Banqueting House

The Banqueting House was where Charles I was executed and also has a famous ceiling painted by Rubens. Anyone who is interested in either facet would enjoy a visit. I believe they still offer the hall for events and concerts, which may explain the lack of exhibits. Overall the house is a little spartan on extras, with a brief movie downstairs and an audio guide included with admission.

I went here with the London Pass, so I didn't pay. To be quite honest, if I had paid, I would have felf ripped off.

This place is very interesting, well King Charles the first was executed in, or just outside the building. He spent his last moments here, before stepping through the upstairs window, to the scaffold. The hall is, I presume just as it was in the 1600's, when the king was killed. But the problem is, that this is just a large hall, with a nice ceiling. At one end there is a throne, but most disappointingly you cannot follow in the footsteps of the late king, and cannot go up to the balcony. The film show is good, but doesn't justify the asking price. There is a small sad space in the basement that is wasted on local artists.

This place could be so much more. Just WAKE UP and OPEN it up. There is so much potential here.