europeannovice

Has anyone been to the Dulwich Picture Gallery? I read that it has a large collection of the great masters. Do you recommend the gallery? What is the best way to get there from Central London? How much time do you need for it?

I also read that the Horniman museum is nearby and has a substantial musical instrument collection among other things. How do you get from one to the other and then back to central London? Is the Horniman museum a worthy visit?

Morgana

Yes, I've been to the gallery at Dulwich - it was to see a specific exhibition of illustrations from children's books. This is going back a few years now but I recall we took the train and then it was about 10 mins walk down to the gallery. Someone better at public transport will advise you.
What I do recall was how nice Dulwich was - it had a sort of village feel to it.

jamikins

There are directions on their website

http://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org...ing_to_us.aspx

Easiest would be to take the train from London bridge or Victoria train stations. Looks like a West a Dulwich is the closest station, or North Dulwich. Then a short walk.

jamikins

Based on this map you would go to North dulwich from London bridge (zone 2) and west dulwich from Victoria (zone 3). Since west dulwich is in zone 3 you will likely need to buy an additional ticket assuming you have a zone 1-2 already. If you are using pay as you go just be sure you touch out at the station.

Hope this helps!

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...rvices-map.pdf

jamikins

It's a simple 15 min bus ride between the two museums. Take the P4 bus - it goes between the two directly! Just ask where to pick it up at the first museum. The stops are named after the galleries so it should be easy!

latedaytraveler

Hi Europeanovice,

“Has anyone been to the Dulwich Picture Gallery? I read that it has a large collection of the great masters. Do you recommend the gallery?”

That is an excellent question which I have considered myself. I have been to many museums in London (Wallace Collection and Courtauld Gallery among my favorites) and have been interested in checking out the Dulwich on my next trip. Would enjoy hearing from others who have made the trek there.

Also, Jamkins, you wrote “It's a simple 15 min bus ride between the two museums.” What “two museums”? Maybe I missed something?

Thanks

jamikins

The picture gallery in dulwich and the horniman in Forrest hill

PalenQ

When I lived in Crystal Palace Camping one summer I often walked by the Dulwich School - tony private school and adjoining gallery and went in a few times - hardly ever anyone there - near Crystal Palace so can combine with a look at the architectural relic from the 1850s World's Fair - the remains being just foundations but Crystal Palace Park to me one of the most interesting parks in London - check out the famous dinosaurs made in the 1800s - lifesize by some famous artist - outsiide in ponds.

europeannovice

Thanks all.

Jamikins--thanks for the bus number P4 so if we go maybe we can do both museums Dulwich and Horniman on the same day.

The thing is there is so much to do and not enough time to do it so we will have to limit and if we do this then something else doesn't get done or seen.

Morgana--did you see only the special exhibit at Dulwich or did you get to view some of the permanent collection too?

Is Horniman geared to little kids or would teenagers find things of interest there?

Thanks again everyone.

Morgana

Yes, we did see the whole gallery although our reason for going was specifically to see the special exhibition which was excellent.
And to be honest that is the key to your question for me personally. I don't go to London very much so time is precious and Dulwich was only on my hit list because of the special exhibition. We wouldn't have gone normally, not because it isn't a nice place but because too many other places (including art galleries) would have been higher on our list.

Frances

I have been to both (twice to the Dulwich Picture gallery). There I have seen both the permanent collection and the special exhibition. This gallery appeals to me partly because of its manageable size- I liken it in that respect to the Frick collection but as it was 9 years ago that I visited that my memory may be playing tricks on me.
I specifically remember the Horniman for the musical instrument collection which was extensive. However there WERE other exhibitions including one from Bali and one on community festivals in the UK. We walked here from East Dulwich station on a cold day in December and were tired enough to get the bus back but it was a very good few hours.

Frances

By the way the restaurant in the Dulwich Picture Gallery has a really nice looking menu too but I've never tried it

PatrickLondon

>>Is Horniman geared to little kids or would teenagers find things of interest there?<<

Only one way to find out - point the teenagers concerned to the website and ask them what they think:
http://www.horniman.ac.uk/

europeannovice

Thanks Morgana--We may end up skipping these two since we have a long list of other places we also would like to visit but we have only limited time. It all depends when we get there so we will keep you posted. I just keep adding to my list. I also added the V&A Museum of Childhood and the Geffrye Museum to the already long list of possible places to explore.

Frances-Thanks. I like the Frick so thanks for the comparison.

Patrick--DS is a teenage boy all into his video games and unfortunately could care less about anything else. So the standard response I get from the questions "would you be interested in this?" or "What do you think about that?" is "whatever" unless of course it relates to a video game.

That is why we are "forcing" culture onto him. Is it just mine or is it the entire generation these days--engrossed in only their video games?

europeannovice

And latedaytraveler--we also enjoyed the Courtauld Gallery when we last visited London. We have yet to get to the Wallace Collection but it is definitely on my mile long list too.

PatrickLondon

>>So the standard response I get from the questions "would you be interested in this?" or "What do you think about that?" is "whatever" unless of course it relates to a video game.<<

I fear I may have been like that at that age (though it wasn't video games then). I would be surprised if somewhere as eclectic as the Horniman didn't have something to interest him, but (if he's anything like I was) I suppose he wouldn't tell you even if he were deeply impressed.

The Science Museum might strike a chord or two with him, though:
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visi...our_visit.aspx

PalenQ

Patrick--DS is a teenage boy all into his video games and unfortunately could care less about anything else. So the standard response I get from the questions "would you be interested in this?>

Here is one of London's top sights that Patrick will surely love: The London Dungeon (OK ready for the barbs that come whenever I date mention this place that man veteran travelers look down their noses at as overpriced kitsch!) but it is a favorite with British families -

http://www.thedungeons.com/london/en/

And if into video games the Trocadero Centre (more even worse barbs coming for daring to mention this place!) is one of the world's biggest gaming emporiums - right by Piccadilly Circus - a multi-floor adventure area that folks his age will probably think was the coolest thing he say in London.

Oh well I always say gives kids something kid-centric even if it may revolt your sensibilities!

Not to mention Madame Tussauds Wax Museum - I took my son at that age to all those places and that's what he liked most about London - of course I made him do the other more traditional stuff as well.

PalenQ

http://www.londontrocadero.com/

europeannovice

Thanks Pal--he would definitely be interested in a place like the londontrocadero. However, we do want to broaden his horizons. Maybe we can venture over for a little bit to get his fix after touring earlier.

He has been to Madame Tussauds in NY and while we adults were able to relate to most of the wax figures, he and his friend only recognized a few of them. We felt old and that was a few years ago.

janisj

Mme Tussauds is VERY euro/UK centric. I can't imagine a North American teenager knowing more than a tiny % of the personalities there.