Mayfair

Overview

Mayfair is the most expensive place on the UK Monopoly board, so we’ve all been conditioned to see it as the epitome of luxury.

I was expecting to be sniffy about the relentless vulgarity of the rich but I did actually like New Bond Street and the shopping arcades.

Still, I got caught in the rain and it was all a bit Rime of the Ancient Mariner  - surrounded by shops selling umbrellas but doomed to be soaked thanks to my limited means.

Photo of a Cartier shopfront with a red K6 telephone box in the foreground.
Photo by me, I am actually proud of this one!

Things to do

Handel Hendrix House

The Georgian townhouse where famous composer Handel lived and the flat next door where Jimi Hendrix lived in the 1960s.

They both have their own incredible stories, vividly told by the volunteers in each room!

Price
£14.00 - Children free
Website
handelhendrix.org
Hours
Wed-Sun
10:00 - 17:00
Last entry
16:00
A corner of a wood panelled room in Handel's House
Photo by me. The Handel side of the house.

Royal Academy of Arts

The Royal Academy of Arts is a charitable society and art school most famous for their annual Summer Exhibition, for which anyone can submit art to be displayed in their galleries.

As well as paid exhibitions there are often free collections on display towards the back of the building - it is a bit of a maze.

Price
Free - Paid exhibitions
Website
www.royalacademy.org.uk
Hours
Tue-Sun
10:00 - 18:00
Fri
10:00 - 19:00
The Collection Gallery at the Royal Academy of Arts,  with the painting "Flaming June" in the background
Photo by me.

Royal Institution

A charitable organisation that has been hosting scientific lectures for over 200 years, most famously the annual Christmas Lecture for families, broadcast on television.

There’s a museum in the basement dedicated to Michael Faraday. It is interesting but small - really something to do on the way to a talk.

Website
www.rigb.org
Hours
Mon-Fri
09:00 - 17:00
Public holidays
Closed
A picture of yellow flags flying at the front of the Royal Institution
Photo by me. I tried to be artistic, I failed.