There is plenty going on at London Canal Museum. We have regular monthly illustrated talks in the evening, aimed at adults with an interest in industrial heritage and canals. We have a programme of towpath walks in spring summer and autumn, and summer boat trips through the long Islington Tunnel on certain dates. Each summer we welcome the Mikron Theatre Company for theatrical performances and we have occasional special days of activities for families or adults. In August we have a series of Childrens Activity Days. We also occasionally offer roses and castles painting courses, and other events.
Illustrated talks are held at 7.30 pm, on the first Thursday of each month except August. Most speakers illustrate their presentations with photographs. The museum is open 1000 to 1930 on the first Thursday of each month. Admission to talks and museum is £3.00. Students, senior citizens, members of the Canal Museum Trust, and unwaged £2.00. The programme is given below. In the event of any last minute changes to lectures or other events the site will be updated if sufficient notice is available.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| All Tuesdays in August | Children's Activitiy Days with boat trips, things to do, paint, and explore. Groups must book in advance, individuals and families need not book. |
| 7th August 2008 | Guided Towpath Walk to Camden Town, via Islington Tunnel west portal, exploring the history of the canal and the signs of its past that can be seen along the route. Depart 1930. Charge £5 adult, £4 child/senior/student. Advance booking not required or possible. |
| 9th August 2008 | Guided Panoramic Water Tower Walk to the top of St. Pancras Water Tower, via Islington Tunnel west portal, exploring the history of the canal and the water tower, with a fine view of north London and the railways leading out of St. Pancras International station. Depart 1430. Charge £5 adult, £4 child/senior/student. Advance booking not required or possible. |
| 17th August | Tunnel Boat Trips 1100 1300 1400 and 1500 through Islington canal tunnel, with historical commentary by a guide from the museum. |
| 4th September 2008 | Talk: Middle Thames Trade in the 18th and 19th Centuries by Tony Ellis |
| 14th September 2008 | Guided Towpath Walk to Camden Town, via Islington Tunnel west portal, exploring the history of the canal and the signs of its past that can be seen along the route. Depart 1430. Charge £5 adult, £4 child/senior/student. Advance booking not required or possible. |
| 21st September 2008 | Tunnel Boat Trips 1100 1300 1400 and 1500 through Islington canal tunnel, with historical commentary by a guide from the museum. |
| 2nd October 2008 | Talk: Boat Family History by Lorna York Also Book Signing from 1800 onwards, by Geoffrey Lewis, a well-established author, with seven published titles to his credit of which three are historical novels set on England's canals in the days of the carrying trade. His new book, 'A Girl At The Tiller', is the sequel to the very popular 'A Boy Off The Bank' which was set during the Second World War, and follows the same characters into the early post-war years, through the severe winter of 1947 and the advent of nationalisation |
| 12th October 2008 | Guided Panoramic Water Tower Walk to the top of St. Pancras Water Tower, via Islington Tunnel west portal, exploring the history of the canal and the water tower, with a fine view of north London and the railways leading out of St. Pancras International station. Depart 1430. Charge £5 adult, £4 child/senior/student. Advance booking not required or possible. |
| October 12th | Roses and Castles painting workshop. £25 charge including refreshments. Advance booking essential. Led by Tricia Parott. |
| 31st October 2008 | The Halloween Experience, in partnership with Camden Canals and Narrowboat Association. Ghostly boat trips through Islington Tunnel, and things to do in the darkened museum. A family event - no adults unaccompanied by children. Will operate Friday and Sunday nights. Bookings not yet open. |
| 6th November 2008 | Talk: Work Parties before the Waterway Recovery Group by Tim Dodwell |
| November 9th 2008 | Roses and Castles painting workshop. £25 charge including refreshments. Advance booking essential. Led by Tricia Parott. |
| 4th December 2008 | Talk: Exploits of Ernest in Ireland by Neil Ardlige. Also Christmas Shopping Evening from 1800 onwards. |
| 1st January 2009 | Talk: The Panama Canal, Past, Present, and Future by Dr. Roger Squires, of the London Canal Museum and Inland Waterways Association, and experienced world traveller to canal locations.. The Panama Canal had a gestation period of some 400 years. Since it was opened in 1914 it has become a major artery of world trade. Expansion plans are now underway for completion by its centenary. |
| 5th February 2009 | Talk: The Manchester Ship Canal. by Richard Thomas. Manchester by the sea was the slogan of the promoters of the MSC. Richard will tell us of its history and current status. |
| 5th March 2009 | Talk: Boating in the 1950s and 1960s by Colin Scrivener. Colin was one of those who explored the canals when they were "slumbering". He recalls the silent water roads, the traffic that remained, and the range of pleasure craft on which the enthusiasts came to love the canals. |
| 2nd April 2009 | Talk: The Great Ouse by Alan Faulkener, author of the main histories of the Grand Junction, and Regent's Canals, and other books. Alan has been involved with the East Anglian Waterways for many years. He recalls the battles to reopen the Upper Great Ouse and puts that into context with the then existing navigation. |
| 5th May 2009 | Talk:. The Thames and Medway Canal by Brian Macnish. Brian is the Chairman of the Thames & Medway Canal Society. He tells us about their historic waterway, the takeover of the canal tunnel by the railway, and the current campaign to get part of the waterway restored. |
| 4th June 2009. | Talk:. History of Tooley's Boatyard, Banbury by Matthew Armitage. |
| 2nd July 2009. | Talk:. How the book "When London Became an Island" came to be written by Robert Phillpotts, author of the book, which is a detailed account of the building of the Regent's Canal. |
| 6th August 2008 at 1930 | Guided Towpath Walk to Camden Town, via Islington Tunnel west portal, exploring the history of the canal and the signs of its past that can be seen along the route. Depart 1930. Charge £5 adult, £4 child/senior/student. Advance booking not required or possible. |
| 3rd September 2009. | Talk:. The River Severn from Stourport to the Sea by Runnells Davis. |
| 1st October 2009. | Talk:. The river Gipping by Spencer Greystrong. THE RIVER GIPPING. |
| 5th November 2009. | Talk:. The Kennet and Avon Canal by speaker, to be announced, from the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust. |
| 3rd December 2009. | Talk:. The Cotswold Canals by Liz Payne. |
| 7th January 2010. | Talk:. Birmingham Canals, Past and Present by Eric Lewis. |
