This is a sponsored article on behalf of City Lit.
City Lit know that during a lovely London summer we all want to get out and about and enjoy the city, which is why many of their courses take place out and about in London’s galleries, museums, parks, streets and gardens.
Here are our top seven* City Lit courses that take you outdoors, enjoying London’s surroundings while learning something new this summer:
1. The Animal Kingdom
Batty for wildlife? How about for, er, bats? There’s a selection of great London wildlife walks/talks taking place, but we particularly like the sound of London Wildlife Trust’s bat walk in St James’ Park, giving attendees an introduction to the biology of bats, their behaviour and common London species. Various dates, £42/£14, more here
2. London's Smaller Collections
Visit two of London’s lesser known and often overlooked museums: the Estorick and the Geffryre Museum and discover their diverse collections that focus on interior design, gardens, and modern Italian art. 25 July, 10.30am-4.30pm, £50/£31, more here
3. Entertaining London
Over three days explore the musical, theatrical and film heritage of London with the Roundhouse and Winehouse of Camden Town, film locations and the theatres, shows and players of Covent Garden. Various dates, £43/£19, more here
4. Sustainable Gardens
Living in the city doesn’t mean concrete and bricks. Explore sustainable gardens and plant communities in London over the course of a week and develop your own resources by learning to read the landscape, design using observation and studying patterns in nature. Various dates, £123/£79, more here
5. The Classical World
Learn about art and myth in the classical world at the British Museum, and discover how the ancient Greeks contributed to the rich visual language of art in the classical world. 5 August, 10.30am-4.30pm, £40/£20, more here
6. Whitechapel's Melting Pot
Trace connections in Whitechapel with the diverse communities from France, Ireland, Russia, Poland and Bangladesh who have added to the rich tapestry of this part of town. 4 August, 2.30-4.30pm, £15/£5, more here
7. Photography
Get out of the classroom and into a photography studio, with a range of options for camera wielders - food and drink photography, close-up, stereograph and lomography classes all available. Various dates and prices, more here
Plus (we know we said seven, but we lied) …
8. London Walks
A whole series of London walks offer the chance for attendees to become reacquainted with the city they love and introduced to the elements of it they never knew. From the London behind the songs to London on the stage, the rebels of Poplar to the women of the radical East End, ferret your way into the corners of the capital unknown.
If that last one takes your fancy, make sure to check back in next week when we’ll be bringing you more information on the especially London-y courses City Lit has to offer.
*It was supposed to be top five, but there were too many to choose from.
City Lit wants to get Londoners off their sofas and doing something different this summer. With over 1,000 short courses available from Manga drawing to Monty Python, black holes to button making, Turkish to typography, the extensive list covers a whole range of interests, passions and pursuits. What will you try?