyone else that is as hyped about Queen Elizabeth and her gang as me, Buckingham Palace has opened its doors for a short period of time. So put on your fancy hat and head to the Buckingham Palace, you have time until the 30th of September!
Buckingham Palace, Buckingham Palace Rd, London SW1A 1AA https://tickets.royalcollection.org.uk/state-rooms-buckingham-palace/state-rooms/2018#buynow. Until 30.9.2018. Admission: The State Rooms £24, Royal Day Out £42.30.
Aino-Sofia’s picks: London Fashion Week & London Fashion Week Festival
London is an important fashion hub in the world. The best place to experience fashion is on the streets. During the fashion week the best places to spot influencers is to walk around Covent Garden. Most of the shows are held at the Store X which is close to the Somerset House. You can also visit the Dover Street Market where you can find beautiful high fashion pieces. If your interests lay more in streetwear, Shoreditch area is the perfect place for you. London Fashion Week Festival allows the general audience to explore the fashion world by hosting different talks, shows and events. The cheapest tickets sell for only 20 pounds, which gives you the opportunity to e.g. attend different talks.
London Fashion Week, several locations. http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/. 13.–18.9.2018. Admission: check the link below.
London Fashion Week Festival, several locations. https://londonfashionweekfestival.com/ 20.–23.9.2018. Admission: check the link below.
Niro’s pick: Windrush: Songs in a Strange Land
Issues related to citizenship, identity and belonging seem to be a topic of discussions at the moment. Consequently, in this month I recommend a visit to the British Library’s Windrush: Songs in a Strange Land -exhibition. The exhibition tells a story of generation which was named after a migrant ship, the Empire Windrush, that sailed from the former British Colonies in Caribbean Islands to Britain in 1948. The exhibition pictures the life of the people and the struggles they faced over societal inclusion in their so called “mother country”. In many ways, the Windrush generation can be considered to have played an important role in renegotiating the idea and the concept of Englishness. However, many of the resurfacing themes in the exhibition are sadly yet still quite topical. The presentation of the exhibition may at first glance appear compact, but various audio recordings such as speeches and poems bring an interesting addition to it.
Windrush: Songs in a Strange Land, The British Library, 96 Euston Road London NW1 2DB. https://www.bl.uk/events/windrush-songs-in-a-strange-land. Until 21.10.2018. Admission: Free.
Anna’s pick: Friday Late at V&A: Deconstructed masculinities
Victoria and Albert museum organises Friday Late on the last Friday of every month. The event includes debates, talks, films, installations, live-music and performances. Friday Lates explore contemporary societal issues from various perspectives. September’s theme is deconstructing masculinity. On the weekends, several London museums have longer opening hours and they host events which are aimed to young adults.
Friday Late: (De)constructed Masculinities, Victoria and Albert museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, SW7 2RL London. https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/friday-late. 28.9.2018. Admission: Free.
