This is your confirmation pack for visiting Kensington Palace. The pack includes information for teachers/group leaders and students.

Transcription

1 This is your confirmation pack for visiting Kensington Palace. The pack includes information for teachers/group leaders and students. 1

2 This booklet has been prepared to provide teachers/group leaders with all the information they need to plan a successful trip to Kensington Palace. Please read carefully and complete and return the health and safety agreement forms in advance of your visit. Contents What s included... Page 3 Preliminary visits... Page 4 Opening times... Page 4 Travel arrangements... Page 4 Visit type... Page 5 Resources... Page 5 Lunch and cloakrooms... Page 5 Special educational needs... Page 6 Disability access... Page 6 Booking additional places... Page 6 Refunds and cancellations... Page 6 Health and safety... Page 7 Preliminary visit voucher... Page 10 2

3 Victoria Revealed This exciting new permanent exhibition explores Queen Victoria s life and reign in her own words through extracts from her diary. You and your students will experience Victoria s first day as Queen at Kensington Palace, the romance of her early relationship with Prince Albert, moments of family life and aspects of Albert s involvement in the Great Exhibition. Set within the rooms Victoria lived in as a child the exhibition includes paintings, gifts exchanged between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert during their engagement and her wedding dress. The King s State Apartments Follow in the footsteps of visitors to the court of George I and II. Explore the magnificent set of rooms that make up the King's State Apartments; the King s Staircase, The Presence Chamber, and The Privy Chamber with its magnificent ceiling painted by William Kent in 1723, The Cupola Room, The King's Drawing Room and The Council Chamber where you can see the sort of court dress that would once have been worn in these state rooms. The Queen s State Apartments Discover the tragic story of young Duke William Henry and the end of the Stuart dynasty in the intimate apartments created for Mary II. Fashion Rules: dress from the collections of HM the Queen, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales A nipped-in waist in the 50s, short skirts and diaphanous fabrics in the 60s and 70s, sparkles and shoulder pads in the 80s these were the fashion rules we all dressed by, even members of the Royal Family. Take a nostalgic look back at recent decades of dress through the wardrobes of three royal women in their fashion heydays. Five rooms of elegant displays explore how these women reflected the trends of the day, negotiating the rules of dressing fashionably within the 'rules' of a royal wardrobe. Featuring 21 couture dresses, the exhibition includes film and photography to set the scene of the times in which these gowns were worn. 3

4 We are pleased to provide a voucher for two complimentary tickets per booking. We recommend that you take advantage of this offer where possible, as most teachers/group leaders find them extremely useful for planning their visit. Your tickets are valid on any day up to the date of your visit and there is no need to queue for tickets, simply present your voucher at the main ticket barrier to gain entry. The voucher can be found on page 10 of this document. Summer Opening (Start of British Summer Time GMT) 1 March October last admission Winter Opening (End of British Summer Time GMT) 1 November February last admission Kensington Palace can be reached by many forms of public transport. Up to date public transport information can be obtained from which also has a useful journey planner. Nearest stations Use District or Circle lines to High Street Kensington (10 minutes walking time) Use Central Line to Queensway (5 minutes walking time) or Notting Hill Gate (15 minutes walking time). Bus routes 27, 70, 94, 148 and 390 to Bayswater Road or 9, 10, 49, 52, 70 and 452 to Kensington High Street Coach parking Mini bus drop off and collection is available at Kensington Palace on request only. Please call the Kensington Palace Control Room on to book this in advance of your visit. There is also coach parking available off Bayswater Road near the palace. Contact Euro Carparks for prices and to book. 4

5 Admission only visits Self-lead exploration of the Palace. Please see a member of the welcome team or a welcome volunteer upon arrival. They will register your group and provide you with stickers which will act as your tickets for the day. They will then direct you into the Palace. Taught sessions (includes entry into the palace) There are a number of taught sessions available at Kensington Palace. These must be booked in advance. If you have booked a taught session your session leader will meet you at the group entrance. Please arrive here a few minutes before your designated start time. To assist you in planning your visit we have developed a number of downloadable resources and information about the palace: chersresources There is one lunchroom at Kensington Palace allocated on a first come first served basis. If you have been allocated a lunchroom slot the time is listed on your confirmation letter which is included with this pack. The lunchroom is accessed by a swipe card which you will be given upon arrival. Please ensure this swipe card is returned when you leave the Palace If you are using the lunchroom please arrive and depart on time, noting that you have been allocated 20 minutes. Please leave the lunchroom as you would like to find it bins are provided. Unfortunately we are unable to provide drinking water for groups, so please ensure you bring plenty yourselves. There are various picnic areas in Kensington Gardens; the closest is by the Diana Princess of Wales playground near Orme Square and Black Lion Gate. You can also use the meadow area in the Palace Gardens. Our cloakroom is located at the group entrance. You can leave coats, bags and lunch boxes here. 5

6 Please let us know as soon as possible if any of your students have special needs and/or health or mobility issues. We will make arrangements to maximise their enjoyment of the visit. Kensington Palace is accessible to all, with level access to all areas of the palace and a lift to all floors. The Clore Learning Centre is based on the ground floor of the palace and has accessible toilets, teaching spaces and lunchrooms. Sessions will take place in the Clore Learning Centre or in our breakout spaces; accessible by lift. Please inform the Kensington Palace Learning team at least two weeks in advance of your booking if you wish to bring additional students to the palace. This should be d o n e by e m a i l kensingtoneducation@hrp.org.uk. If you b r i n g a d d i t i o n a l students on the day of your visit only Standard Group Rate tickets are available. This is also true for any additional adults. Please note that no refunds will be given for cancellations made less than six weeks in advance of your visit, or for tickets purchased in advance that are not used on the day. If a cancellation has to be made because of exceptional circumstances, then every effort will be made to reschedule your visit. 6

7 We carry out risk assessments on all of our activities. The risks associated with visiting Kensington Palace have been assessed as very low. A summary of the main risks can be found below: Supervision Your students must be supervised at all times. We interpret supervision to mean that at all times teachers/group leaders will remain in the physical presence of the group of students for which they are responsible. No students should be allowed to move around Kensington Palace without a teacher/group leader with them. Your group will need a minimum of one accompanying adult per ten students aged 7-16 and one per five children aged 4-7. We retain the right to refuse entry to groups without a sufficient number of accompanying adults. Equipment Any equipment provided by Historic Royal Palaces has been risk assessed and is deemed to represent a very low risk of an accident occurring. At the beginning of your visit, a member of staff may issue specific instructions. It is important that the lead teacher/all accompanying group leaders listen to and follow these instructions. Insurance Historic Royal Palaces has public liability insurance for no less than 5 million with Royal Sun Alliance. Details can be provided on request. Accidents If there is an accident or near accident during your visit, please find the nearest Front of House Warder, or member of staff who will be able to help you. A record will be made of any accident that occurs. In case of evacuation Please respond to the directions of the Front of House Warders or other members of Historic Royal Palaces staff. The meeting point for all visitors is the Orangery Lawn near the main entrance to the palace. 7

8 Slip, trips and falls whilst walking over uneven ground within the Palace and grounds, e.g. floor coverings, cobbles, flagstones, grass. Slips, trips and falls whilst walking up or down steps which may be smooth, uneven, unevenly spaced or visually difficult to see. Trapping fingers in doors, e.g. toilet cubicle door, entry and exit to Apartments. Walking into other people whilst not looking in direction of travel. Collision with cyclists moving in gardens, on Broad walk and other parts of the Palace. Collision with motor vehicles delivering to Kensington Palace. Drowning in water containing features, e.g. Sunken Garden, Round Pond. Stings and bites from insects. Contact with work equipment, e.g. Introductory talk at start of activity. Adequate supervision of group by responsible adults. Introductory talk at start of activity. Adequate supervision of group by responsible adults. Introductory talk at start of activity. Adequate supervision of group by responsible adults. Introductory talk at start of activity. Adequate supervision of group by responsible adults. Introductory talk at start of activity. Adequate supervision of group by responsible adults. Signs requesting cyclists to take care. Introductory talk at start of activity. Adequate supervision of group by responsible adults. Speed limit signs. Presence of security wardens to maintain speed adherence. Introductory talk at start of activity. Adequate supervision of group by responsible adults. No swimming signs. Presence of lifebuoys where appropriate. Introductory talk at start of activity. Adequate supervision of group by responsible adults. Introductory talk at start of activity. Adequate supervision of group by responsible adults. Keys not left in mobile equipment. Tools not left unattended. Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low 8

9 Please complete this form and return it by post or fax (see below for details) to the Kensington Palace Learning Office in advance of your visit. Name of school: Date of visit: Name of group leader: I, the undersigned, having capacity to sign on the behalf of the visiting school/college and accept the following two clauses: I have read, understood and agree with the information and conditions given in the document titled Planning your visit. The visiting school/college has appropriate insurance to cover the visit to Kensington Palace and its grounds. Signature: Date: Print name: Position in school Please return this form in advance of your visit by post of fax to: The Clore Learning Centre Kensington Palace State Apartments Kensington Gardens London W8 4PX Fax:

10 We are pleased to provide a voucher for two complimentary tickets per booking. Your tickets are valid on any day up to the date of your visit and there is no need to queue for tickets, simply present your voucher at the main visitor entrance to gain entry. Please note it is not possible to exchange complimentary tickets for any other type of ticket either on or after the day of your visit. Voucher Kensington Palace Learning and Engagement - Preliminary visit tickets Please print this page then fill out the details on this voucher and present it at main ticket barrier. This voucher is valid for two people planning a learning visit to Kensington Palace. Date of visit: Teacher/ group leader name: School/ College: Age group taught: Authorised by Historic Royal Palaces Learning and Engagement Sarah Preece, Learning Operations Manager 10

11 This is your on the day guide to a successful visit to Kensington Palace. This pack includes information for teachers/group leaders and students. Contents Getting to Kensington Palace... Page 12 Travel delays and taught session... Page 12 When you arrive... Page 12 Practicalities... Page 13 What we expect from you... Page 13 Getting the most from your visit... Page 14 Key Kensington Characters... Kensington Palace: A building history.. Page 15 Page 18 11

12 We understand that there may be travel delays in arriving at Kensington Palace. If you have booked a session and you are going to be late it is essential that you contact the Kensington Palace Learning and Engagement team ( ) as soon as possible and provide an estimated time of your arrival. Registration Please see a member of the welcome team or a welcome volunteer upon arrival. They will register your group and provide you with stickers which will act as your tickets for the day. They will then direct you into the Palace. Stickers these are your tickets! All groups visiting Kensington Palace will be given stickers upon arrival. You should receive the same number of stickers for students and accompanying adults as appear on your confirmation letter. These stickers are your tickets and should be worn where they can be seen by a member of staff while in the palace. 12

13 Toilets On arrival if students need the toilet there are a number accessible by the cafe. However, the main toilets for groups to use are situated on the ground floor, off the vestibule past the ticket barrier. Cloakroom Our cloakroom is located at the group entrance. You can leave coats, bags and lunch boxes here. Our staff Our staff are here to help you and will be pleased to answer your questions, including any queries you may have about the history of Kensington Palace. Please treat our staff with courtesy and professional respect, remembering that they are responsible for ensuring a good experience for all our visitors. Your students must be supervised at all times We interpret supervision to mean that at all times teachers/group leaders will remain in the physical presence of the group of students for which they are responsible. No students should be allowed to move around the palace without a teacher/group leader with them. What will happen if my pupil/s is separated from their group leader? If pupil/s have strayed from their teacher/group leader and are found by a staff member, they will ask your pupil/s to accompany them to an easily accessible location on the route. Our staff will then use the details you supplied on entry to contact your mobile phone. Please keep your mobile phone on and check it regularly. 13

14 In order to get the most out of your experience we would be grateful if you could ask your students at the beginning of your visit to refrain from: Using flash photography or filming in the Palace Running in the Palace Shouting or raising their voices so that other visitors experiences are affected Going past any of the room barriers/ doors marked staff only where indicated Sitting on the floor against walls/ hangings etc Touching any of the paintings or furniture in the rooms unless indicated to do so Our staff members are instructed to leave all disciplinary matters related to such incidents with the lead teacher or group leader so will always approach the person responsible for the group if there is a problem. Please do encourage your students to: Play with the replica Victorian toys scattered in the Family Room of Victoria Revealed Sit in the official looking chairs in the Duty Room of Victoria Revealed and play at being Queen Victoria and Prince Albert Interact, speak to and ask questions of our staff on duty they will be happy to help with any queries Explore and enjoy their experience 14

15 William III and Mary II (r ) Famous for being the only British monarchs to have ruled jointly Bought Nottingham House for 20,000 in 1689 and transformed it into Kensington Palace Mary was a great homemaker, she had a massive collection of ceramics which were arranged in her rooms at Kensington Palace In 1694 Mary died suddenly of smallpox at Kensington Palace In 1702 William dies at Kensington Palace following a riding accident at Hampton Court Palace Queen Anne (r ) Sister to Mary II, Queen Anne ascended the throne following William III s death Anne s greatest achievement was the Act of Union (1707) which saw England and Scotland join to create a single Kingdom Anne spent 26,000 on improving the gardens at Kensington, including the construction of the Orangery Anne had eighteen pregnancies, most resulted in miscarriages and only one child, William, lived more than a year. William died when he was eleven years old. In 1714 Queen Anne died at Kensington Palace 15

16 George I (r ) George I was born in Hanover, Germany In October 1714 George became King of England and visited Kensington Palace for the first time George was an unpopular monarch and struggled to learn English In the spring of 1726 George I brought Peter the Wild Boy, a feral child from Germany, to the Kensington Court George I died on 11 June 1727 during a visit to Hanover and was succeeded by his son, George II George II (r ) George II and his wife, Queen Caroline moved into Kensington Palace following the death of George I George II and Queen Caroline had 9 children George quarrelled constantly with his eldest son, Frederick, Prince of Wales and 1737 he banished Frederick, his wife and their family from court George II died on 25 October 1760 on the toilet at Kensington Palace Queen Victoria (r ) On 24 May 1819 Princess Victoria was born at Kensington Palace where she spent her childhood The young princess loved dancing, riding, drawing and her pet dog, Dash At Kensington Palace just weeks after her 18 th birthday, Victoria was told she was going to be Queen Victoria met her future husband, Prince Albert, at Kensington Palace 16

17 Princess Margaret Princess Margaret was the younger sister of our current Queen Margaret was extremely stylish and fond of parties Margaret lived at Kensington Palace for nearly 42 years until her death in February 2002 Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales was married to Prince Charles and mother to Prince William and Prince Harry Diana s engagement ring cost 30,000 and it is estimated her wedding to Prince Charles was watched by 750,000,000 worldwide She lived at Kensington Palace from the time of her wedding (29 July 1981) until her death on 31 August 1997 Diana' tragic death in Paris in 1997 shocked the world and Kensington Palace became the focus of public mourning in London. Flowers appeared at the front of the south gates of the palace. It is estimated more than a million bouquets were left there. Kensington Palace stayed open for 24 hours to cope with the 136,000 mourners would came to sign the condolence books 17

18 1686 William III and Mary II bought Nottingham House to escape the grime of Whitehall. They instructed Sir Christopher Wren to improve the house and it became Kensington Palace A fire destroyed part of the southern range of the Great Court. This led to a complete remodelling of the approach to the Royal Apartments William added the King s Gallery Queen Anne improved the gardens of Kensington Palace and built the Orangery The core of the old Nottingham House was replaced with three new state rooms; the Privy Chamber, the Cupola Room and the Withdrawing Room. William Kent devised decoration and hung pictures in nearly all the royal apartments as well as painting the King s Grand Staircase Kensington Palace changed little structurally during this period, however following the death of Queen Caroline in 1737 large parts fell into disuse. Early 1830s The Duchess of Kent, Princess (later Queen) Victoria s mother, extended her apartments into the unused State Apartments on the second floor The Duchess of Kent partitioned the King s Gallery into 3 rooms for the use of Princess Victoria. 19 th Century The State Apartments were sadly neglected during the 19 th Century. They were used as stores for various paintings and furniture from other palaces Queen Victoria s love for the palace she grew up in saved Kensington. Parliament was persuaded to pay for the restoration of the State Apartments on the condition that they should be opened to the public. 18

19 1899 The State Apartments were opened to the public on Queen Victoria s 80 th birthday (24 May 1899) The State Apartments were given over to the newly founded London Museum The London Museum moved and the State Apartments were closed. During World War I ( ) Kensington was used as offices by charitable organisations The Palace re-opened The three rooms associated with Queen Victoria were restored and rearranged under the direction of Queen Mary Bomb damage during World War II left the State Apartments badly affected, particularly the Queen s Apartments and the Palace was closed The Palace reopened and the London Museum returned, it remained at Kensington for a quarter of a century. Today Kensington continues its long history as a residence for members of the Royal Family. 19