Explore Kensington Palace with the kids this May half-term!

28 May - 5 June

Embroil yourself in one of our exciting and creative half term activities that the whole family can enjoy. Discover some of the weird and wonderful inventions of the Great Exhibition which was opened in 1851 by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

Best of all you can enjoy all of our half-term events for free with HRP family membership from as little as £56! With so much history to explore spend a day, the weekend or more at the palaces!

EXHIBITIONS

The Enchanted Palace
Kensington Palace
Daily until 3 Jan 2012
Kensington Palace, former home to some of Britain’s best known royals including Queen Victoria and Diana, Princess of Wales, is currently transformed into the Enchanted Palace. An interactive visitor experience combining contemporary art installations, fashion, and live performance, it is an innovative response to a £12 million major renovation project currently underway at the palace.

The experience features stunning displays of courtly costume created by leading British designers Vivienne Westwood, Paul Costelloe, Bruce Oldfield, Zandra Rhodes, and Boudicca. Whilst visitors journey through the historic State Apartments, they discover the stories of Kensington’s seven princesses who once lived there. Dresses that once belonged to and were worn by Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales are also displayed alongside the fashion installations.

From May 2011 (to January 2012), the Enchanted Palace will once again evolve to include installations from new collaborators. Details to be announced soon.

EVENTS

The Great Exhibition
Enchanted Palace, Kensington Palace
28 May – 5 June
11.00-16.00
This May half-term, come and find out about some of the weird and wonderful inventions of this amazing spectacle. Design and draw your own mind-boggling inventions, make spinning thaumatropes and zoetropes and create other inspired crafts.

The Great Exhibition of the ‘works of industry of all nations’ was opened on May 1st 1851 by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The great Crystal Palace was originally only a stone’s throw away from Kensington Palace across the other side of the park. Prince Albert was passionate about new technologies, inventions, history and culture and he helped plan the exhibition. Almost 14,000 people displayed over 100,000 exhibits; works of art, textiles and clothing, furniture, ornaments, inventions and machinery.

Recommended age 5 - 13 years

Notes to editors

All events and materials are included in the general admission ticket price for each palace unless stated otherwise that a separate ticket is needed.

All events are subject to change, please check www.hrp.org.uk for up-to-date information on prices, opening times and details on event booking.

For further information about events and listings please contact Historic Royal Palaces Press Office on 020 3166 6166 or email press@hrp.org.uk or visit http://www.hrp.org.uk/

For images, please register on http://hrp.newsteam.co.uk/ which holds our gallery of images. You can browse and download hi-res images from this site. Usage is free for editorial.

Prices from 1 March 2011

_Palace	_Adult	_Conc	_Child	_Family
_{Historic Royal Palaces Memebrship (free admission to the palaces for a year)}	_{£43.00 (1 adult) £65.00 (2 adults)}	_n/a	_n/a	_{£56 (1 adult) £83 (2 adults)}
_{Tower of London*}	_£19.80	_£17.05	_£10.45	_£55.00
_{Hampton Court}_Palace*	_£15.95	_£13.20	_£8.00	_£43.45
_{Kensington Palace*}	_£13.75	_£12.10	_£6.90	_TBC
_{Banqueting House*}	_£5.50	_£4.40	_Free	_n/a
_{Kew Palace*}	_£5.83	_£4.95	_Free	_n/a

*All individual ticket prices include a voluntary donation

NB: ticket for Kew Palace does not include admission ticket to Kew Gardens which must also be purchased.

Historic Royal Palaces is the independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace. We help everyone explore the story of how monarchs and people have shaped society, in some of the greatest palaces ever built.

We receive no funding from the Government or the Crown, so we depend on the support of our visitors, members, donors, volunteers and sponsors.

These palaces are owned by The Queen on behalf of the nation, and we manage them for the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

We believe in four principles. Guardianship: giving these palaces a future as long and valuable as their past. Discovery: encouraging people to make links with their own lives and today’s world. Showmanship: doing everything with panache. Independence: having our own point of view and finding new ways to do our work. http://www.hrp.org.uk/ registered charity number 1068852 -ends-

Explore Kensington Palace with the kids this May half-term!

Explore Kensington Palace with the kids this May half-term!

28 May - 5 June

Notes to editors

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