London & Partners

SIGHTSEEING 020 8269 4747. ornc.org Ë t CuttySark/Greenwich, or take aboat (p. 41). Map inset.RIPLEY’S BELIEVEIT OR NOT!This curiosity shop-stylemuseum is a hit across theglobe. Explore a huge rangeof oddities, from a shrunkenhead to an albino alligator,via a red-knitted Ferrariand the world’s tallest man.Don’t miss the mindblowingMirror Maze andbe sure to check out theDungeon Zone for a dose offrightening fun. Daily 10.00-00.00. Admission £26.95,child £21.95.1 Piccadilly Circus, W1. 020 3238 0022. ripleyslondon.comË Piccadilly Circus.Map C5.ROYAL ALBERTHALL TOURSA 60-minute front-of-housetour around this neo-gothicVictorian building, includingthe Royal Retiring Room,the auditorium and theQueen’s Box. Departshourly on selected datesbetween 10.30-15.30.Tickets £8.50, child free.Kensington Gore, SW7. 020 7589 8212. royalalberthall.comË South Kensington.Map D2.ROYAL BOTANICGARDENS, KEWA botanical research centreand World Heritage Sitecontaining plants fromacross the globe with atropical greenhouse anda stunning pagoda. TheXstrata Treetop Walkwayhas great views. Until13 Mar A Natural Gallery.British sculptor DavidNash exhibits his workusing Kew’s gardens as abackdrop. Daily 11.00-16.15. Gardens open09.30, closing times vary;glasshouses and galleriesclose 17.30. Admission£14.50, child free.Kew, Richmond, TW9. 020 8332 5655. kew.org Ë KewGardens. Off map.ROYAL OBSERVATORYHome of Greenwich MeanTime, and the Prime Meridianof the World. Visit thePeter Harrison Planetariumto watch regular showsincluding the new SolarStorms display that givesvisitors a close-up view of thesun’s surface. Until 3 FebAstronomy PhotographerOf The Year. See thestunning winning imagesof outer space from thisyear’s competition organisedby the Royal Observatoryin association with Sky AtNight magazine. Snapshotsinclude distant galaxies andthe Milky Way. Daily 10.00-17.00; Planetarium timesvary. Admission £7, child free;Planetarium £6.50,child £4.50.Greenwich Park, SE10. 020 8858 4422. rmg.co.uk Ë CuttySark, or take a boat (p. 41).Map inset.SEA LIFELONDON AQUARIUMOne of Europe’s largestaquaria, with 500 speciesof global marine life andwalk-through tank tunnels.See how the fish are fed onthe Behind The Scenes Tour(tickets £7.50, child £5) andexperience the thrilling SharkReef Encounter. Mon-Thurs10.00-18.00; Fri-Sun 10.00-19.00. Admission £19.80,child £14.40. Joint ticketwith London Eye, LondonDungeon and MadameTussauds available.County Hall, WestminsterBridge Road, SE1. 08716 631 678. visitsealife.com/londonË Westminster. Map D6.SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBEBeautiful reconstructionof Shakespeare’s originalElizabethan Globe theatre.Take a backstage tourand see an exhibition ofthe Bard’s life and works.Mon-Sat 09.00-17.00, Sun09.00-17.30. Admission£13.50, child £8.New Globe Walk, SE1. 020 7902 1400. shakespearesglobe.com Ë Southwark.Map C8.30 | visitlondon.com|LONDON PLANNER|January 2013