CouncilBethnal Green museums & galleries
Museum of Childhood
This museum houses one of the largest and most fascinating collections
of children's toys in the country. The ground floor is full of delightful
playthings, ranging from dolls' houses, games and teddy bears, to toy
soldiers and trains, dating from the 17th century to the present day.
The museum arranges activities and workshops during school holidays including half terms and weekends. There is also a shop and a cafe.
Cambridge Heath Road
London E2 9PA
Tel: 020 8980 2415
Fax: 020 8983 5225
Visit:www.vam.ac.uk
The museum is open 7 days a week from 10am to 5.45pm.
Nearest underground station: Bethnal Green
Nearest railway station: Cambridge Heath
The Fleapit
The FleaPit café-bar on Columbia Road is housed on the ground floor of a small Victorian warehouse. It has two spaces, The Lounge and The Pit, and offers a programme of art exhibitions, regular independent film nights and visiting drama productions, as well as a vegetarian café which also serves organic fruit juices and ‘micro-brew’ beers from local independent breweries.
49 Columbia Road,
London E2 7RG
Tel: (during opening times) 020 7033 9986
Email: everyone@thefleapit.com
Web: www.thefleapit.com
Gallery open Saturday 12 noon-6pm and Sunday 10am-2pm. See website for additional screening and performance times. Café-bar also open Tuesday-Friday 5.30pm-11pm.
Nearest underground station: Bethnal Green
Showroom
The Showroom is a publicly funded, contemporary art gallery with a full programme of exhibitions every year. The gallery is committed to commissioning exciting new work by emerging artists, working both nationally and internationally.
44 Bonner Road
Bethnal Green
London E2 9JS
Tel: 020 8983 4115
Fax: 020 8981 4112
Visit: www.theshowroom.org
Open: 1pm - 6pm, Wednesday to Sunday (During Exhibitions)
Nearest underground stations: Bethnal Green
The Sweet Tea House – Contemporary Tibetan Art Gallery
This contemporary Tibetan Art Gallery opened in October 2003. Situated in the east of London, it is the first gallery in Europe to exhibit and promote contemporary Tibetan art and artists. The aim is not only to focus on art created inside Tibet but also to bring together Tibetan artists from all the parts of the world, regardless of their political stand, situation, background, and education.
264 Globe Road
Bethnal Green
London E2 0JD
Tel: 0208 980 2909
E-mail: the.sweetteahouse@virgin.net
Visit: www.sweetteahouse.co.uk
Open: 1pm-6pm Tue-Sat
Admission: Free
Nearest tube station: Bethnal Green
Nearest rail station: Cambridge Heath
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Established in 1570, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Whitechapel Bell Foundry is Britain’s oldest manufacturing company. Make sure you pre-book for a tour of the fantastic birthplace of Big Ben and America’s Liberty Bell.
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
32/34 Whitechapel Road
London
E1 1DY
Tel: 020 7247 2599
Fax: 020 7375 1979
Visit: www.whitechapelbellfoundry.co.uk
Tours every Saturday at 10am and 2pm. The tours get very busy, so make sure you book well in advance.
