The ianVisits guide to April's unusual events, tours, lectures and exhibitions happening around London.
Tuesday 1st April
Dr Johnson's House invites you to join the curators in Johnson’s Garret for a free lunchtime talk about the Great Cham of Literature.
Starts at 12:30pm
The Museum is lit by candlelight on the first Tuesday of each month, between 6 and 9pm (last entry 8:00pm).
6pm to 9pm
More London events on Tuesday 1st April
Wednesday 2nd April
Dr Johnson's House invites you to join the curators in Johnson’s Garret for a free lunchtime talk about the Great Cham of Literature.
Starts at 12:30pm
Marxist thinker Professor David Harvey unravels the contradictions at the heart of capitalism
6:30pm to 8pm
More London events on Wednesday 2nd April
Thursday 3rd April
£11.50
Two days of events about coffee with lots of different things happening throughout the weekend.
All Day
Whitechapel
Dr Johnson's House invites you to join the curators in Johnson’s Garret for a free lunchtime talk about the Great Cham of Literature.
Starts at 12:30pm
This talk will explore the kinds of things soldiers said and sung when in the trenches.
Starts at 3:30pm
Urban theorist Andy Merrifield outlines the connections between radical urban theory and political activism.
6:30pm to 9pm
A talk about Faraday’s life, his religious beliefs and will conclude with a discussion of his burial in Highgate.
Starts at 7:30pm
More London events on Thursday 3rd April
Friday 4th April
£11.50
Two days of events about coffee with lots of different things happening throughout the weekend.
All Day
Whitechapel
Dr Johnson's House invites you to join the curators in Johnson’s Garret for a free lunchtime talk about the Great Cham of Literature.
Starts at 12:30pm
Hour long tour of the legal Inns of Court includes visits to the Old Hall, Great Hall and Chapel,
2pm to 9pm
Holborn
Potential Architecture examines the social aspects of living environments manifested in art as well as architectural contexts.
2:30pm to 8pm
Camden
£512.00
From 4 to 6 April, the Institut français in London will celebrate the king of all musical instruments with its second piano festival,
7pm to 11pm
South Kensington
More London events on Friday 4th April
Saturday 5th April
£11.50
Two days of events about coffee with lots of different things happening throughout the weekend.
All Day
Whitechapel
Spring Craft Fair and regular open day at the restored Old Chapel
10am to 5pm
Upminster
Free
Classic funfair rides from the late 19th century onwards in a travelling fairground.
11am to 7pm
Battersea
See the Foreshore Recording and Observation Group in action, look for artefacts and learn more about activity on the waterfront.
Starts at 11:45am
Charlton
£10.00
Guided tours of the hidden monastery complex on the edge of the City of London that has stood there since the time of the Black Death.
Starts at 2:15pm
More London events on Saturday 5th April
Sunday 6th April
£11.50
Two days of events about coffee with lots of different things happening throughout the weekend.
All Day
Whitechapel
Guided walk to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the founding of almshouses on Kingsland Road.
Starts at 11am
Free
Classic funfair rides from the late 19th century onwards in a travelling fairground.
11am to 7pm
Battersea
Visit the second biggest Conservatory in London and explore our hidden tropical oasis in the heart of the city.
11am to 5pm
A display of large kite flying by organised groups.
11am to 5pm
Streatham
More London events on Sunday 6th April
Monday 7th April
£8.00
Hear about the recent survey of Fulham Palace's trees, and plans for future planting, by Michael Lear of Lear Associates.
2pm to 3:30pm
More London events on Monday 7th April
Tuesday 8th April
£20.00
In support of The Lord Mayor's Appeal, join a stroll through the vibrant City of London including a visit to The Mansion House
10:20am to 12:30pm
The last twenty years or so has seen the development of what has come to be called identity politics.
Starts at 1pm
Meet the Curators - A Fusion of Worlds: Ancient Egypt, African Art and Identity in Modernist Britain
Free
Members of the group involved in putting on the A Fusion of Worlds exhibition will be on hand to talk about the exhibition.
6pm to 8pm
Join London Transport Museum’s Research Fellow Oliver Green for an illustrated London bus journey over time.
6:30pm to 7pm
Explore how this 'special relationship' has shaped the buildings we see around us?
6:30pm to 8pm
More London events on Tuesday 8th April
Wednesday 9th April
Greenwich residents can book a free visit to take a look around the tall ship Tolkien to mark 150 days to go to the Tall Ships Festival.
9am to 10am
The first of a brand new monthly event series examining the seriously strange, weird and paranormal with top speakers.
7pm to 9pm
Islington
More London events on Wednesday 9th April
Thursday 10th April
Greenwich residents can book a free visit to take a look around the tall ship Tolkien to mark 150 days to go to the Tall Ships Festival.
9am to 10am
A talk that looks at how and why deaths from war have reduced over the past century.
6:30pm to 8pm
More London events on Thursday 10th April
Friday 11th April
£15.00
Two days of writing workshops, performances, author readings, art and craft all inspired by the archive collections.
All Day
More London events on Friday 11th April
Saturday 12th April
£15.00
Two days of writing workshops, performances, author readings, art and craft all inspired by the archive collections.
All Day
It seems that Charing Cross railway station is having a bit of a birthday party to mark 150 years of operations.
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Strand
A weekend of events to mark 75 years since RT1 entered service on route 22.
All Day
A day-conference on radical suggestions and solutions on how to respond to the threat of global warming.
10:30am to 3:30pm
Step back in time and explore the famous battlefield from the Wars of the Roses (April 14th 1471),
Starts at 11am
Arkley
£10.00
Discover Soho’s food and drink heritage together with its hidden cocktail bar scene on this walk
4pm to 5:45pm
Soho
More London events on Saturday 12th April
Sunday 13th April
A gathering of buses, including ones associated with the 75th anniversary of the Routemaster.
10am to 5pm
Occasional open day at the Great Barn, once described as the Cathedral of Middlesex.
11am to 4pm
West Drayton
Frank Baldwin will be leading a walk over the site of this decisive battle which witnessed the defeat and death of Warwick 'the kingmaker'.
Starts at 11am
Arkley
£5.50
A monthly live comedy show about obscure characters from history.
Starts at 2pm
Camden
More London events on Sunday 13th April
Monday 14th April
This lecture will focus on attitudes towards science in the Islamic world.
7:30pm to 9pm
More London events on Monday 14th April
Tuesday 15th April
A erm, public lecture. That's all.
Starts at 1pm
What is the purpose of education, who should provide it and who is its primary beneficiary: the person educated, or society as a whole?
1pm to 2pm
A talk that will examine the reasons behind the Cathedral's lengthy shut-down early in the twentieth century.
Starts at 1:45pm
Free
In a mix of demos and explanation, Melanie Windridge and Arthur Turrell talk about what nuclear fusion is.
7pm to 8pm
Aldwych
More London events on Tuesday 15th April
Wednesday 16th April
Lunchtime talk hosted by Fusiliers Museum HM Tower of London.
Starts at 12pm
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is hosting a series of public lectures showcasing how library, archive, and museum collections can be used.
12pm to 1pm
Harley Street
A lecture about the River Thames during Anglo-Saxon and medieval periods.
6pm to 7:30pm
Homo sapiens evolved over the last million years during which time the climate fluctuated strongly.
Starts at 6pm
Talk by Andrew Cartmel, former script editor of Doctor Who
8pm to 9:30pm
Islington
More London events on Wednesday 16th April
Thursday 17th April
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Thursday 17th April
Friday 18th April
£11.50
Weekend where the steam engines are in full use, as well as the light railway.
All Day
Free
Each year a fresh hot-cross bun is ceremonially presented by sailors in memory of a tradition.
Starts at 3pm
Bow
More London events on Friday 18th April
Saturday 19th April
£11.50
Weekend where the steam engines are in full use, as well as the light railway.
All Day
Free
You are exhorted to visit your local independent purveyor of music and make purchases of physical storage media.
All Day
More London events on Saturday 19th April
Sunday 20th April
£11.50
Weekend where the steam engines are in full use, as well as the light railway.
All Day
A police escort will accompany an abnormally large delivery to North Dulwich in the morning.
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Dulwich
More London events on Sunday 20th April
Monday 21st April
£11.50
Weekend where the steam engines are in full use, as well as the light railway.
All Day
The Engine has been restored and can be seen operating under steam power on designated days.
12pm to 5pm
Annual revival of an old tradition of decorating a chair and the heaving ladies into the air by the Blackheath Moris Men.
Starts at 12pm
Greenwich
Gun salutes will take place in Hyde Park and at the Tower of London to mark The Queen's Birthday
Starts at 12pm
Topher Martyn, Head Gardener at Syon Park, talks about Syon's remarkable 600 years of continuous garden history,
6pm to 8pm
Hear more about the fascinating history of the Lawn Road flats from David Burke, whose latest book provides an account of some of the residents
7pm to 8pm
Hampstead
More London events on Monday 21st April
Tuesday 22nd April
This guided walk around the square mile will look at memorials from the Great War and sites with WWI connections and stories.
Starts at 2pm
More London events on Tuesday 22nd April
Wednesday 23rd April
Drop-in and listen to the complete reading of Shakespeare’s sonnets at Guildhall Library.
10am to 4pm
A six hour reading of Shakespeare’s Sonnets by a number of people, some famous as part of Shakespeare Week.
10am to 4pm
Come and experience St George's day at the splendid Leadenhall Market, with Morris dancers and other fine English traditions.
12pm to 2pm
Free
A review of a project that interviewed people who worked in all the major industries in west London 1945- 90.
4pm to 6pm
Cricklewood
What was the difference between the fortress of a great magnate and the palace of a king?
Starts at 6pm
Join Steve Nallon, the voice artist behind some of the most memorable Spitting Image characters including Mrs. Thatcher and The Queen.
Starts at 6:30pm
Vigils have been held on the 23rd of every month since June 2004. They are inclusive, secular events, open 'to all faiths and none'.
Starts at 7pm
Southwark
A film screening -- don't know any more than that.
7pm to 9pm
£3.00
A talk about the various historical revolutions that have involved Greenwich and Blackheath
7:30pm to 9pm
More London events on Wednesday 23rd April
Thursday 24th April
Discover the stylish spaces of 2 Willow Road, home of architect Ernö Goldfinger and his artist wife, Ursula, at this intimate after hours event,
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Free
This exhibition considers the ways in which charities like Peabody and the Foundling Hospital created homes for Londoners.
Starts at 10am
This talk examines the making of the London identity, how it was shaped through the last years of the 17th century.
2pm to 3pm
Meet human origins expert Prof Chris Stringer and examine new research into the Neanderthal genome sequence.
2:30pm to 3pm
Not sure why, or the exact route, but a fighter jet will fly over North London for some reason.
Starts at 5:40pm
What was it like to read a newly published play by Shakespeare?
6pm to 8pm
£15.00
An evening of whisky tastings and demonstrations along Saville Row and inside the stores as well.
6:30pm to 8:30pm
Hanover Square
A talk by Chris Taft, a historian and Head of Collections at The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA).
Starts at 6:30pm
A poltergeist outbreak is fantastical enough, but a poltergeist that learns to communicate details of an apparent previous life?
7:30pm to 10pm
City of London
More London events on Thursday 24th April
Friday 25th April
Meet vets, scientists and students and see behind the scenes at the Royal Veterinary College.
5pm to 10pm
Camden
We are now in the age of drone journalism, but with technology running ahead of legality and ethics, how can journalism use the technology responsibly
6:30pm to 8pm
Join a discussion event exploring early human cannibalism and the reasons it's still taboo.
7pm to 9pm
More London events on Friday 25th April
Saturday 26th April
£20.00
Annual meeting of the society for the study of subterranean sites.
All Day
A marriage made in heaven for petrol-heads : some of the world finest vehicles on display next to a collection of aircraft.
All Day
A chance to buy some of the old furniture and props from the Victorian music hall.
10am to 6pm
£7.00
The April steaming weekend is traditionally set aside for a display of model railways at the Victorian steam pumping house.
10:30am to 4pm
A guided walk around the area looking at its transformation over the years.
11am to 12:30pm
Islington
Photographic exhibition of people holding telephones.
12pm to 7pm
Bloomsbury
A major disaster will be rehearsed by the Emergency Services this weekend.
Starts at 12pm
Victoria Dock
£4.00
Join Friends of Tottenham Marshes for an informative talk about how bee keepers manage their bees and what you can do to help.
2pm to 4pm
Tottenham
Just a note that the Alexander Von Humboldt II is due to visit London for a few days and will pass through Tower Bridge.
Starts at 4:30pm
More London events on Saturday 26th April
Sunday 27th April
A marriage made in heaven for petrol-heads : some of the world finest vehicles on display next to a collection of aircraft.
All Day
Approximately 300, mainly classic, Jaguars will leave ORNC between 8.30 and 11am.
8:30am to 11am
The Reserve is open to the public just once a year, on the last Sunday in April at a time when the bluebells are at their most beautiful.
10am to 4:30pm
Greenford
A chance to buy some of the old furniture and props from the Victorian music hall.
10am to 6pm
£7.00
The April steaming weekend is traditionally set aside for a display of model railways at the Victorian steam pumping house.
10:30am to 4pm
Discover 350 years of London's postal history from the coffee houses of the 1600s to the electronic communication of today.
11am to 1pm
Clerkenwell
The Parade will show off a fine array of costumes and outfits spanning every imaginable corner of the Sci-Fi and Fantasy spectrum.
Starts at 1pm
The Water Tower re-opens to the public.
2:30pm to 5pm
Featuring Laurel and Hardy and their contemporaries, accompaniment by Donald Mackenzie on the Mighty Wurlitzer.
Starts at 3pm
More London events on Sunday 27th April
Monday 28th April
A talk about Edith's life and her impact on nursing, together with her influence on the war which saw her death used as a propaganda weapon.
Starts at 3:30pm
Hadyn Davies will tell us how the Fleet Line route was originally conceived in the 1930s.
Starts at 6:15pm
Two former extremists from opposite sides debate their changing perspectives.
6:30pm to 8:30pm
City of London
Explore why it is important to understand the dynamics of tropical forests for the wellbeing of our planet.
6:30pm to 8pm
What is the role of graphics and data visualisation in the communication of risk to the public?
6:45pm to 8pm
£15.50
A musical piece, based on the life of Alan Turing.
Starts at 7:30pm
Come hear of London customs and celebrations and protest associated with the May Day holiday
8pm to 10pm
Southwark
More London events on Monday 28th April
Tuesday 29th April
£10.00
Travis Elborough, author of The Bus We Loved celebrates the 60th anniversary of one of London's most enduring symbols: the Routemaster bus.
6:30pm to 8pm
Having leapt in scale airports are now at the heart of the global economy, but where are they heading?
6:30pm to 8pm
This event will explore the political, strategic, and personal dimensions of Churchill’s approach to leadership.
6:30pm to 8pm
Taylor Downing, will consider the role of some of the scientists who worked behind the scenes during the First World War.
7pm to 9pm
More London events on Tuesday 29th April
Wednesday 30th April
This special half day study tour invites you to take a literal and metaphorical stroll down ‘Gin Lane’
Starts at 1:30pm
A talk about the library collection and archives held by the The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths.
2pm to 3pm
Advances in automated reasoning let us calculate how far we can trust decisions that inescapably make us vulnerable, asks Prof Michael Huth.
Starts at 5:30pm
This seminar presents the Paradise Bed: a substantially intact, once richly painted and grained, Baltic oak bedframe that emerged in 2010.
Starts at 6pm
Russell Square
Free
Monthly late night adults only opening at the Science Museum.
6:45pm to 10pm
