Newseum

Royal Albert Hall - Grand Tour  Did you know? There are 13,000 “A”s for Albert around Hall The Hall is home to the world's largest single woven carpet design, made of 326,666 sheep fleeces and 49 million tufts getting it into the Guinness World Records The world’s biggest Christmas pudding was made at the Hall and weighed ten tonnes The first ever body-building contest and Sumo wrestling tournament outside Japan took place in the main auditorium The Elgar Room used to be home to the Central School of Speech & Drama, giving a stage to names including Sir Lawrence Olivier and Dame Judy Dench 5,500 bottles of champagne and 1,800 bottles of gin are drunk at the Hall every year Afternoon Tea was introduced to Britain by Queen Victoria. The first tea party was held at the Hall in 1912. The tradition continues today in the Hall's Verdi Restaurant The Royal Albert Hall Grand Tour is fully accessible.  Some time slots and/or dates are unavailable due to events taking place in the auditorium. The Royal Albert Hall was built to fulfil the vision of Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's consort) of a 'Central Hall' that would be used to promote understanding and appreciation of the Arts and Sciences and would stand at the heart of the South Kensington estate, surrounded by museums and places of learning. The Hall is a Grade I Listed building; and has been in continuous use since it was opened in March 1871. It was always conceived as a multipurpose building to host not only concerts of music but exhibitions, public meetings, scientific conversations and award ceremonies. It is a registered charity held in trust for the nation and is financially self sufficient, receiving no funding from central or local government. Kensington Palace and the Diana Exhibition Kensington Palace unveils a palace of secret stories and public lives. Visitors arrive through beautiful landscaped gardens evoking a past when Kensington was countryside. From the entrance hall start your journey through the magnificent Kings and Queen’s State Apartments. Filled with stories of two royal courts; the Stuarts and the Hanoverians, learn what you would have worn, how you should behave and how to succeed in the heady atmosphere of the palace state apartments. The Queen's State Apartments Explore these intimate, private rooms created for Queen Mary II, who ruled jointly with her husband, King William III, in the 17th century.  The Queen’s rooms The Queen's Staircase, little changed since its construction in 1690, is deliberately plainer than the King's. Mary would have glided down its steps to reach her beloved gardens, created in the Dutch style, through the door at its foot. Diana: Her Fashion Story ‘Diana: Her Fashion Story’ will trace the evolution of the Princess’s style, from the demure, romantic outfits of her first public appearances, to the glamour, elegance and confidence of her later life. From her earliest royal engagements, everything Diana wore was closely scrutinised, and the exhibition will explore how she navigated her unique position in the public eye: learning to use her image to engage and inspire people, and to champion the causes she cared about. Discover exquisite and celebrated outfits from throughout the Princess’s public life. The exhibition will bring together an extraordinary collection of garments, ranging from the glamorous evening gowns worn on engagements in the 1980s, to the chic Catherine Walker suits that made up Diana’s ‘working wardrobe’ in the 1990s. The Princess’s relationship with her favourite designers will be explored through a display of some of their original fashion sketches, created for her during the design process. Exhibition highlights will include the pale pink Emanuel blouse worn for Diana’s engagement portrait by Lord Snowdon in 1981, and Victor Edelstein’s iconic ink blue velvet gown, famously worn at the White House when the Princess danced with John Travolta. A blue tartan Emanuel suit, worn for an official visit to Venice in the 1980s, will go on display in public for the first time. The suit, a rare survival of the Princess’s daywear, was only recently rediscovered and acquired by Historic Royal Palaces – the charity responsible for Kensington Palace - at auction.  * Please note, this exhibit is due to be very popular, queues are to be expected.

You may have seen New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art before, but you've never seen it like this.  Travel through 6,000 years and across the globe in just a few hours, to gain a greater understanding of the length and breadth of this world-class collection.  In small groups of 15 people or fewer, you’ll delve into the history and art of the Met, seeing works come to life through the stories of your expert guide. We start our tour in the ancient world, with a visit to Ancient Egyptian tomb models.  Incredibly well preserved, these pieces were a more important discovery than they seem, as they offered pictorial insight into what life in Ancient Egypt was like. This insight continues at the incredible Temple of Dendur, fully intact and surreally displayed inside a naturally lit atrium, nestled in Central Park.  Our world tour returns to New York for stained glass by Tiffany and then hops over to Britain to size up the armor of notorious King Henry VIII.  We then head east for the Antioch Chalice, believed by some to be the Holy Grail itself, the cup from which Jesus drank on the night he was betrayed.  Believe the story?  You’ll have time to debate its merits with your expert guide.  For historians our next few stops are a true delight – the Greek and Roman wing contain elegant statues, imperial Roman busts, and intact frescos buried along with those at Pompeii. Off to exotic Oceania to see boldly carved Bisj poles from Papua New Guinea, for which a Rockefeller gave his life.  We’ll then move to the second floor to admire Water Lilies by Monet, a Thinker by Rodin, and the swirling strokes of van Gogh. It’s break time inside the museum or atop the rooftop garden (May-October only, weather permitting) for verdant vistas of Central Park.  If you’ve booked the extended version, the tour continues to the Golden Age of Dutch painting, perusing portraits by Rembrandt and marveling at the virtuosity of Vermeer.  After a brief passage through Italy, it’s off to Spain to see El Greco and to  France for Jacques-Louis David’s famous Death of Socrates.  A little scandal is in store, as your guide gives the inside story of John Singer Sargent’s infamous Madame X.   You’ll then be dwarfed by the immense iconic Washington Crossing the Delaware – one of the most recognized paintings in the United States.  Besides from what’s listed here, you’ll see little surprises and quirks of the collection as you tour.  Our small group and expert guides will allow you to ask questions, be engaged, and take the most from your Met experience! Inclusions: Pre-arranged Met Museum tickets, with donation included  Expert local tour guide Small groups of only 15 people or fewer *Rooftop garden (early May-October, weather permitting) Exclusions: Gratuities for guide Hotel pick-up/drop-off Food/Beverages Sites Visited: Ancient Egyptian Tomb Models (original and perfectly preserved) Temple of Dendur Egyptian mummies Armor of King Henry VIII Antioch Chalice a.k.a. the "Holy Grail" Greek and Roman Statuary Ancient Roman Frescoes Tiffany glass and mosaics Rodin sculptures Bisj Poles from New Guinea Claude Monet – Water Lillies Vincent van Gogh - Selected Works Auguste Rodin - Sculptures Rembrandt van Rijn - Portraits Johannes Vermeer - Selected Paintings Jacques-Louis David's Death of Socrates Madame X by John Singer Sargent Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emmanuele Leutze Rooftop Garden (May–October only, weather permitting) Please note, this tour is in English only.

EXEMPTIONS The following groups are eligible for free access to the Grands Appartements tour, on presentation of the relevant ID : - under 18s ;  - long-term EU residents of any nationality, aged 18 to 25 ;  - registered disabled persons or war veterans (plus personal assistant) ;  - those receiving minimum pension payments, single parent benefit, unemployment allowance or similar welfare payments ;  - Pass Education holders ;  - university and art school students ;  - public museum conservation and research staff, Ministry of Culture and INHA (Institut national d’histoire de l’art) staff ;  - journalists with a valid press pass ;  - conference speakers and tour guides ;  - ICOM and ICOMOS members ;  - bus drivers accompanying groups ;  - school tour guides/assistants (limited to one per seven students)  - members of the Société des amis et mécènes du château de Fontainebleau (SAMCF).

RED ROUTE Big Bus Red Tour leads you to the most important buildings along the Ring Street followed by Prater with its famous ferry wheel, the Augarten where you find the residence of the Vienna’s boys choir, the Blue Danube where you can start the River Cruise and the famous Danube tower with it rotating café. Duration: 1.40 hour / Operates: 9:30am – 04:30pm / Frequency: 20-30 minutes BLUE ROUTE The second route, blue route guides you the Schönbrunn Palace which is not located in the city center of Vienna. Passing by the Aqua terra Zoo, Arsenal and Belvedere Palace you finally reach the Schönbrunn Palace with its beautiful gardens and the Gloriette. Duration: 1.25 hour / Operates: 10:00 – 17:00 / Frequency: 20 - 30 minutes CITY WALK Join the city walk and step back in time to experience the life of the Habsburgs. You will visit the Hofburg Palace, the world - renowned Spanish Riding School, Heldenplatz and the Capuchin’s Crypt, where members of the house of Habsburg are entombed. The guided tour also covers the history of music in the city, including the legendary composers Mozart , Haydn and Beethoven. The tour starts from stop 1 “ Opera” and ends at St . Stephens Cathedral - the most important Gothic church of Austria and lasts around 1 – 1,5h. THEIR COMMITMENT : Great value for money  Best bus frequency  Hi Resolution digitally audio-system  Operates 7 days a week, all year long

PLEASE NOTE: Below attracions are subject to changes. They are available on the time of last update. Choose 3, 4, 5 or 7 attractions from the following list: Dubai Attractions:   Aquaventure Waterpark at Atlantis The Palm At the top - Burj Khalifa Legoland Dubai Big Bus - 1 Day Dubai Tour IMG Worlds of Adventure Rib Speed Boat Sightseeing Tour Meal at Rainforest Café Dubai  Arabian Culinary Experience at Al Hallab Restaurant Dubai Palm Cruise Tour​ Hub Zero​ Kajak Tour of Palm Jumeirah by SeaYou Jumeirah Bike Tour by Kitesurf Dubai​ Desert Safari and BBQ Dinner in Dubai by Planet Tours​ MOTIONGATE™ Dubai Dubai Dhow Dinner Cruise at Dubai Marina BOLLYWOOD PARKS™ Dubai Ski Dubai Polar Pass LEGOLAND® Water Park Sunset Dinner Cruise by Xclusive Yachts​ Tour Dubai Dhow Dinner Cruise at Dubai Creek Morning Desert Safari from Dubai by Planet Tours The Green Planet​ iFly Indoor Skydiving Experience​ Glow in the dark -Tee & Putt 18-hole Mini Golf Hysteria Haunted House​ Stand Up Paddle lesson by Sea You​ Laser Tag and 6D Movies at Thrill Zone Rock Republic Climbing Walls Windsurf lesson by Sea You Mattel Play! Town Virtual Gaming Two Hour Session Tickets Bike’n Surf by Kitesurf Dubai    Abu Dhabi Attractions: Round trip transfer from Dubai to Abu Dhabi (powered by Big Bus) Big Bus - 1 Day Abu Dhabi Tour Meal at Buca di Beppo Kayak Tour of the Mangroves in Abu Dhabi Camel Trekking in Abu Dhabi by Emirates Tours Dhow Dinner Cruise at Abu Dhabi Corniche Eco Donut Boat Rental (30 min) - Belevari Marine in Abu Dhabi Sunset Cruise In Abu Dhabi Daylight Cruise in Abu Dhabi Desert Safari and BBQ Dinner in Abu Dhabi Cruise 'N'  Dip in Abu Dhabi Morning Desert Safari in Abu Dhabi