Wednesday 14 August 2013

Poster Art 150 at the London Transport Museum

We had a brilliant time away in London last week, I've got a few different posts lined up with all the things we got up to. Our first port of call on Sunday afternoon was to the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden, one of my favourite parts of London and somewhere I would spend a lot of time and money if I lived in London! 2013 marks 150 years of the Underground and to celebrate this occasion the museum is hosting an exhibition of 150 of its most famous posters. A team of experts had the tough task of choosing 150 from an archive of several thousand spanning the history of the Underground and the end result is a fabulous combination of famous designs and older early ones which are just as interesting to see. Both my husband and I are big fans of the London Underground, from the strikingly different designs you see on different lines, to the part it has played in the history of London so this exhibition was a must see for us especially as the last major exhibition was held back in 1963 when it celebrated its centenary.

The exhibition itself is divided into six themes. The first being Finding your way, this includes lots of Underground maps and how to use the Underground. One of my favourites from this part was the one below, The Tate Gallery by Tube from 1986.  



Brightest London and Capital culture were two parts I really liked, showing the glittering nights you can enjoy out as well as day attractions including the zoo, galleries and museums. These I particularly liked 





Getting away from it all is another theme, showing how Underground posters were used to highlight the country and other attractions outside of the capital.




The Underground is constantly undergoing changes and improvements. Keeps London going features posters keeping Londoners up to date with what is happening.







Finally, Love your city showcases some of the finest landmarks as seen in Underground posters.



The one above from 1943 was one of my favourites and amused me, especially the last 'They're quite the worst' line!

I think we would both recommend this exhibition, it covers a wide variety of interests so something for everyone to see. I could have spent a lot longer looking at the posters but we were lacking time as the afternoon was getting on but I did take lots of nice photographs and have included my favourite ones. There is still time to see it if you're in London as it runs until 27th October, you can also vote for your favourite and it will be revealed at the end. A perfect start to our little London break.

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