Discover the extraordinary architecture of Westminster’s
Greatest cultural landmarks
Join Open City for a socially-distanced walking tour exploring the fascinating architecture behind Westminster’s most important cultural icons
This fun and engaging walking tour focuses on the capital’s cultural heartland in-and-around Covent Garden.
Dubbed High Notes and the High Life, High Art and the High Street, the entertaining and insightful route — led by former Royal National Theatre head of tours Alison Rae — charts the unique and often overlooked history behind Westminster’s great theatres, galleries and cultural complexes.
Revisiting these iconic locations as London re-opens its theatres and cultural delights — the tour will explore the enigmatic surroundings of Covent Garden where high art mixes with street performance, retail with relaxation and world-renowned icons such as the National Gallery and Royal Opera House rub shoulders with the informality of cultural diversions in Trafalgar Square and the Piazza.
The route charts the development of the area from a 'convent' garden of Westminster Abbey into residences for the gentry, and then from supplier of the nation's fruit and veg to a key London destination. It also follows the evolution of west Strand from Royal Mews into the focal point of national celebration, and the re-purposing of Somerset House from 18th century home of Learned Societies to Arts hub housing over 100 creative and cultural enterprises.
This walking tour focuses on how the area has responded to change over the years, adapted and developed to create the vibrant mix of activity we see today.
Highlights include the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane with over 350 years of continuous theatrical use since 1663, with Benjamin Wyatt's 1812 building, the fourth in the site now housing the majority of the public foyer spaces.
This landmark building recently reopened following a major overhaul by architect Haworth Tompkins which restored its historic lobby spaces to their former grand configuration and made the 1920s auditorium more welcoming and effective for contemporary audiences.
Other highlights include the Royal Opera House which has recently been transformed by Stanton Williams Architects — opening up what had previously been a fairly constrained set of spaces to the world outside. The architect’s new Bow Street extension now presents a welcoming public face to the building while the expanded and interlinked foyer spaces breathe new energy into front-of-house areas.
Providing a safe and fun way for enthusiastic urbanists to explore the city, this tour will explore the architecture and history of Westminster’s cultural heartland.
Meet: River Terrace (facing the River Thames) Waterloo Bridge end of the terrace of Somerset House WC2R 0RN. Ends at Dury Lane. Duration: 2.5 hrs approx. Cost £14.50 / £9.50 concessions. (students/unemployed).
Attendees must download Zoom before the tour, bring a fully charged smart phone with internet connection, and headphones; and remember to stay at least two metres apart from each other where required. Zoom joining info will be sent out to bookers 48 hours before the tour. Get in touch with Adrianna at tours@open-city.org.uk with any queries.
Meet the tour guide…
Alison Rae has a background in arts and heritage. She held several roles at the National Theatre where she was head of tours and visiting until last year. She is a Trustee of Poet in The City and since 2015 has been Chair of Visit Theatres, the Channel Route of European Historic Theatres. Alison has a MA in Cultural Leadership from City, University of London and a ‘Compostella’ from the Cathedral of St James, the certificate awarded marking the completion of the walking route from France to Santiago in Northern Spain.
Rae is a graduate of the 2021 Golden Key Academy — a masterclass for urban and architectural tour guiding run by Open City. She joined the Open City tours team in summer 2021.