Now extended until 2nd September!
London Heritage Quarter kickstarts summer activity with trail of iconic British cultural emblems
The London Heritage Quarter, the collective of four central London Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), has announced a series of vibrant summer activities that will celebrate the area’s rich history, culture, and community. This series of events will commemorate significant anniversaries, including the 200th anniversary of the National Gallery, while benefiting local businesses, residents, and attracting national and international visitors.
Heritage Summer ‘Journey Through Time’ Trail: June 15 – August 4
Starting from June 18 and running through August 4th, the Heritage Summer Trail will span from Victoria to the Strand, passing through Westminster and Whitehall. The unique trail will feature eleven London-themed sculptures, including iconic symbols like a British post-box, a London bus, black cab, phone box, a Coldstream Guard, as well as a larger-than-life sculpture of a crown near Buckingham Palace, just in time for King Charles’s birthday on 15 June. Each sculpture has been meticulously painted by artists from Artiq, the London-based art agency known for curating and commissioning contemporary art in diverse settings while advocating equal pay for artists.
Enhancing the experience, each sculpture will be linked to augmented reality (AR), revealing archival imagery of nearby landmarks and the surrounding area via a QR code embedded on the plinth of the respective sculptures. This particular feature is the result of a collaboration between Westminster City Archives and the local charity Thorney Island Society, who helped source some of the historical materials, providing an educational and interactive experience for all visitors.
Supporting Cultural Institutions
As part of its wider heritage campaign, the London Heritage Quarter will support and highlight cultural institutions. This will be prominently featured on banners along the Strand.
Historical Talks and Walking Tours
London Heritage Quarter will also host complementary historical talks and walking tours that delve into the forgotten and lesser-known history of Westminster. These events are designed to engage both tourists and local residents, particularly history enthusiasts and will be free to book on to via the London Heritage Quarter website.
Accessible and Family-Friendly
All Heritage Summer activities will be situated in public spaces, free and accessible* to the community. The events and particularly the trail is designed to appeal to all ages, with AR historical content, colourful installations and summer walking tours. Based on the success of London Heritage Quarter’s Jubilee Corgi Trail in 2022, the Heritage Summer trail is perfectly timed for families and international visitors during the school holidays.
Ruth Duston, CEO of London Heritage Quarter, said, “We are excited to present this trail, a tribute to the rich heritage and lively culture of the London Heritage Quarter. Each custom-made sculpture, honouring iconic British symbols, provides an engaging, interactive experience for both local and global visitors.
As the summer season approaches, this trail stands out as a unique addition to London’s diverse attractions, offering a fresh and exciting way to explore the city.”
Tazie Taysom, Commercial Director at Artiq, commented, “Our artists are delighted to be part of the London Heritage Quarter Summer Trail. This project provides a fantastic platform for contemporary art to be enjoyed in public spaces, and we are proud to contribute to the cultural tapestry of London.”
* All the sculptures will be publicly accessible, however the Coldstream Guard will be situated at The Guards Museum, Wellington Barracks, and open to the public during visiting hours.
| Sculpture | Artist | Location | AR content – historic imagery |
| Teacup | Marcus | Victoria Embankment Gardens – next to the Robert Raikes Statue | VEG Bandstand |
| Teapot | Courtenay | Lower Grosvenor Gardens | Victoria Station internal |
| Taxi | Jyoti | King Charles Island (close to Trafalgar Square) | National Gallery & TSquare |
| Telephone box | Carlos | Westminster Cathedral Piazza | Pope visit to the Cathedral in 1982 |
| Postbox | Gala | Supreme Court | Pre-refurbished Court internal |
| Bus | Shumaiya | Strand Aldwych | Strand Aldwych with historic vehicles |
| Crown | Daniel | St James Park – close to the Memorial Gardens, near the coffee stand | Buckingham Palace with historic vehicles & bandstand |
| Rain Boots | Fatima | Victoria Tower Gardens – end closest to Houses of Parliament | Houses of P, with x-ray visual seeing Big Ben behind |
| Top Hat | Yi Ling Lai | Whitehall Gardens – Northern end near James Outram Statue | Hungerford Bridge |
| Guard | Sophie | The Guards Museum, Wellington Barracks | Wellington Barracks |
| Pocket Watch | Beatrice | QEII Centre – UN Lawn overlooking Westminster Abbey | Westminster Abbey, with historic vehicles |
About London Heritage Quarter
London Heritage Quarter is the new brand for the collective of four Business Improvement Districts which cover South Westminster – Victoria, Victoria Westminster, Whitehall and Northbank.
Stretching from Victoria Coach Station through to Parliament Square, Strand and on to the Royal Courts of Justice, the BIDs cover some of central London’s most iconic locations and visitor destinations. The BIDs represent thousands of businesses, from major employers and FTSE 100 companies to smaller creative businesses and start-ups, across a diverse range of sectors.
Delivering value through partnership is at the heart of our offer, with the BIDs working hand in hand with Westminster Council and other partners to support business growth, enhance the environment and lobby on behalf our diverse business communities. Recent successes include the refurbishment of Christchurch Gardens in Victoria and the momentum built around the transformation of Strand Aldwych. Both projects, pioneered by the BIDs, demonstrate the importance of high-quality public spaces and the powerful force for good that public / private collaboration can be.
