London has stolen my heart years ago even before I’ve actually visited it for the first time. I roamed its streets many times, did all the major tourist attractions, found my favourite spots but I haven’t done it all. It’s impossible to see everything in London. I reckon that Londoners themselves haven’t exhausted all the possibilities that London offers. On my most recent London trip in May this year I’ve explored some new things. One of them was the Tower Bridge Exhibition. Like many of you I have walked across the Tower Bridge many times. I took numerous photos of this London icon but I couldn’t have imagined before that one day I’d be walking between the two towers high up above the Thames.
About Tower Bridge
The Tower Bridge was built in the period between 1886 and 1894. It was officially opened by the future king Edward VII and his wife Alexandra of Denmark. The bridge is 240 m long while its two towers are 65 m tall. The central span between the two towers is 61 m. The bridge still raises to let the big ships pass under it but today computers do all the hard work. Previously, it was all done by the hydraulic system. The bridge didn’t look like this always. In 1977 it was repainted in blue, white and red to commemorate Queen’s Silver Jubilee.
About Tower Bridge Exhibition
I booked my ticket online and got one pound discount. The ticket is valid for one year from the date of purchase. I decided to visit it on my second day in London after I said hello to Big Ben. There was a group of school children at the gate but I didn’t have to wait for them because there’s a separate entrance for groups. Beware! I had to climb many, many, many steps but it was totally worth it. I got down by lift though. Your visit starts in the north tower, then you cross the walkaway and its cool glass floor and proceed to the south tower.
What can you see in the Tower Bridge Exhibition? Naturally, you can learn about the history and the construction of the Tower Bridge. You can also learn about some other famous bridges in the ˝Great Bridges of the World˝ display. What I found very interesting was a display on all London bridges. You can watch a short video and see the bridge raise as well if you haven’t seen it in real life. Of course the best part is to enjoy the beautiful views of London. Since you’re right next to the Tower of London you can look down on that historical castle. You can enjoy the views of St Paul’s and the rest of the City of London as well as admire the Shard and see all the way to Canary Wharf.
However, the most thrilling part is to walk over the glass floor and see the people and the cars below on the bridge from 42 m above. I didn’t find it scary but fun. I couldn’t resist the Instagram cliche even though I don’t have Instagram yet because of my phone’s rubbish camera and virtually no storage space so I took my photo lying on the dirty glass floor. 🙂 I didn’t jump though, no need to push my luck :). This is actually why you’re visiting the Tower Bridge; to be honest you can get almost the same views for free in the Sky Garden but the experience of walking between the two towers of the Tower Bridge is worthwhile a couple of pounds.
The views:
Engine Rooms
Your ticket is also valid for the Victorian Engine Rooms. You descend the southern tower and walk until the end of the bridge when you take steps on the left leading down. Then you enter the Engine Rooms exhibition which can be visited individually too (you can buy a ticket just for it). You can see steam engines, furnaces and accumulators and all the rest of the machinery that once powered the Tower Bridge. I walked by all the powerful machines and watched a short film that shows how the raising mechanism of the bridge actually works. Fascinating! As expected there’s a gift shop on your way to exit.
I enjoyed my visit to the Tower Bridge Exhibition but I had a slight deja-vu feeling like I had when I visited the Sky Garden because of all the blog posts I had seen about it. When I just read a travel guide on certain destination I don’t get this feeling but I wouldn’t have known about the possibility of walking high up between the Tower Bridge’s towers if I hadn’t read the travel blogs.
Have you walked on the glass floor of the Tower Bridge Exhibition?
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[…] -walking on the glass floor of the Tower Bridge […]
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[…] I said hello to an old friend (Big Ben) and then looked down on the Thames from the walkaway of the Tower Bridge. Afterwards I did some shopping and relaxed at Hyde Park before I tried to rob the Bank of England. […]
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[…] Walk across the Tower Bridge and take hundreds of photos of it. It’s very Instagram worthy!:) If you’re lucky you’ll see it raised to let the ship pass under it. Moreover, if you want to learn about the bridge mechanics or walk on the glass floor 42 m above the Thames visit the Tower Bridge Exhibition. […]
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I’m actually planning on visiting this attraction while I’m in London this month! Thanks for the article!
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:)great! I hope you enjoy your London visit
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[…] Tower Bridge Exhibition, London […]
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[…] admired from the distance while I crossed the others. This year I even climbed the tower of the Tower Bridge in London and crossed the walkaway high above the Thames. That was a great experience. Some […]
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Omg, this is stunning! and interesting too. I must make it a point to visit this when I have another chance to visit London.
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thanks:) yes, do it!it’s a lot of fun:)
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This is the first I’ve heard about being able to look down and see the cars while walking across the bridge. That’s so cool. We didn’t have time to visit Tower Bridge when we were in London. I’d love to walk across on a future visit and see the exhibitions.
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🙂 great, an idea for your next visit then:)
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That’s so cool! I didn’t even know this was a thing that could be done in London! Those glass floors make me nervous! … At first when I saw you laying on the floor my thought was “she’s laying on cars” (as in no big deal), but then I looked more closely and it no longer looked as innocent. I can see why people would visit to get crazy-looking instagram shots! It looks like a fun way to pass the afternoon if one (me) can get over their fear of heights! 🙂
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:)thanks:) it’s really fun:)
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I love the iconic look of Tower Bridge. Looks like you had a great time at the exhibition!
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yes, I did:)
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That`s cool! I went to London 2 years ago, and London Bridge was something that I really liked. This exhibition looks great, would be really nice to get to know more about the history behind the bridge and to go to the engine room! 🙂
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🙂 thanks for stopping by
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London is such a magical place 🙂 This sounds like an awesome experience!
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🙂 oh, yes it is:) thanks for stopping by
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I would totally have laid on the floor too to get that shot if it was the only way! I too haven’t been to the exhibition (or even to Tower Bridge since I was about 7, despite living only about 2 miles away!)
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oh, you need to get there! they do yoga as well, like yoga on the glass floor:))
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Such amazing views – everything looks so small from up there! My husband and in-laws would love this, they’re slightly obsessed with bridges. I had to facetime them once when I was on the brigde with my daughter and the bridge was raised to let a yacht through, it was pretty impressive though! #citytripping
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great! I saw it raised on a different occasion not when I was up on the glass floor:) thanks for your comment
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Such gorgeous pictures xx
http://thelondonthing.co.uk/
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thanks a lot:)
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The glass floor would be too much for me though I can imagine it being a lovely experience for those not afraid of heights.
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oh, that’s a pity
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I’ve walked across Tower Bridge so many times and thought of doing the exhibition but not doing it…glad I could live vicariously through you!!
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🙂 it’s fun, you should do it:)
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I have to embarassingly admit, I didn’t know you could cross the bridge, or that there was an exhibit there! Looks like fun!
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🙂 no worries:)
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What a cool experience! #WandefulWednesday
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thanks:) it was great!
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I actually didn’t know they had an exhibition there! Added to my London bucket list 🙂
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great!:)
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The view looks amazing – but ahhh – the glass floor does look scary to me. I can attest to Londoners not having done all the sites there by the way – most are not even close! 😉
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🙂
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I wonder… Was the mirror above the glass floor deliberately there for people to take photos of themselves standing on the glass floor? The views are amazing and the engine rooms look so cool. I would definitely want to do this if I’m in London! #CityTripping
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I think so, yes, it makes easier to take funny photos:)
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The views have changed a bit since I did the Tower Bridge experience back in 2010 haha
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I guess so:)
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Terrible how many times I’ve been over it but never been to the exhibition! Looks great
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🙂 next time then..
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I’d love to have a go at walking in between the 2 towers on a glass floor! We are going to London for a week next year so I will add this to the list #CityTripping
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great!check the website beforehand because they’re doing some works now which means reduced ticket price but also maybe some of it is closed
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I would love to see that glass floor but haven’t been yet! I didn’t realise you could see the engine room too. How exciting! #citytripping
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yes, with your ticket you gain access to the engine rooms as well:) thanks for stopping by
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I lived in London for a couple of years and you’re so right, you can’t ever see everything it has to offer! I miss it so much, especially the British Museum. Thanks for bringing back some great memories – I used to work on the opposite bank to the Tower of London.
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🙂 that must have been great, living in London:)
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I never even thought that the Tower Bridge had an exhibition! How cool! Great post, Tanja! #citytripping
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thanks:) well I also discovered via blog land:))
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Ive never been up but would love to! Pics are lovely #citytripping
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thanks:)
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You’re right there are absolutely loads of things Londoners haven’t done. It’s such a vast city. Tower Bridge is something I haven’t yet done but I really like the look of it…I think my daughter would quite like it too. Nice pics of the glass floor. I bet that felt weird ! Thanks for linking to #citytripping
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The Glass floor is so much fun! If she isn’t afraid of heights she is going to love it!:)
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Fab!
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Looks great! We’ve walked over Tower Bridge many times too but never done this. Now it’s definitely on the list!
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cool! You’d like it.)
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I’ve been in London for 9 years now and I still haven’t done or seen everything! I have lists on my phone and have started using Pinterest to save things. The difficulty is getting lost in the normal routine of life so without intentionally making it a goal to do things you’ll never get through the list! 😉
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:)yes, well I’m sure you’ll make it eventually:) happy list crossing!:)
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🙂
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