Exclusive group tours launched by the National Gallery
London’s National Gallery is welcoming groups to experience a tour like never before after the introduction of three new options which bring this historic collection of paintings to life.
Explore treasures of the Thames at London Museum Docklands
Groups will be able to book at a discounted rate to visit the museum’s first major exhibition on mudlarking, exploring finds from the Thames foreshore, including a Tudor wool hat, Medieval gold ring and a Viking era dagger.
New V&A site featuring over half a million pieces to open in May
V&A East Storehouse will offer behind-the-scenes access to over half a million creative works, with a second site, V&A East Museum, scheduled to open in spring 2026.
Japanese and Indian culture in focus at British Museum
Groups will be able to tour Hiroshige: artist of the open road and Ancient India: living traditions at the British Museum, with discounted group booking rates available.
Natural History Museum: afternoon tea and group guided tours
The Natural History Museum is inviting visitors to go behind-the-scenes on a specially curated guided tour, followed by a nature inspired afternoon tea – as part of a new experience package.
British Museum to showcase never-displayed Picasso works
Special rates are available for groups of ten or more booking to visit Picasso: printmaker, which will include never-displayed pieces.
Oasis star among icons on show at National Portrait Gallery
Noel Gallagher is one of over 100 famous faces from the worlds of art, fashion, business and entertainment on display as part of a new exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Explore wartime Britain in Hidden London tour
London Transport Museum has released group tickets for its revamped tour of Clapham South’s deep-level wartime air raid shelter, located 11 storeys underground.
Bentley Priory Museum was a great find for our group
GTO Carol Swiecicka reports back from an interesting group visit to Bentley Priory Museum.
Beamish Museum: what's new and group booking advice
Brenda Alexander at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North in County Durham on what’s new for groups and booking advice.
Science Museum to open historic exhibition
A new exhibition at the London museum will unveil the stories of science at Versailles with objects on display for the first time in the UK.
Quirky places in London to take your group
From unusual museums to a journey underground, we explore some of the alternative options for your next visit to London.
National Portrait Gallery to display rare Francis Bacon portraits
The exhibition, opening at the London gallery in October, will be the first in 20 years to focus on the artist’s portraits.
5 fascinating heritage attractions in the north
Pick up inspiration for your future group visits with a look at several intriguing attractions in the north of England.
New Coins and the Sea exhibition at The Royal Mint Experience
From shanties to shipwrecks, the display dives into the history of coins and their journey across the high seas.
Free group guided tours of Hull’s museums
Visit Hull has launched a new initiative that allows groups to pre-book free guided tours of the city’s museums to learn more about its history and links to British culture.
A poignant trip to The D-Day Story ahead of 80th anniversary
Gwen Wright, group travel organiser for The Arts Society Cranleigh, tell us about her moving visit to the museum in Southsea, Portsmouth.
Hopetown Darlington will offer groups an immersive experience
Hopetown Darlington will be a 7.5-acre site encompassing a railway museum, exhibitions, festivals, events, café and shop, a railway-themed adventure play park and time travel immersive experience ride, and the chance to view live engineering in action.
Award-winning tours and exhibitions for groups at The Royal Mint
There’s something for all groups during a day out at The Royal Mint Experience in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.
Group enjoy Leicestershire visit after GLT Show encounter
Keith Jordan had an excellent day with his Lincoln Retirees Group all because of who he met at the Group Leisure & Travel Show.
Exhibition celebrates 50 years since ABBA’s Eurovision win
Groups are being invited to celebrate ABBA’s iconic milestone through a new display at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery.
London Transport Museum display shows role of the Underground in war
Echoes of the Blitz: Underground shelters in Ukraine and London explores how underground stations and metro systems provide shelter to citizens during periods of war, through a range of photographs.
King’s Galleries to showcase royal photos and historic artefacts
The Royal Collection Trust has revealed that the galleries formerly known as The Queen’s Galleries will reopen as The King’s Galleries with exciting new exhibitions.
Striking sculpture park opens at Compton Verney
A major new sculpture park has opened in the grounds of Compton Verney Art Gallery in Warwickshire, featuring striking works by modern and contemporary artists from around the world.
Girl Power! British Music Experience display celebrates 30 years of the Spice Girls
Girl Power! Spice Girls at 30, running at the British Music Experience in Liverpool from February to September, will chart the history of the girl band with outfits from Liz West’s collection.
Tate Modern to explore the life of Yoko Ono in huge exhibition
The UK’s largest exhibition celebrating the life and work of artist and activist Yoko Ono will open at London’s Tate Modern.
Fascinating group day out at de Havilland Aircraft Museum
Chris Behrendt and Jennie Savage from the Milton Keynes U3A group report back from a brilliant experience at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum in London Colney.
8 must-visit cities for museum and art lovers
With so many iconic European cities to choose from, here are some of the best hotspots for museum and art lovers.
New museum in Bishop Auckland takes groups through 6,000 years of faith
The Faith Museum in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, leads visitors on a journey through British history and how faith has shaped lives and communities.
The Royal Mint invites groups ‘beyond the glass’ in new tour
The Royal Mint Experience is inviting visitors into the factory for a fascinating insight into coin-making on a new tour for groups.
London Transport Museum’s new gallery explores the history of posters
The new Global Poster Gallery, set over two floors, will explore the history and impact of the poster from the 1900s to the modern day.
Beamish’s penny-farthing rider on his love of the museum
We hear from Ian Bean, an engager at Beamish, the Living Museum of the North, about how his role has changed over nearly 40 years of working at the heritage venue.
The new-look National Portrait Gallery is a sight to behold
We went along to the new-look National Portrait Gallery in London which has reopened following its biggest transformation of all time.
Harry Styles portrait unveiled for new David Hockney exhibition
More than 30 new portraits, painted at the artist’s Normandy studio, will be displayed for the first time when the National Portrait Gallery opens David Hockney: Drawing from Life.
British Motor Museum explores the future of the car in latest display
The British Motor Museum has opened an exhibition which looks at the technologies that are bringing cars into the future and the effects on the world.
The Queen’s Gallery: Holbein’s Tudor court portraits to go on display
A major exhibition at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, will bring together more than 100 works from Henry VIII’s court by Hans Holbein the Younger.
Florence Nightingale Museum: “She was more than just a Lady with the Lamp”
We spoke to Hannah Smith, visitor experience and collections manager at the Florence Nightingale Museum in London, to discover more about what awaits groups on a visit.
New 2023 openings: exhibitions, museums and historical sites
We take a look at some of the biggest new openings for groups to consider…
Windrush portraits commissioned by the King to go on display
A series of ten portraits will go on public display for the first time at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, then moving to the National Portrait Gallery.
Sisters recreate childhood home at Beamish Museum
Two sisters have unveiled their childhood home at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North as part of the attraction’s 1950s town.
Reimagined Loch Ness attraction opens after major transformation
One of Scotland’s most famous attractions has reopened after a £1.5 million transformation project from Continuum Attractions to engage, entertain and inform visitors about the mysterious Loch Ness Monster.
RAF Museum’s Bomber Command display marks Dam Buster’s 80th anniversary
A permanent exhibition has been unveiled at the RAF Museum in London telling the stories of individuals who played crucial roles in the famous ‘Dam Busters’ raid.
Call the Midwife cast open new gallery and location tour
The Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent has created a new gallery and relaunched its official location tour to celebrate the BBC’s Call the Midwife, with stars of the show at the official opening.
Sam Ryder’s Eurovision Space Man suit on display in Liverpool
Liverpool’s British Music Experience is now the home of Sam Ryder’s Space Man outfit that he wore when performing at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.
Manchester Museum’s director on what groups can expect from a visit
Esme Ward, director of Manchester Museum, tells GLT about her favourite items on display at the new-look attraction and what she hopes people will take away from a visit.
New openings and top outings in 2023
There are a number of new openings, exhibitions and outings for groups in 2023. Here’s a look at what’s best.
Memorable group visits to the Original Maker… The Royal Mint
Unlock 1,100 years of history at the UK’s oldest mint and see the skill and craftsmanship that go into making the coins in your pocket.
Video: corgis run riot to officially open Madame Tussauds’ royal palace experience
To mark King Charles III’s coronation year, London’s Madame Tussauds has opened The Royal Palace experience with the help of four troublesome corgis.
Handle tank rounds and see hidden vehicles on exclusive tours at the Tank Museum
The Tank Museum at Bovington in Dorset is offering groups the opportunity to dig deeper into history with a selection of guided tours.
Annual stats show a surge in visits to museums and galleries
The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) has released visitor figures from its members for 2022, with museums and galleries among those reporting an increase in numbers.
The Grand Cinema, police houses and miner homes make up new-look Beamish
Beamish, the Living Museum of the North in County Durham is preparing to open several new attractions as part of its biggest ever development project.
The result of Manchester Museum’s once-in-a-lifetime transformation
We went to Manchester Museum to explore the ‘sense of belonging’ created for visitors after a major £15 million redevelopment project.
Huge art exhibition in Suffolk to display works by Banksy
West Suffolk will host one of the country’s biggest modern art exhibitions this year featuring several artworks by street artist, Banksy.
A new view of the past at King Richard III Visitor Centre
Special group rates and a new exhibition gives even more reasons to visit the centre which marks the tenth anniversary of the rediscovery and reinterment of King Richard III.
Rare treasures and new King Charles III stamp on display at The Postal Museum
A new exhibition has opened at The Postal Museum in London, displaying treasures dating back to 1840 and culminating in the newest design for the reign of King Charles III.
Frameless London: where art breaks free from the canvas
We went along to London’s Frameless experience to find out why it offers a quirky addition to your group itinerary.
‘Dive under the waves’ to experience the Mary Rose like never before
1982 – Dive the Mary Rose will be a 4D immersive theatre experience which showcases the untold story of the finding, excavation, and recovery of Henry VIII’s favourite ship.
A look at some of the most intriguing new attractions and displays for groups in 2023
Whether it’s exciting exhibitions, terrific tours or awesome attractions, here’s a round-up of just some of the big new openings on our radar this year.
Ancient Egypt to be explored inside the new-look Manchester Museum
Manchester Museum will reopen its doors from 18th February following a three-year, £15 million transformation project, with its debut exhibition highlighting a lesser-known period in Ancient Egypt’s history.
Georgian life and style to be explored in major exhibition at The Queen’s Gallery
A display at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace will reveal life in the 18th century through the fashions of the day, featuring more than 200 works from the Royal Collection.
Anglo-Saxon Museum and Whisky Distillery to open in Northumberland
Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum and Whisky Distillery will launch in spring 2023, bringing to life the hidden history of the 7th Century Anglo Saxon Royal court of Northumbria discovered at Yeavering.
Injecting Hope at Science Museum explores Covid vaccine story
A new exhibition now open at the Science Museum explores the worldwide effort to develop a Covid-19 vaccine at a speed to beat the pandemic.
V&A highlights include Chanel fashion first and major Donatello display
Groups visiting the V&A in 2023 have plenty to look out for including the first UK exhibition dedicated to the work of French couturière, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel.
Beaulieu’s head of visitor experience talks exhibitions, group highlights and landmark milestones
We caught up with Jon Tee, head of visitor experience and operations at Beaulieu to discuss what groups can expect on a visit and the National Motor Museum’s 50th anniversary exhibition.
Lunch underneath Concorde as part of Aerospace Bristol's anniversary tour
Aerospace Bristol, home to the last Concorde ever to fly, has announced a special group package to commemorate 20 years since the iconic supersonic passenger jet touched down for the final time.
Cheshire museums launch ‘Silk and Salt’ day package for groups
The day itinerary includes tours of the award-winning Silk Museum and Lion Salt Work Museum in Cheshire as well as lunch and refreshments.
How group visits bring history to life at the King Richard III Visitor Centre
We spoke to Lisa Harrison, sales co-ordinator at the King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester, about the highlights to look out for on a visit and why groups are important to the attraction.
British Motor Museum celebrates 100 years of the Austin Seven
A special exhibition called Small car. Big history: 100 years of the Austin Seven explores the impact of the iconic car over the last century.
Strange Clay exhibition at London’s Hayward Gallery celebrates the abstract
A new exhibition will explore how contemporary artists have used clay in inventive ways to create striking sculptures.
Visitors will be invited to step ‘inside’ iconic paintings as part of immersive Frameless experience
Set to open in London this autumn, Frameless is a new multi-sensory attraction which invites visitors to actually step inside the artworks themselves.
What’s new for groups at Beamish Museum?
A 1950s Front Street terrace (complete with hairdressers and chippy), new park and Field Farm are among the new exhibits and attractions to open at Beamish Museum.
Visit Aerospace Bristol: ‘The Best Museum for Groups’
Winner of Best Museum or Gallery Award at the Group Leisure & Travel Awards 2020 and 2021, Aerospace Bristol takes groups on a fascinating flight through aerospace history, including the special opportunity to step aboard the last Concorde ever to fly.
Jodrell Bank’s striking First Light Pavilion opens to visitors for the first time
Jodrell Bank’s newest attraction, the First Light Pavilion, created to bring the UNESCO World Heritage site’s story to life, has opened its doors to visitors for the first time.