Westminster Abbey & Science Museum
Westminster Abbey, Walking Tour, and the Science Museum
Today the students spent the day exploring London’s iconic Westminster Abbey and the Science Museum. On the hottest recorded day of the year, they walked about the tombs of famous authors and poets from Charles Dickens to Oscar Wilde and geniuses such as Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin! The students learned of the history of the grave of the Unknown soldier and were given vivid recounts of the excitement that surrounds the Abbey during coronations and royal weddings from our wonderful blue badge guides. They spent time walking through the cloisters where monks have been treading for hundreds of years and even got to see the oldest door in England dating back to 1032 AD! After the Abbey, the students walked past 10 Downing Street, the residence of the new prime minister Teresa May. As well as Horse Guards Parade, which was the location of the 2012 Olympic beach volleyball. More than 500,000 tonnes of sand were needed to transform the space into the beach courts! From Horse Guards Pardade, they walked through St. James’s Park to Buckingham Palace, the residence of the Queen. As the students saw the flag flying high, they knew that the Queen was in! They were able to see the famous Beefeaters and get views of the gorgeous gardens along St. James’s Park.
The students also had the incredible opportunity to go to London’s world-renowned Science Museum. Here they were able to see more than 300,000 items, all impressively representative of England’s great technological advancements. Some students watched a short film in the new 4-D cinema, and some went to try out some of the many realistic simulators housed at the museum! There were interactive lessons on climate change, Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings and much more. Highlights from the museum include Charles Babbage’s difference engine, which was the first proposal for the computer and the impressive collection of antique cars including a 1904 Rolls Royce!
After returning to Charterhouse, the staff and students went head to head in a volleyball match. The student’s fought hard, but narrowly lost the match by one game. The students are looking forward to another on campus day tomorrow and hopefully much more sunshine to come!
