The Pass
Inspirational ideas for group days out and holidays
Free registration to
The Pass magazine
Capital ideas
Capital ideas
Groups will never tire of things to see and do in London. Take a look at our pick of both old and new attractions to keep you entertained.
The weird and wonderful
For over 40 years, Robert Ripley - the real-life Indiana Jones - travelled the world collecting the unbelievable and the inexplicable. And now, for the first time in London, your group can view his bizarre findings in person. Ripley’s Believe it or Not! is located in the heart of the West End, and features over 500 authentic, original and unique exhibits. You’ll see an albino alligator, a 3,000 lb piece of the Berlin Wall, a Swarovski covered crystal Mini Cooper and three human shrunken heads from Ecuador. Other strange items on display include a portrait of Princess Diana made of laundry lint from a clothes dryer, a copy of The Last Supper painted on a grain of rice, and the famous sweater worn by Marilyn Monroe during her last photo shoot on the beaches of Malibu. Groups of 10 or more will receive 20% off when they book in advance. Visit the website below to find out more.
Sneak peek
A visit to Twickenham Stadium makes a great day out for groups - whatever rugby team or nation you support. Join the stadium tour where you can imagine what it would be like to run out of the tunnel to a wall of noise form 82,000 cheering fans, or visit the museum and see how the game developed into the global sport it is today. There’s also the Twickenham Wall of Fame, which shows footage from 100 of the best ever players to grace the ground. From November 2008, a new south stands opens and visitors can use the café bar and restaurant facilities within the stadiums new Marriott Hotel or visit the flagship Rugby Store. Group visitors can receive a 10% discount and a free orientation visit is available for group leaders.
t
0870 405 2001
Seaside postcards
Visitors to Greenwich will find some new and exciting things to see with the opening of the Beside The Seaside 1880-1950 exhibition, which shows a selection of old photographs of beaches, harbours and piers. This runs at the National Maritime Museum from 17 September 2008 to 13 April 2009, with free admission. If there’s any eager astronomers within your group, they’ll enjoy the new Telescopes Gallery at the Royal Observatory, which can be followed with one of the feature shows in the new Planetarium, covering deep space of the sky at night over Britain. Further new exhibitions are planned for 2009 – to keep up to date, contact them on the number below or you can visit their website.
t
020 8312 6608
Destination cruise
City Cruises offer an extensive range of sightseeing, entertainment and charter services – where groups can expect a warm and friendly welcome. Their sightseeing service includes a hop-on, hop-off facility between four major destination piers along the Thames (Westminster, Waterloo, Tower and Greenwich), where passengers can travel in comfort aboard the Riverliners and Cityliners. City Cruises also offer two unique dining experiences on floating restaurants - the popular London Showboat, a dinner cruise with cabaret and dancing, and the Hispaniola Bar and Restaurant, a ship permanently moored on Victoria Embankment, offering excellent modern European cuisine.
Iconic home
Discover the inside story of BBC Broadcasting House with a fascinating tour of the first ever purpose-built broadcast centre in Britain. Built in art-deco style in 1932, the building has been undergoing sympathetic restoration and modernisation. The tours are conducted by the BBC’s guides, and are likely to include art-deco highlights, such as the famous main reception with its original mosaic floor, visits to the newly restored Radio Theatre and the Council Chamber - where BBC Governors and Board meetings used to take place. Pre-booking with BBC TV Tours is essential as tickets are not available on the day. To find out more contact the centre on the details below.
t
0870 603 03 04
Get interactive
Take your group to visit the highly interactive and innovative Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms - the world’s first major museum dedicated to life of the ‘greatest Briton’, plus the secret underground headquarters that were the nerve centre of Britain’s war effort. A new exhibition, ‘Last Post: Remembering the First World War’ opens on 6 November 2008 and examines the role of the Post Office during the first World War. There are many group benefits for you to enjoy including reduced admission prices and exclusive tour packages. Visit their website below.
Stunning views
Tower Bridge Exhibition allows group visitors to witness stunning views of London from inside the two high-level walkways 42 metres above the River Thames. Once inside, you can read about the significance of these views, take photographs and learn about the history of this world famous landmark, built in 1894. Then see the original lifting machinery in the Victorian Engine Rooms, with sounds and smells that will transport you back in time to when Tower Bridge first opened.
t
0207 407 9191
Music to our ears
The London Philharmonic Orchestra, resident at London’s Royal Festival Hall, plays over 40 concerts from each September to the following June. Evening performances in the current season include concertos, symphonies and music for choir and orchestra by Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Rachmaninov, and Mendelssohn. There are also concert performances of operas by Donizetti and Rossini and three Sunday family concerts. From February 2009, all details of the next season, - September 2009 to June 2010 will be available. Groups of 10 or more can receive a 20% discount at any one concert.
t
020 7840 4205
Work of art
Somewhere different you could visit is The Cartoon Museum. On Little Russell Street, a stone’s throw from The British Museum, the museum exhibits the very finest examples of British cartoons, caricature, and comic art from the 18th century to the present day. Their autumn exhibition, Giles – One of the Family, runs from 5 November 2008 to 8 February 2009, and shows the work of a cartoonist loved by millions. It includes a recreation of his studio in Ipswich and reveals some less well-known aspects of his work. Talks by a curator are also available for groups of up to 30 people.
t
020 7580 8155
Science of tennis
Groups can celebrate Wimbledon tennis all year round at the multi award-winning Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. With unique access to the legendary players, the museum provides a closer view of the living story of tennis than ever before through its artefacts, inter-active films, a 200° cinema examining the Science of Tennis, the original Trophies, and a resident ‘ghost’ of John McEnroe. They also offer a range of group tours, led by Blue Badge Guides, which includes both Centre Court and No. 1 Court, the water gardens, The Millennium Building, the press interview room, some of the players’ facilities, and inside the BBC Studios.
t
020 8946 6131