Getting kids to appreciate art and culture can be a challenge – so make it a little more palatable for them with the promise of a night time adventure. Most of the museums and galleries in London are open late on Friday evenings and some provide additional entertainment – and all for free! So take the kids along to join the crowds of office workers and grown-ups starting their weekends in style.
We met at South Kensington station and walked along the underground tunnel to enter the Victoria & Albert museum from below. We had considered visiting the Ball Gown exhibition but the amazing fashions in the cases in the main displays were more than enough for us – we particularly liked a delightful black polka dot dress.
We wandered around some of the other areas admiring sculptures – a little disappointed that we were too late to sign up for the rooftop tour - before entering the immense central courtyard (lovely flower borders) where there was some lively drums playing. Before long some raucous 1920s music started and a display by the professionals of Hoop La La. And then everyone was invited to take up a hoola hoop and have a go themselves. I couldn’t work out whether the adults or the kids were having the most fun!
Whilst the décor of the large Benugo café – one end ultra modern and white and many large areas that are traditionally decorated – is stunning, the service tried our patience. Others didn’t seem to mind the utter chaos as we were directed from food queue, to cake queue, to wine queue and ultimately to the paying queue. I pitied the people trying to balance babies and numerous small children. But once we returned outside to the courtyard and sat in the wire frame chairs we felt better – although the £4.50 glass of Chenin Blanc to left a lot to be desired.
We gave the Heatherwick “Designing the extraordinary” exhibition (very much in the public eye after that amazing Olympic flame sculpture) a miss as there was too much fun being had in the central rotunda where the chairs that circled round flung their occupants around with hoots of laughter. There was also a DJ (Doug Shipton) set up here – so the teens were happy listening to the music.
Where shall we take the kids next Friday?
