Events Calendar

New official history of the London Underground

An official history of the London Underground has been published by Penguin. Underground – How the Tube Shaped London is lavishly illustrated and rich with previously unseen and surprising images and archive material. The book looks at the extraordinary social and engineering story of a system made in Britain and copied around the world.

1850s London was a city was grinding to a halt under the weight of horse-drawn traffic and pedestrians.  At the heart of the British Empire and with almost a quarter of the world’s population, the capital was in need of a transport system that matched its ambitions.

From its earliest beginnings, the Underground has been a place of folly for investors, a focus for social progressives, looking to improve the lives of those above ground, a champion of design, a site of politics, the state and business; all played out by a cast of visionaries, pioneers and reformers. Underground – How the Tube Shaped London intricately weaves this rich tale with the story of London itself, charting how the network and the city were fundamental to the each other’s rise, and fall, and rise again.

Now, four million journeys a day are made on the Tube. With a new look at the major points of its history – including the last fifty years – Underground examines just how the Tube became the beating heart of London, and came to shape the city itself. Authoritative, lively and visually beautiful, Underground – How the Tube Shaped London is the story of how history was made in the world beneath our feet.

 Underground - How the Tube shaped London

The authors:

Sam Mullins has been Director of the London Transport Museum since 1994, years which have confirmed his passion for this remarkable city and its transport.

Oliver Green is Research Fellow at the London Transport Museum, having been the museum’s first Curator between 1979 and 1989 and later returning as Head Curator from 2001 until 2009. 

David Bownes was Head Curator at the London Transport Museum from 2009 until 2012, and is now Assistant Director (Collections) at the National Army Museum, London. 

The authors will give a three part series of illustrated talks early in 2013 revealing new perspectives on how the Underground has shaped London over the last 150 years.

Poster Art 150 – London Underground’s Greatest Designs

Until 27 October 2013

Entry to the exhibition is included in price of admission.

Since its first graphic poster commission in 1908, London Underground has developed a worldwide reputation for commissioning outstanding poster designs, becoming a pioneering patron of poster art - a legacy that continues today. Our new blockbuster exhibition Poster Art 150 – London Underground’s Greatest Designs, will showcase 150 of the greatest Underground posters ever produced. Supported by Siemens, and forming part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the London Underground, the exhibition will feature posters by many famous artists including Edward McKnight Kauffer and Paul Nash, and designs from each decade over the last 100 years. The posters were selected from the Museum’s archive of over 3,300 Underground posters by a panel of experts; the 150 that will appear in the exhibition show the range and depth of the Museum’s collection.

Poster Art 150 is a fitting exhibition to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the world’s first underground railway, as the last major Underground poster retrospective was held in 1963 to celebrate the centenary of the Underground. Well-known posters, including the surrealist photographer Man Ray’s ‘Keeps London Going’ pair, will feature alongside lesser-known gems. The exhibition will also offer a rare opportunity to view letter-press posters from the late nineteenth century.

The exhibition focuses on six themes:

Finding your way includes Underground maps and etiquette posters. It also includes posters carrying messages to reassure passengers by showing them what the Underground is like.

Brightest London celebrates nights out and sporting events, showing the brightest side of London.

Capital culture is about cultural encounters, be these at the zoo or galleries and museums.

Away from it all looks at the way London Underground used posters to encourage people to escape, to the country, the suburbs and enjoy other leisure pursuits.

Keeps London going features posters about how the Underground has kept London on the move through its reliability, speed and improvements in technology.

Love your city shows the best of London’s landmarks as featured in Underground posters over the years.

The Siemens Poster Vote

Visitors will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite poster in the gallery and also online in The Siemens Poster Vote. The most popular poster will be revealed at the end of the exhibition.

Friday Late - Brightest London

Date:  Friday 17 May
Time:  18.45 to 22.00

Visitors can enjoy twilight tours of the Museum’s latest exhibition Poster Art 150 - London Underground’s Greatest Designs, and listen to author Andrew Martin discussing his latest book Underground, Overground - an anecdotal and humorous take on the history of the London Underground from the passengers’ perspective; perfect for the non-trainspotter. Get quizzical with the Brightest London quiz and unleash your creative side with make-and-take workshops – create a small botanical inspired papercut with artist Claire Brewster, or screen print spring and Brightest London poster inspired designs on to canvas bags with Artyard Handmade. See some of the posters in the Museum’s poster parade display brought to life with short animated films by students from Central Saint Martins and dress up for a photoshoot to recreate the Brightest London poster – come glammed up with fabulous dresses and shawls, top hats and bow ties and join in the quiz.

The exhibition, Poster Art 150 – London Underground’s Greatest Designs features a dazzling variety of poster styles, showcasing designs from the late 19th century to the present, created to advertise the London Underground. Selected by a panel of art and design experts and historians, 150 of the best designs are displayed in themes ranging from days out in the city and London’s countryside, to famous capital landmarks and events. Featured posters also show how the Underground has kept London on the move with improvements in reliability, frequency and new technology. Posters on way-finding and etiquette show us how passengers have navigated the Tube. The public will be able to vote for their favourite posters in the Siemens Poster Vote at the exhibition and online. The most popular posters will be revealed at the end of the exhibition.

Tickets: £8 (£6 concessions)
Book Online or Telephone 020 7565 7298

Walk the Original Line

PREVIOUSLY SOLD OUT - MORE TOURS ADDED

Dates 22 and 23 June
Time 17.00 -19.30

Join Mark Mason, author of Walk the Lines and consummate purveyor of Underground and London trivia as he takes you back in time to the building of the world’s first underground railway line. The first walk will follow the route of the Metropolitan line from Paddington to Euston. On Day Two the walk will take you from Euston to Farringdon. Meeting details will be sent with your ticket.

Tickets: £15 (£13 concessions)
Day One - Paddington to Euston: Book Online
Day Two - Euston to Farringdon: Book Online

Booking Office: 020 7565 7298

Semi-Detached Holden – Holden’s stations and the new suburbs

Dates 29 June (14.00-17.30) and 6 July (10.30 -14.00)

Charles Holden was responsible for the design of a remarkable series of stations in the early 1930s creating a distinctive ‘house-style’ for the Underground’s Piccadilly line extension stations in north and west London. These stations are now recognised as the best examples of the restrained style of ‘British Modernism’.

This tour starts at Oakwood and visits the futuristic Southgate and the iconic Arnos Grove.   Considering the elements of the ‘Holden style’, we will explore how all aspects of the functioning of a busy tube station were dealt with in the design.

To compare Holden’s work and place it in its local context, we will visit some contemporary buildings, of different styles near to the stations, and relate the impact on the locality of the arrival of ‘the Tube’.

Tours include an hour’s optional walk through Arnos Park to some modernist housing

Tickets: £10 (£8 concessions)
Book Online or contact our Booking Office: 020 7565 7298

Past Tube 150 Events

	London Underground: Past, Present and Future Date: Thursday 10 January More Information
	Steam and Heritage train outings Dates: Sunday 13 and 20 January More Information
	Talk: The Underground Pioneers Date: Monday 21 January More Information
	Friday Late - Whose Line is it Anyway? Date: Friday 15 February More Information
	Talk: The Rise and Fall of London Transport Date: Monday 25 February More Information
	Talk: Out of Chaos Date: Monday 25 March 2013 More Information
	Behind the Scenes - Adult Workshops Date: Monday 8-12 April 2013 More Information
	Behind the Scenes - Adult Workshops Date: Monday 8-12 April 2013 More Information
	Depot Open Weekend - We Love Steam! Date: Monday 13-14 April 2013 More Information
	Panel Discussion: In the Frame - Stories behind the Posters Date: Tuesday 23 April 2013 More Information