Is the London Dungeon any good?

Sorry, but it’s shit. Like the worst fairground ghost ride, only you have to push yourself round. None of the few exhibits are genuinely scary, though a few are distasteful. And it’s full of simple-minded American touris….ah, um, it’s just not very good, I imagine it’d be utterly underwhelming on the back of jet lag.

Perhaps St.Paul’s instead, ladle on the Charles & Di history? Vinopolis near London Bridge for a boozy afternoon? Are they relatively fit? Climb Monument for great cheap views of the city. Imperial War Museum (bit of a trek mind)? Tower of London? Spitalfields market? Or jump on a river boat and take in the city from the middle of the Thames.

Posted about 1 year ago by Mockernee

No, best avoided. I thought it was vile and tacky, but then I was there for a Stock Exchange christmas party (which means I had already sold my soul, have bought it back since then).

Posted about 1 year ago by archetype

The London Dungeon is, uh, OK as long as you bear in mind that it has zero to do with history and is just a rather silly “ride” around some anonymous building. Actually it’s not a ride at all since you’re basically walking through a one-way maze. So it’s just like Ikea only darker and with fewer places for a nice sit down.

But seriously, if you enjoy a bit of silliness it’s fine. I had a good chuckle at the daftness of the place. One golden moment was when a “scary” voice from behind a wall told me “now continue to your right to continue your journey BWA-hahaha!” I often can’t tell left from right and went the wrong way. Scary voice said “continue to your right.” I was oblivious to the hint. Scary voice was now whiny voice “Nooooo! To your riiiiiight!”

I chuckled, apologised and went right.

Posted about 1 year ago by dodgygeezer

It’s cack. Sorry. Take them around Temple. It’s free and reeks of history of the kind they don’t have over there. Plus the added bonus of Temple Church which, if they’ve read ‘you know what’ will give them plenty of kudos back home.

Posted about 1 year ago by JoeMoon

I first went to The London Dungeon in 1976, I think, and it was great. Then Madame Tussauds bought it and converted it to crap – a bit like Madame Tussauds itself. Depending on your American friends’ preferences, they might quite like zero-talent “actors” pretending to be judges and such like.

Posted about 1 year ago by pottytime

Have a go on the Thames Clipper! It’s ace. Go from Savoy to St Katharine’s and get some unbeatable views of all kinds of things – Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, some buildings near London Bridge I’ve yet to identify. Stick “Thames Clipper” into google and see what happens.

Posted about 1 year ago by iSleepDiagonal

The London Transport Museum used to be pretty good, and it’s recently reopened after a refit or ‘remodelling’ as your US rellies would say. Ironically, getting there by public transport this coming weekend might be a bit of a problem.

Posted about 1 year ago by BraveNewMalden

It’s truly shite

You say they are simple folk, ,so how about museums?

Lowest Common denominator wholesome family indoor fun!

failing that you could always try to go and see Kylies knickers at the V&A?

Posted about 1 year ago by Woodenhorse

Well, one of London’t hidden gems is Sir John Soane’s museum. It’s in Holborn (halfway between Holborn and Chancery Lanne Tube stations). It’s a real cracker. It consists of three houses packed with interesting things. There’s something to see in every corner and you can get really close to all the exhibits.

It’s free and is pretty quiet. The tourists haven’t heard of it. You can see such things as Hogarth’s paintings of the Rake’s Progress, an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus, maritime clocks, architectural drawings (including a proposal for a new House of Lords) and all kids of stuff. If museums bore you rigid, this one won’t. And you can get much coser to the exhibits than in any other museum.

http://www.soane.org/

A nice alternative to the London Eye (yawn) is the Monument. It’s the sort of tower thing by Monument Tube station that commemorates the Great Fire of London. It’s only 2 quid to get in and you can climb to the top and get a view to rival the London Eye from a much more interesting viewpoint. It’s a much better story and photo op for tourists as all their mates have already been to the London Eye.

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/leisure_heritage/architectural_heritage/Buildingswithinthecity/monument.htm

By the way, the Transport Museum in Covent Garden is still closed. It re-opens in the autumn.

Posted about 1 year ago by kodabar

If they are american they might like it as it is basically now an american type ride. I went as a child and thought it was fantastic and also learnt a lot. Last year I took my boyfriend thinking it would be the same – gruesome macabre and educating – and it wasn’t. Its a theme park. We still enjoyed it and the dark boat ride was fun – but it was all a bit of an effort esp as a not-wanting-to-join-in-typical-english-person! I wanted to learn about the history of it all but it doesn’t bother with any of that anymore.

How about the London Aquarium – you get to stroke a ray if it deems to swim near you!

Posted about 1 year ago by plum41

it might also be of concern to know that the dungeon was founded by Annabel Geddes, a rather unsavoury member of the British National Party.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,,1976613,00.html

Posted about 1 year ago by digo

Kylie’s knickers at the V&A? What do V and A stand for? nnnnnn.

Posted about 1 year ago by iSleepDiagonal

They have an exhibition of fashion through various ages on there at the moment- that might be what that was getting at.

Imperial War is really good- and not a trek- its just round the corner from Waterloo station.

Well worth a visit.

Posted about 1 year ago by faith

What do V&A stand for? It reminds me about the old joke about C&A’s knickers… Faith – think about wellies that have L & R printed on the soles so that you know which foot goes where…

Another good little museum is the Old Operating Theatre Museum (http://www.thegarret.org.uk/edbooking.htm) which is almost opposite Guy’s Hospital on St Thomas’s Street. A lovely little museum with a geuine old operating theatre and guides with a ghoulish sense of humour. The only caveat is that the stairs are quite narrow and steep.

Posted about 1 year ago by pottytime

I thought it was actually alright and quite scary in places. It’s expensive and I only went because I had half price tickets. I went when I was a child and loved it. It’s great for kids and if you have an interest in Jack the Ripper. But even as an adult I thought it was a good day out.

Posted about 1 year ago by Joelle