What we're about
Welcome to the London Cultureseekers Group!
If you're interested in exploring London's history & culture with other like minded people, then this is the only group you need to join! We are London's largest & most active cultural and history group!
We meetup 2-3 times a week to explore museums, art galleries, historical buildings, go on guided walks and attend history talks. We also have historic treasure hunts, visit the theatre, coffee evenings, social evenings, meals and attend classical music concerts. In the summer we also have day trips outside of the capital by train or coach to explore historical towns and the countryside.
The group is very friendly, we have members from 20 to 80 years old and across all backgrounds. The group has been running for over 16 years and is a great way to meet and make new friends. Plus after events we generally head to a local pub or cafe to chat.
You can either pay as you go at events or we do have an optional annual membership fee (details below).
Membership Fee
The group charges an optional annual membership fee of £13 per person.
Benefits of paying the membership fee and becoming a Full Member are:
- Discounted entry at 11 museums and galleries around London (You can view them here: https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/messages/boards/thread/53768500)
- 10% discount on any purchases at Foyles bookshops or from their website
- All treasure hunts we do will be FREE (normally £6 each)
- The 'Wren City Churches', 'Charlie Chaplin', 'Roman Wall', 'Have I Got Mews For You', ‘What’s in a Name’ and 'Shakespeare's London' Guided Walks will all be FREE (normally £6 each)
- All talks the group does will be FREE (normally £6 each)
- All Thames foreshore visits will be FREE (normally £6 each)
- Guided highlights tour around the Museum of London & Museum of London Docklands will be FREE (normally £6 each)
- All ‘London’s Lost Rivers’ hikes will be FREE (normally £6 each)
- All day trips by train out of London will be FREE (normally £6)
- All coach day trips out of London will be discounted by £6 per trip
- All the Blue Badge guided walks we do will be discounted by £2 per walk
- Entry to 20-30 paying museums & historical buildings that we visit across the year will be discounted by £2 each
Once you pay the membership fee, you will receive a membership card, go to (https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/dues) to pay online or you can pay cash at an event.
Events
Have a look at the events page: https://www.meetup.com/London_Cultureseekers/events/ to see what's coming up and where we have been. London Cultureseekers is a brilliant place to make friends in London whilst experiencing some of the very best areas of culture and history which the city has to offer. We keep costs low and the quality high and have a rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 17,900 reviews!
Our events always go ahead, regardless of the weather. Feel free to email or text me if you have any questions or would like to suggest somewhere we can visit.
Click on the video clips below to view our day trips to Bath and walking the Seven Sisters:
https://youtu.be/WAXipRxXtnc
https://youtu.be/06scGec8CcY
RSVP'ing
Click on the 'Join Us' button below, enter your details and then RSVP Yes to any events that you would like to attend, it's that simple! All new events get sent out on Friday evenings, so keep a lookout then.
When you turn up for an event, look out for the red & blue 'London Cultureseekers Group' flag and then come over and say hello.
Please be aware of the groups rules, which you can read here: https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/messages/boards/thread/53768478
Hope to see you at an event soon!
Robert - 07905 901 834 (text only please) / general@cultureseekers.org
You can follow us on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LondonCultureseekers/
Twitter: @Culture_Seekers
YouTube: Cultureseekers channel
The group blog: www.cultureseekers.blog
Upcoming events (4+)
Come along on Saturday 1st April at either 12noon or 2:30pm for a guided walk around Kennington on the early life of the comic genius; Charlie Chaplin!
I'm a massive fan of Charlie Chaplin, so I'll be the guide for the walk. Also, on April Fools Day, what better a day to talk about a comic genius!
About the walk
Charlie Chaplin was British and kept British citizenship all his life, even though he spent most of his adult life in America.
He was born in Kennington, London on the 16th April 1889 and lived their until he was 21. He was born into and spent his early years in great poverty in (at the time) one of the poorest areas of London. As a teenager he joined a performing group in nearby Brixton and during a tour of the U.S was spotted performing by a scout for Sennett Studios, they signed him up and the rest is history! He went on to star in 81 films mainly during the silent era and playing his 'Little Tramp' character in 76 of them.
His life is a classic rags to riches story and in his films he was heavily influenced by his poor upbringing. I will guide you round the streets visiting various places that influenced him, the houses where he lived as a child and describing the conditions of the area in late Victorian London. I will tell you the story of his relationships with his mentally ill mother, alcoholic father and the close bond he had with his half brother Sydney. Plus I will also talk about his stage understudy who also went onto become a world famous movie comedian.
I will finish the walk showing you the place where he learnt his famous comedy walk!
Payment
Full Members of the group will be free, everyone else the cost is £6 per person (payable by cash on the day).
To become a Full Member, go to: https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/dues
The walk will be taking place twice, at 12noon and 2:30pm, so please indicate when you RSVP which time you wish to attend.
Afterwards
After, we will be heading to the 'Jolly Gardeners pub', 49-51 Black Prince Road (near to where we finish).
The pub is also connected to Chaplin & his family and contains a piano that was played on by Charlie and his father.
The walk will last about 1h 45mins and will end about a 15 minute walk from Vauxhall Tube Station or a 10 minute walk back to Kennington Tube Station.
If you can't see us outside the station, please text.
Hope to see you there!
Robert[masked] (prefer text)
Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/messages/boards/thread/53768478
- Robert (.
- Robin S.
- Steve H.
- 68 attendees
Baker Street Tube Station (outside the station - near the Sherlock Holmes statue)
Come along on Sunday 2nd April to see an exhibition at the Wallace Collection on 'Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney'!
About the exhibition
The exhibition explores our devotion to four-legged friends across the centuries. Through carefully selected paintings, sculptures, drawings, works of art and even taxidermy, the exhibition highlights the unique bond between humans and their canine companions.
Dogs in art were first represented in the earliest cave paintings alongside humans and from the 17th century onwards, dogs in art flourished. Britain featured them in art more than any other nation and the British people have both commissioned and collected portraits of dogs since.
The exhibition brings together over 50 works of art showing dogs in all their different shapes and sizes, with each painter or sculptor challenging themselves how best to represent mankind’s most faithful and fearless friend.
Tickets
Tickets are £14 per person. If you have an ArtFund card, you get a 50% discount on the exhibition, which works out as £7 per person.
Aim for the 2:15pm slot.
Book your own ticket here...
The ArtFund offer that the group is being offered from 16th Jan will enable those that join, a 50% discount on the cost of a ticket to this exhibition! You can now purchase your National Art Pass for £15 here - https://www.artfund.org/offer/london-cultureseekers
Afterwards
After we will meet at the 'The Metropolitan Bar' 7 Station Approach (a Wetherspoons pub, next to Baker Street Tube Station) from 4:00pm for a chat over a drink.
If you can make it, please come to the cafe afterwards, as its a great way to meet and get to know others after the visit.
Please note, we only wait outside the station for 10 minutes after the advertised meeting time, so please be early or on time.
If you can't see us outside the station, please text.
Look out for the red and blue 'London Cultureseekers' group sign.
Hope to see you there!
Robert[masked] (prefer text)
On the day, if you can’t make the visit, just change your RSVP to No or text me to say you can’t make it.
Please don’t post any messages in the comments that you can’t make it, as this generates spam for everyone else.
Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/messages/boards/thread/53768478
- Robert (.
- Samara
- Robin S.
- 40 attendees
Waterstones Book Shop (cafe on the 1st floor)
On Wednesday 5th April at 6:30pm, we will be having a Midweek Coffee Evening!
It's a chance to meet and chat with others in the group in a relaxed setting over a hot drink.
On the day, come to the coffee shop, grab a drink and come and join us. Lookout for the 'London Cultureseekers' signs on the tables.
The cafe closes at 8:00pm.
Hope to see you there!
Robert[masked] (prefer text)
Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/messages/boards/thread/53768478
- Robert (.
- Ian M.
- Gurbinder
- 12 attendees
Coach bays on Tothill Street (nearest tube: St James's Park)
THE TRIP IS NOW FULL, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT: [masked] IF YOU WISH TO GO ON THE WAITING LIST.
Come along on Saturday 8th April for day trip visiting the historic town of Arundel and Arundel Castle!
About Arundel & its Castle
The town sits 5 miles inland on the south coast, between Worthing & Chichester.
The origin of the name comes from either the Old English 'Harhunedell', meaning "valley of horehound" or from the Old French word 'arondelle', meaning "swallow", and swallows appear on the town's arms.
The castle was started under the Anglo Saxons and completed by the Normans in the 11th century. It was a major stronghold up until the 19th century, but was besieged in 1643, during the English Civil War. The castle was built to protect that vulnerable fairly wooded plain to the north of the valley through the South Downs.
The town is a major bridging point over the River Arun and the town grew up on the slope below the castle to the south. The town today only has a population of 3,700, but its a charming, stylish place and full of history, with many Tudor and Georgian buildings. From the town there are fantastic views of the castle and the cathedral.
Tulip Festival
During April, so on the day we are there, there is a tulip festival in the grounds of the castle with over 100,000 tulips on display creating a stunning display of colour and beauty.
Medieval Festival
On the day we are there, taking place on the lower lawns of the castle, there is a medieval festival taking place. Which includes demonstrations of 12th century combat, archery and falconry, musicians, and have a go activities such as archery, and a craft tent.
Itinerary
When we arrive there is an optional guided tour of the town and then after lunch you can either visit the castle or visit the cathedral, look around the town or visit the museum on the history of Arundel.
11:00am - arrive
11:15am - optional guided tour of the town
1:00pm - lunch
2:00pm - either visit the castle (either both the castle & gardens or just the gardens), the town museum or look around the town
5:30pm - meet coach and return to London
Guided tour of the town is £6 each (payable on the day via cash). Its £25 to visit both the castle & its gardens or £14 for just the gardens (pay your own entry on the day).
You can decide to do all of these, just one or neither and do your own thing.
Food & Drink
Its upto you whether you wish to bring your own food & drink or purchase items from the many pubs or cafes in Arundel.
Coach Seating
- If you wish to reserve a seat on the coach in advance, after you pay please look at the seating plan in the photos and then email me ([masked]) with the seat number/s you wish to reserve. Its first come first served.
- The seat you sit on when you board the coach is yours for the day. If you wish to change seats on the coach during the day, you will need to get permission from the individual who is seated there.
Coach Cost
Cost is £24 per person for Full Members and £30 per person for everyone else (payable in advance when you RSVP - Full Members, just amend the amount to £24 before paying).
Go here to become a Full Member - www.meetup.com/London_Cultureseekers/dues/
Please note: you won't be able to pay via the app, only the full site. You also don't need a Paypal account to pay, just a credit card and then select to pay as a guest.
The trip is also being shared on another Meetup group.
If you can't see us on Tothill Street, please text.
Please note, we only wait for 10 minutes after the advertised meeting time, so please be early or on time. The coach has to leave at a specific time.
Look out for the red and blue 'London Cultureseekers' group sign.
Hope to see you there!
Robert[masked] (prefer text)
Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/messages/boards/thread/53768478
- Robert (.
- Sarah H.
- Sara
- 47 attendees
Past events (2,012)
- Robert (.
- Ben
- Katerina
- 5 attendees
