What's On at the London Canal Museum

There is plenty going on at London Canal Museum and this summer, we have lots of additional events connected to the theme of ICE. Our ICE project includes a range of opportunities to learn about the fascinating story of ice importation and the uses of ice and more. There are events for adults and for children, who will love learning about science whilst making ice cream at our ice-themed children's activity days. We have regular monthly illustrated talks in the evening, aimed at adults with an interest in industrial heritage and canals. We have a programme of towpath walks in spring summer and autumn, and summer boat trips through the long Islington Tunnel on certain dates. Each summer we welcome the Mikron Theatre Company for theatrical performances and we have occasional special days of activities for families or adults. We also occasionally offer roses and castles painting courses, and other events.

Dig Deeper Study Days

As part of our ICE project we are offering three study days at which you can learn more about particular subjects that are connected to ice. Dates are 20th May, 22nd July, and 12th August. There is a charge of £10 for these events, which need to be pre-booked. See the events table below for more details of each event and its theme.

Illustrated Talks

Illustrated talks are held at 7.30 pm, on the first Thursday of each month except August. Most speakers illustrate their presentations with photographs. The museum is open 1000 to 1930 on the first Thursday of each month. Admission to talks and museum is charged at the usual museum admission charges. The programme is given below. In the event of any last minute changes to lectures or other events the site will be updated if sufficient notice is available.

Date	Event
May 2013
12th May	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.
18th May	Museums at Night 2013. Arts on Ice. We will be open 1730 to 2300 with programme of works of art on show, poetry reading, and a magic lantern show, this year taking the Victorian ice trade as our theme. Ice - forming, crystallising, dripping, melting - the Ice Wells come alive on the night of 18th May. Artists, poets, film installations, ice sculpture - Arts on Ice is a night at the museum exploring the depths of the ice wells and ice trade which operated from the building during the 19th Century. Poetry performance - Throughout the evening, Poet Simon Barraclough presents excerpts from Debris Field - a words and vision presentation of icebergs, hypothermia and the cold, cold stars as the Titanic slips beneath the waves. Alan Ward performs a series of poems inspired by the ice wells, the people who worked in them and the sensations which are tingled by vast blocks of ice. Write your own - grab a pencil and be inspired to write yourself as you explore the museum, with encouragements from the poet. Artists A range of artists from Islington and further afield exhibit ICY works of art - ice sculpture, film installation, painting - the museum is transformed into an Ice Palace to the arts. Descend into the ice wells - 5.30 - 7.30pm. Suitable for fit, suitably shod, over 10s (vertical ladder descent) Bookable on the night - limited numbers. Licensed bar will be open from 7.30pm Entry £5
19th May	Guided towpath walk along the towpath of the Regent's Canal to Camden Town. 1430 See link for charges.
26th May	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.
28th May	Boat Trip Fun 1100-1230 and 1330-1500. Enjoy our Children's Activity Day this Easter holiday with a boat trip and more. Price £4 per child. Groups welcome by advance booking only. Contact education@canalmuseum.org.uk
June 2013
6th June	Illustrated talk: The Somerset Coal Canal by Patrick Moss. This waterway always has excited interest in that it had a 'caisson' lift that got lost. Patrick will tell us about the search for the remains of that lift and about the local Society's work uncovering the remainder of this unique canal.
9th June	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.
15th June	Guided towpath walk along the towpath of the Regent's Canal to Camden Town. 1430 See link for charges.
23rd June	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.
26th June	Free lunch-time short towpath walk. Departs from museum 1315. Pre-booking advisable. Sponsored by King's Cross business Partnership.
July 2013
4th July	Illustrated Talk. The Work of the Port of London Authority Harbourmaster, by Steve Rushbrook of the PLA. Mark will explain PLA's role in promoting the Tidal Thames and keeping it safe for all who use it. Recently the PLA have introduced various Codes of Practice for Recreational River Users. Mark will update us on how these are working out in practice
8th July	Theatre performance by Mikron Theatre Company. Beyond the Veil. Starts 1945
9th July	Theatre performance by Mikron Theatre Company. Don't Shoot the Messenger Starts 1945
14th July	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.
14th July	Ice Well Open Day for the Festival for British Archaeology. Opportunities to descend into the ice well with a guide. £1 per person additional charge for descent, pre-bookable. More details to be announced.
14th July	Guided towpath walk along the towpath of the Regent's Canal to Camden Town. 1430 See link for charges.
22nd July	Ice Well Study Day. 1330-1630. The commercial import of ice in the mid 19th Century by Carlo Gatti brought about the possibility or affordable ice cream. Previously an unimaginable luxury for all but the supremely wealthy, the 'Penny Ice' made and sold by the community of 'Little Italy' in Holborn, became a hugely popular treat for children and adults of all classes. Annie Gray - food historian and expert on ice cream, reveals a little of the story of Mrs Agnes Marshall, contemporary of Mrs Beeton and the first ice cream cookery writer to publish a book on the subject. Now largely forgotten, she was the Delia, Jamie and Heston of her day, creating wildly imaginative ices and exquisitely artistic presentations. This Study Day will include making, presenting and most importantly, tasting some extraordinary historic ices. £10 book online in advance.
28th July	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.
28th July	Ice Well Open Day for the Festival for British Archaeology. Opportunities to descend into the ice well with a guide. £1 per person additional charge for descent, pre-bookable. More details to be announced.
31st July	Free lunch-time short towpath walk. Departs from museum 1315. Pre-booking advisable. Sponsored by King's Cross business Partnership.
August 2013
1st August	Guided Towpath Walk departing from the museum at 1930, to Camden Town.
6th August	Boat Trip Summer Fun 1100-1230 and 1330-1500. Enjoy our Children's Activity Day this summer holiday with a boat trip and more. Price £4 per child. Groups welcome by advance booking only. Contact education@canalmuseum.org.uk
10th August	Guided towpath walk along the towpath of the Regent's Canal to Camden Town. 1430 See link for charges.
11th August	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.
12th August	Ice Well Study Day. 1330 - 1630. London at trade and leisure in the 19th Century is brought together in an afternoon of history, social change and a few surprises. Carlo Gatti's interests were wide and varied - apart from the importing of ice, other major commercial enterprises included supplying the catering industry, running restaurants and two music halls. Months of painstaking research into the business empire of Carlo Gatti is revealing fascinating insights into this enterprising Swiss Italian. Little known details of the ice trade both here and from the Norwegian point of view are presented in a fascinating talk from our researchers and Norwegian counterparts. Research behind the scenes at 'Gatti's under the Arches' and other music halls around London reveal a world of glamour and hard grind, elements of which continued into the 21st Century. book online in advance.
13th August	All About Ice! 1230 and 1330-1500. Enjoy our Children's Activity Day this summer holiday with a boat trip and more. Price £4 per child. Groups welcome by advance booking only. Contact education@canalmuseum.org.uk
20th August	All About Ice! 1100-1230 and 1330-1500. Enjoy our Children's Activity Day this summer holiday with a boat trip and more. Price £4 per child. Groups welcome by advance booking only. Contact education@canalmuseum.org.uk
25th August	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.
27th August	All About Ice! 1100-1230 and 1330-1500. Enjoy our Children's Activity Day this summer holiday with a boat trip and more. Price £4 per child. Groups welcome by advance booking only. Contact education@canalmuseum.org.uk
28th August	Free lunch-time short towpath walk. Departs from museum 1315. Pre-booking advisable. Sponsored by King's Cross business Partnership.
September 2013
5th September 2013	Illustrated Talk: The Stort Story, by Richard Thomas. Richard Thomas tells us about the history of the river and shows us its charming scenery .
8th September	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.
15th September	Guided towpath walk along the towpath of the Regent's Canal to Camden Town. 1430 See link for charges.
21st September	London Open House. Museum open free of charge. Pre-bookable opportunities to descend into the ice well. Not yet open for booking. Note the museum will close at 1630 so come in good time.
22nd September	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.
25th September	Free lunch-time short towpath walk. Departs from museum 1315. Pre-booking advisable. Sponsored by King's Cross business Partnership.
29th September	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.. The trips on this date are to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the New River, underneath which the tunnel passes, and the commentary will include this topic.
October 2013
3rd October 2013.	Illustrated Talk: Archive photos of the early 1960s. Roger Butler returns to offer part two of the amazing archive of canal photos kept in his family albums. Rare photos of the working canals, combined with comments on them, provide an overview of the past journeys of a talented waterways photographer.
13th October	Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.
13th October	The Big Canal Drawing, our event for this year's The Big Draw. Come and draw on a huge long drawing drawn by our visitors on the theme of Tomorrow's Canals. All visitors of all ages are invited to contribute. Pens will be provided.
26th and 27th October	The Amazing Halloween Experience, with spooky boat trips, story telling, and decorations in the museum. Every year this event is a hit with families. Dress up for the occasion! book online in advance.
29th October	Boat Trip for Autumn 1100-1230 and 1330-1500. Enjoy our Children's Activity Day with a boat trip and more. Price £4 per child. Groups welcome by advance booking only. Contact education@canalmuseum.org.uk
November 2013
7th November	Illustrated Talk: The Canal Pioneers: Brindley's School of Engineers. by Chris Lewis. James Brindley is recognised as one of the leading early canal engineers. He was also a major player in training others in the art of canal layout and building. Chris Lewis explains how he made such a positive contribution to the education of that group of early "civil engineers".
December 2013
5th December	Illustrated Talk: Ice for the Metropolis by Malcolm Tucker. Well before the advent of freezers there was a demand for ice for food preservation and catering. Malcolm will explain the history of importing natural ice and the technology of building ice wells, and how London's ice trade thus grew.
January 2014
2nd January	Illustrated Talk: Details to be announced.
February 2014
6th February	Illustrated Talk: Details to be announced.
March 2014
6th March	Illustrated Talk: Details to be announced.
April 2014
3rd April	Illustrated Talk: Details to be announced.
May 2014
1st May	Illustrated Talk: Details to be announced.
June 2014
5th June	Illustrated Talk: Details to be announced.
July 2014
3rd July	Illustrated Talk: Details to be announced.
August 2014
7th August	1930 Guided towpath walk from the museum to Camden Town along the Regent's Canal towpath.
September 2014
4th September	Illustrated Talk: Details to be announced.
October 2014
2nd october	Illustrated Talk: Details to be announced.
November 2014
6th November	Illustrated Talk: Canals in Wartime, by Dr. Wendy Freer. Wendy outlines the way in which the canals functioned during wartime and how they aided the 'war effort' even though some of the skilled staff were called up. The canals themselves were not immune from war damage, but were quickly reopened to provide the essential arteries of trade. The talk offers a valuable insight into an era about which little is published.
December 2014
4th December	Illustrated Talk: Details to be announced.

Date

Event

May 2013

12th May

Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.

18th May

Museums at Night 2013. Arts on Ice. We will be open 1730 to 2300 with programme of works of art on show, poetry reading, and a magic lantern show, this year taking the Victorian ice trade as our theme. Ice - forming, crystallising, dripping, melting - the Ice Wells come alive on the night of 18th May. Artists, poets, film installations, ice sculpture - Arts on Ice is a night at the museum exploring the depths of the ice wells and ice trade which operated from the building during the 19th Century. Poetry performance - Throughout the evening, Poet Simon Barraclough presents excerpts from Debris Field - a words and vision presentation of icebergs, hypothermia and the cold, cold stars as the Titanic slips beneath the waves. Alan Ward performs a series of poems inspired by the ice wells, the people who worked in them and the sensations which are tingled by vast blocks of ice. Write your own - grab a pencil and be inspired to write yourself as you explore the museum, with encouragements from the poet. Artists A range of artists from Islington and further afield exhibit ICY works of art - ice sculpture, film installation, painting - the museum is transformed into an Ice Palace to the arts. Descend into the ice wells - 5.30 - 7.30pm. Suitable for fit, suitably shod, over 10s (vertical ladder descent) Bookable on the night - limited numbers. Licensed bar will be open from 7.30pm Entry £5

19th May

Guided towpath walk along the towpath of the Regent's Canal to Camden Town. 1430 See link for charges.

26th May

28th May

Boat Trip Fun 1100-1230 and 1330-1500. Enjoy our Children's Activity Day this Easter holiday with a boat trip and more. Price £4 per child. Groups welcome by advance booking only. Contact education@canalmuseum.org.uk

June 2013

6th June

Illustrated talk: The Somerset Coal Canal by Patrick Moss. This waterway always has excited interest in that it had a 'caisson' lift that got lost. Patrick will tell us about the search for the remains of that lift and about the local Society's work uncovering the remainder of this unique canal.

9th June

15th June

Guided towpath walk along the towpath of the Regent's Canal to Camden Town. 1430 See link for charges.

23rd June

26th June

Free lunch-time short towpath walk. Departs from museum 1315. Pre-booking advisable. Sponsored by King's Cross business Partnership.

July 2013

4th July

Illustrated Talk. The Work of the Port of London Authority Harbourmaster, by Steve Rushbrook of the PLA. Mark will explain PLA's role in promoting the Tidal Thames and keeping it safe for all who use it. Recently the PLA have introduced various Codes of Practice for Recreational River Users. Mark will update us on how these are working out in practice

8th July

Theatre performance by Mikron Theatre Company. Beyond the Veil. Starts 1945

9th July

Theatre performance by Mikron Theatre Company. Don't Shoot the Messenger Starts 1945

14th July

Ice Well Open Day for the Festival for British Archaeology. Opportunities to descend into the ice well with a guide. £1 per person additional charge for descent, pre-bookable. More details to be announced.

14th July

Guided towpath walk along the towpath of the Regent's Canal to Camden Town. 1430 See link for charges.

22nd July

Ice Well Study Day. 1330-1630. The commercial import of ice in the mid 19th Century by Carlo Gatti brought about the possibility or affordable ice cream. Previously an unimaginable luxury for all but the supremely wealthy, the 'Penny Ice' made and sold by the community of 'Little Italy' in Holborn, became a hugely popular treat for children and adults of all classes. Annie Gray - food historian and expert on ice cream, reveals a little of the story of Mrs Agnes Marshall, contemporary of Mrs Beeton and the first ice cream cookery writer to publish a book on the subject. Now largely forgotten, she was the Delia, Jamie and Heston of her day, creating wildly imaginative ices and exquisitely artistic presentations. This Study Day will include making, presenting and most importantly, tasting some extraordinary historic ices. £10 book online in advance.

28th July

31st July

Free lunch-time short towpath walk. Departs from museum 1315. Pre-booking advisable. Sponsored by King's Cross business Partnership.

August 2013

1st August

Guided Towpath Walk departing from the museum at 1930, to Camden Town.

6th August

Boat Trip Summer Fun 1100-1230 and 1330-1500. Enjoy our Children's Activity Day this summer holiday with a boat trip and more. Price £4 per child. Groups welcome by advance booking only. Contact education@canalmuseum.org.uk

10th August

Guided towpath walk along the towpath of the Regent's Canal to Camden Town. 1430 See link for charges.

11th August

12th August

Ice Well Study Day. 1330 - 1630. London at trade and leisure in the 19th Century is brought together in an afternoon of history, social change and a few surprises. Carlo Gatti's interests were wide and varied - apart from the importing of ice, other major commercial enterprises included supplying the catering industry, running restaurants and two music halls. Months of painstaking research into the business empire of Carlo Gatti is revealing fascinating insights into this enterprising Swiss Italian. Little known details of the ice trade both here and from the Norwegian point of view are presented in a fascinating talk from our researchers and Norwegian counterparts. Research behind the scenes at 'Gatti's under the Arches' and other music halls around London reveal a world of glamour and hard grind, elements of which continued into the 21st Century. book online in advance.

13th August

All About Ice! 1230 and 1330-1500. Enjoy our Children's Activity Day this summer holiday with a boat trip and more. Price £4 per child. Groups welcome by advance booking only. Contact education@canalmuseum.org.uk

20th August

All About Ice! 1100-1230 and 1330-1500. Enjoy our Children's Activity Day this summer holiday with a boat trip and more. Price £4 per child. Groups welcome by advance booking only. Contact education@canalmuseum.org.uk

25th August

27th August

28th August

Free lunch-time short towpath walk. Departs from museum 1315. Pre-booking advisable. Sponsored by King's Cross business Partnership.

September 2013

5th September 2013

Illustrated Talk: The Stort Story, by Richard Thomas. Richard Thomas tells us about the history of the river and shows us its charming scenery .

8th September

15th September

Guided towpath walk along the towpath of the Regent's Canal to Camden Town. 1430 See link for charges.

21st September

London Open House. Museum open free of charge. Pre-bookable opportunities to descend into the ice well. Not yet open for booking. Note the museum will close at 1630 so come in good time.

22nd September

25th September

Free lunch-time short towpath walk. Departs from museum 1315. Pre-booking advisable. Sponsored by King's Cross business Partnership.

29th September

Guided Tunnel Boat Trips at 1100, 1200, and 1600. Lasting about 50 minutes, your guide will explain the history of London's longest canal tunnel as you cruise through it, passing deep beneath the streets of Islington in the darkness of the three-quarters-of-a-mile long tunnel. opened in 1820 and in use ever since. You are very strongly advised to book online in advance.. The trips on this date are to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the New River, underneath which the tunnel passes, and the commentary will include this topic.

October 2013

3rd October 2013.

Illustrated Talk: Archive photos of the early 1960s. Roger Butler returns to offer part two of the amazing archive of canal photos kept in his family albums. Rare photos of the working canals, combined with comments on them, provide an overview of the past journeys of a talented waterways photographer.

13th October

The Big Canal Drawing, our event for this year's The Big Draw. Come and draw on a huge long drawing drawn by our visitors on the theme of Tomorrow's Canals. All visitors of all ages are invited to contribute. Pens will be provided.

26th and 27th October

The Amazing Halloween Experience, with spooky boat trips, story telling, and decorations in the museum. Every year this event is a hit with families. Dress up for the occasion! book online in advance.

29th October

Boat Trip for Autumn 1100-1230 and 1330-1500. Enjoy our Children's Activity Day with a boat trip and more. Price £4 per child. Groups welcome by advance booking only. Contact education@canalmuseum.org.uk

November 2013

7th November

Illustrated Talk: The Canal Pioneers: Brindley's School of Engineers. by Chris Lewis. James Brindley is recognised as one of the leading early canal engineers. He was also a major player in training others in the art of canal layout and building. Chris Lewis explains how he made such a positive contribution to the education of that group of early "civil engineers".

December 2013

5th December

Illustrated Talk: Ice for the Metropolis by Malcolm Tucker. Well before the advent of freezers there was a demand for ice for food preservation and catering. Malcolm will explain the history of importing natural ice and the technology of building ice wells, and how London's ice trade thus grew.