London (Fodor's 2012) - Fodor's [56]
Old Truman Brewery.
This is the only one of the former East End breweries still standing. It’s a handsome example of Georgian and 19th-century industrial architecture; in 1873, it was the largest brewery in the world. The buildings, which straddle Brick Lane, are a conglomeration of art, craft, and photo studios, and are now established as the capital of cool. The Atlantis Gallery, host of the sell-out Body Worlds exhibition in 2002, is a major focus—visitors were crammed inside to watch a live autopsy as part of the show. Less controversial events include fashion showcases for young, upcoming designers, and fringe events. The Vibe Bar is a hot spot to chill out behind a traditional Georgian facade—it also has a great outdoor space. | 91 Brick La., East End | E1 6QL | www.trumanbrewery.com | Aldgate East.
Royal London Hospital.
Founded in 1740, the Royal London was once as nasty as its former neighborhood near the Tower of London. Waste was carried out in buckets and dumped in the street; bedbugs and alcoholic nurses were problems; according to hospital records patients didn’t die—they were “relieved.” In 1757 the hospital moved to its present site, and the original building forms the core of the one you see today. By then it had become one of the best hospitals in London, and it was enhanced further by the addition of a small medical school in 1785, and again, 70 years later, by an entire state-of-the-art medical college. Thomas John Barnardo, who went on to found the famous Dr. Barnardo’s Homes for Orphans, came to train here in 1866. Ten years later the hospital grew to become the largest in the United Kingdom, and now, though mostly rebuilt since World War II, it remains one of London’s most capacious. To get an idea of the huge medical leaps forward, walk through the main entrance and garden to the crypt of St. Augustine within St. Philip’s Church (alternatively, go directly two blocks south to the entrance on Newark Street), to the Royal London Hospital Museum (Weekdays 10–4:30), where displays of medical paraphernalia, objects, and documentation illustrate the more-than-250-year history of this East London institution. The museum often closes on short notice, so call before you go. | Whitechapel Rd., East End | E1 1BB | 020/7377–7608 | www.medicalmuseums.org | Free | Hospital and garden daily 9–6 | Whitechapel.
Spitalfields City Farm.
This little community farm, squashed into an urban landscape, raises a selection of farm animals, including some rare breeds, to help educate city kids in country matters. A tiny farm shop sells freshly laid eggs and also organic seasonal produce. | Buxton St., East End | E1 5AR | 020/7247–8762 | www.spitalfieldscityfarm.org | Free | Tues.–Sun. 10–4:30 | Aldgate East, Whitechapel, Bethnal Green.
White Cube.
The original White Cube had cramped quarters in genteel St. James’s—this outpost was set up to take advantage of the massive open spaces of the East End’s former industrial units. Damien Hirst (arguably the leader of the Britart phenomenon who gained notoriety for preserving animals in formaldehyde as art, and whose recent auction of work netted a cool $198 million), Tracey Emin, Gilbert and George, Sam Taylor-Wood, and other trailblazers have shown here and gone on to become internationally renowned. The building looks, appropriately enough, like a white cube—it has a glassed-in upper level called “Inside the White Cube,” where international guest curators are invited to show their projects. | 48 Hoxton Sq., Hoxton | N1 6PB | 020/7930–5373 | www.whitecube.com | Free | Tues.–Sat. 10–6 | Old St.
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Updated by Mish Rosenberg
That old, snide North London dig about needing