One weekend, 600 possibilities

London Open House gave us a chance to enter buildings that are normally closed to the public. Here's all I had time for.

Bank of England

• waiting time: 90 minutes


• tour given: yes


• in brief: what you'd expect from a mansion, not a bank

City Hall

• waiting time: around 15 minutes


• tour given: no


• in brief: Mayor Ken Livingstone calls it a "glass testicle" Norman Foster's unconventional design isn't as impressive as the Reichstag, but has impressive views

Guildhall Art Gallery

• waiting time: none


• tour given: yes


• waiting time: none


• in brief: Great stories and an interesting ampitheatre

Apothecaries Hall:

• waiting time: none


• tour given: none


• in brief: not large, but still very Hogwartsian

Middle Temple Hall

• waiting time: 35 minutes


• tour given: no


• in brief: lovely hall with a new cloakroom

HQS Wellington

• waiting time: about 30 minutes


• tour given: yes


• in brief: excellent stories above the only floating livery hall

Guildhall itself was open and three tours given by London guides started from there. I took the Alleyways West tour that winded down to Blackfriars.