What a wonderful time to visit the beautiful surroundings of Somerset House – there’s ice-skating in the courtyard, a fantastically fun Beano exhibition (a must-see for all comic fans), and, following a two-year revamp, The Courtauld Gallery re-opened its doors this morning. We visited last weekend and, as always, it was an absolute treat.
What better way to bring some festive cheer than to ice-skate around the 40ft Christmas tree in the stunning courtyard? Lessons are available for new skaters and wheelchair users are welcome to skate at any session. There are evening events too where you can enjoy nightlife sets from trailblazing DJs on rink-side decks. Skate, in collaboration with Moet & Chandon, are also offering champagne and warming cocktails in their dedicated Skate Lounge and you can enjoy a gourmet feast at the pop-up alpine restaurant.
Beano: The Art of Breaking the Rules is a major exhibition curated by artist and lifelong Beano fan Andy Holden. He has drawn a group of creative ground-breakers together who, through their artistic field, have created their own interpretations of rule-breaking. These thought-provoking concepts are displayed alongside a stupendous collection from the Beano archives. Do go along and be inspired by this no holds barred art.
Described by The Guardian as an exhibition space that has “never felt so visible, so refreshed”, we are extremely excited to revisit The Courtauld’s wonderful collection of artworks which range from the middle ages to the twentieth century. Highlights include Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear and Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.
Somerset House is located on the Strand, which, from Hertford Street, is a scenic walk through Green Park, St James’ Park and along the river. A fine example of Neoclassical architecture, designed by Sir William Chambers in 1776, it stands on the site of a Tudor palace which was built in 1547 for the Duke of Somerset. It’s home to the Courtauld Institute of Art and has been used as a filming location for titles including Love Actually, Sherlock Holmes, GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies.