London’s weirdest tourist attractions

Covered in piles of paper, sticky notes galore and highlighter on my face (don’t ask) – revision has finally got to me. Bored of being mainstream and inspired by the creepy toy museum, I decided to set out in search of London’s lesser known tourist attractions.

As I stepped out onto the chewing-gum-ridden pavement, the sunlight kissed my vitamin-D deprived face and my mind was fixed on all places off the beaten track – unusual places. And places where I wouldn’t get hit in the face by a Nikon D3200.

The Fan Museum

The following is a question which I often hear being asked by young, hip students – “just WHERE can I find a collection of over 4,000, predominantly antique, fans?!”. The answer: The Fan Museum! £3 entry with a student card allows you to wander around this loveable little museum which concentrates solely on the history and art of fan making. The museum features a permanent display, as well as a temporary exhibition upstairs – ‘Hatch, Match & Dispatch’ – which lasts until 1^st June.  Don’t be ashamed that you’re the only visitor below 50. Instead, feel superior that you now know what a fan monture is.

So many fans

Mine (and my kitchen’s) favourite: the extractor fan

Hunterian Museum

Conveniently located in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the Hunterian Museum makes for a pleasant break away from Alcatraz, oops I mean the Maughan. Ask the lovely man/woman for a free pass, wander upstairs and be surrounded by all kinds of bizarre/funny/interesting organisms and parts of organisms. Conventional highlights include the 7’7” skeleton of “Irish Giant” Charles Byrne, controversially acquired by John Hunter. Personal highlights include the ovaries of a large toad, part of a lion’s oesophagus, a foetal sloth and a large, pregnant African scorpion. The museum details the various preservation techniques used: from the removal of water in the tissue (AKA mummy-style), through to the use of alcohol and Damien Hirst’s favourite: formaldehyde. There is also information on the various surgical tools used, as well an upstairs gallery providing a scientific and historical background to surgery. Nonetheless, be prepared for more sombre moments: the well-developed three month old skeleton of a human foetus will leave you feeling empty inside. 

Sadly photos aren’t permitted, otherwise…

Miner On The Moon or ‘The Upside Down House’

After the success of his “Sliding House” in Margate, artist Alex Chinneck decided that he’d also like to flip the facade of a house upside down. Located on Blackfriars Road, this oddity is a pleasant surprise along a street laden with offices and flats; however it is due to be demolished within a year. Every component on the facade has been inverted, from the door to the windows, through to the bricks (I know, right) and the lace curtains. While the house no doubt turns heads and is mildly amusing, the fun does rather stop here – there is no upside down interior.

“Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down…”

Wilton’s Music Hall

Billed as the last surviving grand music hall in the world, Wilton’s Music Hall is a derelict gem hidden down a side street in east London. There is bare brickwork, peeling paint and a ceiling which feels close to falling in; yet there is cosy and splendid atmosphere like nowhere else. The venue’s Mahogony Bar hosts free live music in the evenings and is a tranquil place to revise during the day. And the auditorium holds regular cinema screenings and music events with tickets at reasonable prices – there is also a ping pong tournament in June.

(H)edgy

“The Vault”

Descend the stairs in the Hard Rock Cafe London Rock Shop – admission is free – and come face to face with Hard’s Rocks most valuable collection of rock memorabilia. This small, near claustrophobic, room is crammed full of guitars previously owned by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and Bob Dylan. Also on display is the harpsichord used by The Beatles in their track “All You Need Is Love”, a shirt and glasses worn extensively by John Lennon in the 70s during peace concerts and Eric Clapton’s silver suit which he wore on the cover of Cream’s final album “Goodbye Cream”. The collection is arguably better than that in the Hard Rock London Cafe itself, and you don’t have to pay for an overpriced burger to see it either!

JIMI!!!!!!