Three places to visit in London, as recommended by the Museum of the Home’s Andy Holbrook
June 21, 2024
It’s no secret that London is one of the best places in the world to soak in the arts. But with hundreds of cultural spaces across the UK’s capital, it can be hard to know where to start. Who better, then, to ask for ideas about where to visit than a conservator working in London? We asked Andy Holbrook, Collections Manager at the Museum of the Home, to share his top three must-see spots.
Holbrook has two decades of experience caring for collections at museums and galleries, including the Museum of London and the Imperial War Museum.
Here are his top three places to visit—ready for you to explore with the Bloomberg Connects app, either in-person or from home.
1. The Fourth Plinth
First up is The Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square—the most famous public art commission in the world. It was originally built to hold a statue of King William IV, but the statue was never installed. The purpose of the Fourth Plinth was debated for 150 years—commissioners, critics, and members of the public all had their say, and finally it was decided that it should serve as a site for exhibiting a rolling program of temporary artworks.
“My favorites so far have been Alison Lapper Pregnant by Marc Quinn and Really Good by David Shrigley,” shared Holbrook.
Open the Fourth Plinth guide on the Bloomberg Connects app for details of what’s on display today.
Note that app links work best on your smartphone with the Bloomberg Connects app downloaded.
1. The Fourth Plinth
First up is The Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square—the most famous public art commission in the world. It was originally built to hold a statue of King William IV, but the statue was never installed. The purpose of the Fourth Plinth was debated for 150 years—commissioners, critics, and members of the public all had their say, and finally it was decided that it should serve as a site for exhibiting a rolling program of temporary artworks.
“My favorites so far have been Alison Lapper Pregnant by Marc Quinn and Really Good by David Shrigley,” shared Holbrook.
Open the Fourth Plinth guide on the Bloomberg Connects app for details of what’s on display today.
Note that you need to have the Bloomberg Connects app downloaded to open up app links.
2. Somerset House
Just a 15-minute walk along the Strand there’s Somerset House – the home of cultural innovators across the fields of art, technology, business, and social enterprise. With The Courtauld Gallery also on site, it’s a rare spot where you can find exhibitions covering both the work of early-career visual artists and masterpieces dating from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century.
The Somerset House Summer Series and Skate at Somerset House are staple experiences, and The Courtauld has a splendid Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection featuring Monet, Degas, Renoir, Gauguin, Cézanne, Manet, and van Gogh.
Holbrook recommends that visitors “listen to the Sonic Histories within the guide on Bloomberg Connects to get an audio tour and learn more about the hidden history of Somerset House.”
2. Somerset House
Just a 15-minute walk along the Strand there’s Somerset House – the home of cultural innovators across the fields of art, technology, business, and social enterprise. With The Courtauld Gallery also on site, it’s a rare spot where you can find exhibitions covering both the work of early-career visual artists and masterpieces dating from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century.
The Somerset House Summer Series and Skate at Somerset House are staple experiences, and The Courtauld has a splendid Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection featuring Monet, Degas, Renoir, Gauguin, Cézanne, Manet, and van Gogh.
Holbrook recommends that visitors “listen to the Sonic Histories within the guide on Bloomberg Connects to get an audio tour and learn more about the hidden history of Somerset House.”
3. Imperial War Museum London
Hop on a bus and cross the Thames to the Imperial War Museum London, but “not just because I used to work there,” says Holbrook. “Not many people know that the IWM has one of the most significant British art collections. Paul Nash is one of my absolute favorite artists. But there are lots of relevant and resonant modern pieces as well, from amazing artists like Steve McQueen and Jeremy Deller.”
The Blavatnik Art, Film and Photography Galleries is dedicated to how artists tell the story of war. This is the first time a permanent gallery was created to house works covering conflict from 1914 to the present day. You can see around five hundred works from the IWM’s collection on display. The Bloomberg Connects guide has audio to accompany you through it all.
3. Imperial War Museum London
Hop on a bus and cross the Thames to the Imperial War Museum London, but “not just because I used to work there,” says Holbrook. “Not many people know that the IWM has one of the most significant British art collections. Paul Nash is one of my absolute favorite artists. But there are lots of relevant and resonant modern pieces as well, from amazing artists like Steve McQueen and Jeremy Deller.”
The Blavatnik Art, Film and Photography Galleries is dedicated to how artists tell the story of war. This is the first time a permanent gallery was created to house works covering conflict from 1914 to the present day. You can see around five hundred works from the IWM’s collection on display. The Bloomberg Connects guide has audio to accompany you through it all.
So, there we have Andy Holbrook’s top three places to visit in London. But be sure to add a trip to the Museum of the Home to your list. Half of the Museum’s permanent installation, Rooms Through Time, is currently undergoing a major refurbishment as part of the Real Rooms project. Reopening in the summer of 2024, seven new period rooms from the 1870s to the early twenty-first century will be installed to better reflect the variety of lived experiences within the multicultural community of East London, where the Museum is located.