Easter Holidays 2020

We cruise to six different piers on the River Thames linking some of London’s most popular attractions. There’s a wide range of family events taking place this Easter from Easter Egg hunts at the Old Royal Naval College to family workshops at the Cutty Sark & the British Museum.

Our cruises to the Thames Barrier also start on the 30th March 2020 & continue until the end of October. A cruise to the Thames Barrier is a great extension to your river cruise & passes round the O2, beneath the North Greenwich Cable Car & through the Thames Barrier before cruising back upriver.

What's on during the Easter Holidays?

Categories

Family Activities

Stop Colonel Blood from Stealing the Crown Jewel

Viscount Cruises Tower of London
Tower of London

Tower of London

Tower of London

Tower of London

About the Tower of London

The Tower of London takes its name from the White Tower which was constructed in around 1078 by William the Conqueror. Over the last 900 years the Tower of London has served a number of uses including a fortress, armoury, royal palace, royal mint, treasury, menagerie, prison & more recently the home to the crown jewels. The Tower is guarded by the Yeoman Warders who were formed by King Henry VII in 1485.

What's On This Easter

The Crown Jewels (officially name: The Crown Regalia) have fascinated the public since they were first displayed in 1669 however in 1671 Colonel Thomas Blood attempted to steal the jewels from the Tower of London.

Travel back in time to 1671 & join an interactive story telling of Colonel Blood’s attempt to steal the Crown Jewels. Expect hands on activities & immersive story telling in Historic Royal Palaces latest Family Trail at the Tower of London.

Read More about The Crown Regalia

Easter Events

Colonel Blood & The Crown Jewels | 4th April 2020 – 21st June 2020

Robbery At The Tower | 4th April 2020 – 19th April 2020

Hunt for Eggs at the Old Royal Naval College

Viscount Cruises Old Royal Naval College
Old Royal Naval College, Arrondissement Royal de Greenwich

Old Royal Naval College

Old Royal Naval College, Arrondissement Royal de Greenwich

Old Royal Naval College

About Old Royal Naval College

The Old Royal Naval College is Sir Christopher Wren’s riverside masterpiece, built in the 17th Century as the Royal Hospital for Seamen on the site of the Tudor Palace of Placentia. The Old Royal Naval College boasts beautiful surroundings & some of the most magnificent interiors in London. The Painted Hall in King William Court is home to the largest painted ceiling in Europe, a Baroque masterpiece by Sir James Thornhill depicting over 300 years of English aristocracy & British Naval Power. The Chapel of St Peter & St Paul in Queen Mary Court has a beautiful interior designed by James ‘Athenian’ Stewart. Visitors to the Old Royal Naval College can enjoy tours of the Painted Hall & the grounds & visit the cafe & gift shop located in King William Court.

What's On This Easter

This Easter the Old Royal Naval College will be arranging an Easter Egg Trail through their iconic grounds between the 10th – 13th April. In addition to the Easter Egg Trail the artist Nick Ellwood is hosting an exhibition of hand drawings telling the story of characters from the Old Royal Naval College’s 500 year past.

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance will also be performing Haydn’s The Creation on the 8th April.

Easter Events

Easter Egg Trail | 10th April 2020 – 13th April 2020

Nick Ellwood Exhibition | 4th April 2020 – 31st May 2020

 Hadyn’s The Creation by Trinity Laban | 8th April 2020

Rediscover the British Museums Collections Through Technology

Viscount Cruises The British Museum
The British Museum, Bloomsbury

The British Museum

The British Museum, Bloomsbury

The British Museum

About The British Museum

The British Museum was created by an act of Parliament in 1753 & opened to the public in 1759. The museum combined the collections of Sir Hans Sloane with the Cotton, Harley & Royal Libraries creating a vast collection of historic & scientific objects. The museum is housed in a collection of buildings entered through a magnificent Greek revival building designed by Sir Robert Smirke. Today The British Museum is free to visit & is home to more than 60 free galleries where you can enjoy tours, talks & family activities. You’ll also find a range of shops & five restaurants at the museum.

What's On This Easter

Families can learn about Roman Britain & Emperor Claudius through museum objects before building their own wall in Minecraft. Colour the Collection allows families to redesign the colour schemes of the museums most famous objects, many of them were brightly coloured to begin with. Egyptian Photo Booth uses technology to turn visitors into Egyptian characters including Pharaohs & Gods.

Easter Events

Date Colour the Collection (Age: 5+) | 11th April 2020, 11:00-16:00

Date Build Roman Britain in Minecraft (Age: 7+) | 12th April 2020, 11:00-16:00

Date Make a Manga Comic (Age: 7+) | 18th April 2020, 11:00-16:00

Date Egyptian Photo Booth (Age: 5+) | 19th April 2020, 11:00-16:00

Date Digital Little Feet (Age: Under 5) | 25th April 2020, 11:00-16:00

Date Explore Egyptian Mummies (Age: 5+) | 26th April 2020, 11:00-16:00

Hunt for Eggs at the Old Royal Naval College

Viscount Cruises Cutty Sark
Cutty Sark, Royal Borough of Greenwich | Viscount Cruises

Cutty Sark

Cutty Sark, Royal Borough of Greenwich | Viscount Cruises

Cutty Sark

About Cutty Sark

Visit the last remaining tea clipper, Cutty Sark. Originally built at Dumbarton, Scotland in 1869 she spent her working life transporting cargo including tea from China and wool from Australia. She has now been fully restored and is an award winning visitor attraction.

What's On This Easter

Cutty Sark have a wide range of family activities lined up for Easter 2020. Sea SIGNS will involve craft activities, storytelling & the opportunity to meet characters from Cutty Sark’s historic past.

Fly The Flag is a family workshop teaching the use of Signal Flags on ships.

Fantastic Flowers celebrates Cutty Sark’s visits to Wales with daffodil making workships.

Dashing Dragons is an artist-led dragon making workshop inspired by Cutty Sark’s journeys to China & Wales

Easter Events

Sea SIGNS | 6th April 2020

Fly The Flag | 7th April 2020

Fantastic Flowers | 4th April 2020 – 11th April 2020

 Dashing Dragons | 16th April 2020 – 18th April 2020

Southbank Centre

Viscount Cruises Southbank Centre
Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre

Southbank Centre

Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre

Southbank Centre

About Southbank Centre

Southbank Centre is home to Royal Festival Hall & The National Theatre & they operate a wide range of indoor & outdoor events throughout the year.

Easter Events

Plant Pots in Paper Bags (Age: 5+) | 4th April 2020 – 17th April 2020

Family Tree Trail | 4th April 2020 – 19th April 2020

Soundpit (All Ages) | 4th April 2020 – 19th April 2020

 Family Folk Club | 9th April 2020, 13:00 & 11th April 2020, 13:00

 Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales (All Ages) | 4th April 2020 – 11th April 2020

Craft an Eco Mobile | 9th April 2020 – 16th April 2020

Clay Time (Age: 5+) | 10th April 2020 – 15th April 2020

Build A Jam Jar Lantern | 11th April 2020 – 14th April 2020

Pedal Power Disco | 13th April 2020

River Cruises

Cruise Through the Thames Barrier

Barrière de la Tamise
Barrière de la Tamise

Top: The Thames Barrier | Bottom: Delta Span in the maintenence position.

Barrière de la Tamise
Barrière de la Tamise

Top: The Thames Barrier | Bottom: Delta Span in the maintenence position.

About The Thames Barrier

La Thames Flood Barrier est l'une des plus grandes défenses mobiles contre les inondations au monde. Depuis son achèvement en 1986, la barrière a été fermée 182 fois (précision en février 2018). 95 de ces fermetures visaient à protéger contre les inondations causées par les marées et 87 fermetures visaient à protéger contre les inondations causées par les marées et les eaux fluviales.

Thames Barrier Cruises

Our Thames Barrier Cruises depart five times each day from Westminster Pier calling at St. Katharine Pier & Greenwich Pier before cruising through the barrier. These river trips are a unique opportunity to see the Thames Barrier up close & learn more about its role protecting over 125 kilometres of London from flooding.

Departures

Daily Departures – 30th March 2020 – 1st November 2020

Distance à pied  Departures from Westminster Pier, St. Katharine Pier & Greenwich Pier

Read More about our Thames Barrier Cruises

Art & Exhibitions

Tudors To Windsors: British Royal Portraits & Faces of a Queen

Viscount Cruises The Queen's House
aThe Queens House, Royal Borough of Greenwich

The Queen’s House

aThe Queens House, Royal Borough of Greenwich

The Queen’s House

About The Queen's House
The Queens House was the first classical building in England, built by Inigo Jones for Queen Anne of Denmark, wife of King James I. Now over 400 years old the house has been extensively refurbished and is home to an internationally renowned art collection.
About the Exhibition

Royal Portraits have been used for centuries to showcase the monarchy in all its grandeur & splendour. Tudor To Windsors: British Royal Portraits is a landmark exhibition curated by Royal Museums Greenwich which brings paintings from their own collection together with paintings from the National Portrait Gallery & private collections. The exhibition will explore how royal portraiture has changed & includes works from famous painters such as Sir Peter Lely & more modern artists such as royal photographer Cecil Beaton.

In addition to Tudors To Windsors, Faces of a Queen is another exhibition which brings together the three Armada Portraits of Elizabeth I for the first time in their 430 year history. Visitors can compare the similarities & differences between the three paintings from Royal Museums Greenwich, Woburn Abbey & the National Portrait Gallery. Like many Tudor paintings the armada portraits are full of hidden meaning & metaphor which when combined portray Elizabeth I as the iconic figurehead we see today.

Exhibition Dates

3rd April 2020 – 31st August 2020

British Baroque: Power and Illusion

Viscount Cruises Tate Britain
About Tate Britain

In 1889 the sugar merchant Henry Tate offered the government his collection of 65 British paintings to be displayed to the public. Due to a lack of space for British art at the National Gallery Tate provided £80,000 to build the National Gallery of British Art. The new gallery was designed by the architect Sidney R. J. Smith & built on the site of the old Millbank penitentiary. The gallery opened in 1897 with 245 works of art in eight galleries & quickly became known as the Tate Gallery. The gallery officially became known as the Tate Gallery in 1932 & then the Tate Britain in 2000 after the opening of the Tate Modern inside the old Bankside power station. The Tate Britain displays over 700 artworks, is free to visit & also has the Djanogly Café, Rex Whistler Restaurant & a wide range of exhibitions & events take place throughout the year (some exhibitions charge an entry fee).

About the Exhibition

British Baroque: Power and Illusion is the first exhibition by Tate to explore Baroque art in Britain. Baroque was popular during the 17th century & notable examples in London include the ceiling of The Banqueting House, painted by Peter Paul Rubens for Charles I & the Painted Hall at the Royal Hospital For Seamen (now the Old Royal Naval College), painted by James Thornhill. The exhibition displays works by a number of leading artists including James Thornhill, Gofrey Kneller & Peter Lely.

Exhibition Dates

4th February 2020 – 19th April 2020

Old Royal Naval College, The Painted Hall The West Wall - George I, His Family and His Virtues

Examples of Baroque Art: Top: The West Wall, Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College | Bottom: The Apotheosis of James I, The Banqueting House

Old Royal Naval College, The Painted Hall The West Wall - George I, His Family and His Virtues

Examples of Baroque Art: Top: The West Wall, Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College | Bottom: The Apotheosis of James I, The Banqueting House

George IV: Art & Spectacle

Viscount Cruises Buckingham Palace: The Queens Gallery
George IV: Art & Spectacle at The Queens Gallery, Buckingham Palace

Coronation portrait of George IV, by Sir Thomas Lawrence, 1821

George IV: Art & Spectacle at The Queens Gallery, Buckingham Palace

Coronation portrait of George IV, by Sir Thomas Lawrence, 1821

About The Queens Gallery

The Queens Gallery at Buckingham Palace displays regular exhibitions of items from the Royal Collection. Families can explore the exhibitions with family activity bags & visit the family activity room.

About the Exhibition

George IV had the shortest reign of the Georgian Kings, just 10 years (1820-1830). At the time of his accession in 1820 he had already ruled for 9 years during his fathers illness, a period known as the Regency. George is often remembered as an excessive drinker who spent vast sums of money & accumulated enormous debt during a time of great austerity. He is also remembered for his poor relationship with his with, Queen Caroline of Brunswick. Despite these faults George had excellent taste in the arts & allowed the change to a constitutional government.

During George’s time as Prince of Wales he amassed such vast collections of art including Dutch & Flemish masters, porcelain, intricate goldsmiths work, books, prints & weapons that he could barely fit all of the items in his London home at Carlton House. After George’s accession he set about transforming Buckingham Palace & Windsor Castle to house his prized collections & he also built the magnificent Brighton Pavilion. George IV: Art & Spectacle is a special exhibition curated by Royal Collection Trust which brings together items created by the finest artists & craftsmen to tell the story of one of our most magnificent kings.

Exhibition Dates

 15th November 2019 – 3rd May 2020

Include: 4th April 2020- 19th April 2020

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