Places to see in London (for geeks). My geek-oriented guide to London attractions that you may not hear about otherwise, updated for this year’s overseas FOWA attendees. Suggestions for additions welcome.
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Places to see in London (for geeks). My geek-oriented guide to London attractions that you may not hear about otherwise, updated for this year’s overseas FOWA attendees. Suggestions for additions welcome.
The British Library has a fantastic gallery for typography geeks - IMHO, it's well worth the visit. They've got Guttenberg Bibles, a copy of the Magna Carta, plus all sorts of other pretty goodies.
Russell Keith-Magee - 8th October 2008 16:10 - #
And any building containing obscene amount of books and posting "deep void" -signs would be high on any geeks' agenda, so British Library should definitely be on the list.
Greenwich observatory (yes, on the list already) and Maritime Museum are good places. I especially liked the collection of old clocks and other navigation gear from the pre-GPS days. Too bad the Cutty Sark burned, though.
I'd also suggest kind of 21st century public transport walkthrough: DLR to Canary Wharf (make sure to take the first compartment), go to the Canary Wharf tube station and take Jubilee line to Westminster station. It's definitely worth seeing, and a good way to end up near the Houses of Parliament.
Kew Gardens. Especially in orchid season.
And I have kind of a sweet spot for Royal Albert Hall (and BBC proms). The Albert Memorial also gives an interesting insight into British mentality, especially when one remembers he was the king who did request nothing too grandiose or pompous to be built when he dies.
af - 8th October 2008 17:02 - #
The Noel Coward Theatre, now playing Avenue Q!
Simon Reinhardt - 8th October 2008 17:06 - #
Suggested additions:
Tottenham Court Road - the place to buy techie stuff
Apple Store - need I say more?
Hamleys - lots of funky toys you'd never had thought existed, for adults, too.
Barbican Centre - A Place to Get Lost In.
County Hall - on the South Bank, next to the eye. Home of the Namco Station arcade, which is huge, and the Movieum, which seems to host a more or less permanent Star Wars collection, as well as, I think, a Thunderbirds one. General Sci-fi movie goodness anyway.
The BBC do tours of the TV Centre and Broadcasting House: http://www.bbc.co.uk/tours/
London Transport Museum might appeal to any rail or bus geeks.
Victoria Cross - the MI6 Headquarters
Canary Wharf for any Doctor Who/Torchwood fanatics.
The Thames Barrier is Geeky in terms of engineering, as well as appearing in a Doctor Who special. Suggested combination with a riverboat.
And that's me spent for the moment.
Moof - 15th October 2008 14:12 - #
Thanks Moof - added most of those.