Michael Brawne’s 1977 review of the Museum of London, one of the final parts of the London Wall development from the 1950s to the 1970s. "It is not only such specific site conditions which cause difficulties but rather more the general problem of approaching a building divorced from the ground and also, or very good reasons, presenting blank surfaces to the spaces which link it to the urban mesh that inevitably continues beyond its boundaries. Somehow the architectural act of recognising that the surroundings are alien, at the same time alienates the building itself from its setting."

Charlotte Higgins in the Guardian on free museum entry for national museums, the route to it, and regional museums too.

"Always on your smart phone, or still asking a policeman? Sense and the City: smart, connected and on the move, which runs until 18 March 2012, explores how emerging technologies are changing the way we access and experience London and compares this with past visions of the future." Closes 18th March 2012. Also: "The travel posters of artist and illustrator John Burningham"

"Kenneth Grange is Britain’s leading product designer, his prolific career spans over 50 years and he is responsible for designing some of the most iconic and familiar products and appliances that shape our daily lives." Closes 30th October.

From Stephen Walter, who drew The Island: "When London Transport Museum came to me for a new idea, I thought of it straight away – An Underground map of London where I could finally include those lost rivers and develop my own tube map. I am currently developing the ideas for this subterranean map of London and entries to this blog may contribute to its development." Possibly worth watching.

A table of hours and prices for museums in New York City, complete with sortable columns and a map. Could be handy.

Subtitled "a Travel bag by Britta Gustafson", this is a pretty good list of things for me to do. (I've visited the transit museum before, but I had a rubbish camera, and it was years ago, so I'm happy to go back.)

"Nextdoor, in two upper rooms, is the reason you'll probably want to visit soon. The museum is hosting a special exhibition devoted to Harry Beck, designer of the world-famous tube map, who was born down the road in Finchley." You'll also need to visit soon, because Barnet Council want to  close the entire museum. 

The combination of this, another new media exhibition, and a Robert Mapplethorpe photography show are enough to tempt me down to the edge of the South Bay this weekend, I suspect.<br />
<br />
Closes 6th February 2011.

madebywilliams: Wrote up When Should I Visit?, my hack from @culturehackday at http://iamdanw.com/made/whenshouldivisit/

Aaron's paper for an upcoming conference in Denver. Took me a while to getting around to reading it but it's well worth it, particularly for some of the thinking behind galleries (of which obviously I'm a bit of a fan).

"The V&A has been collecting computer-generated art and design since the 1960s. More recently, the Museum acquired two significant collections of computer-generated art and design, and together these form the basis of the UK's emerging national collection of Computer Art." Worth finding if you're there to visit Decode.

"Enjoy a fun day out for all the family as you explore over 300 years of railway history." In York, and near to (and signposted from) the railway station (itself two hours from King's Cross).

"Brooklands was the birthplace of British motorsport and aviation, home of Concorde and the site of many engineering and technological achievements throughout eight decades of the 20th century." Inside the M25 and relatively easy to reach from Waterloo.

"Historic site of secret British codebreaking activities during WWII and birthplace of the modern computer." Lots more there, though, although a lot of it has a historic tendency. Easy to get to from Euston (less than an hour, and it's right by the train station).

Ashley Pomeroy's list of photography-friendly (and unfriendly) places in London. I've had no trouble at the Transport Museum, though, and the Tube definitely allows amateur non-flash photography. Nonetheless, it's a worthwhile page.

"The Victoria line was the most advanced underground railway in the world, with computer-controlled trains and automatic ticket barriers. The unpainted silver finish and wrap-around windscreens of the trains gave London's new Tube a fashionable space age look." The Euston pattern, in prototype, and a collection of other Victoria Line items from the LTM.

Open day in March this year. For once I've been organised and booked tickets.

Why did I not know this was on? "Marking the centenary of the founding of the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), this exhibition celebrates the importance of engineering in creating some of the most iconic buildings of the past 100 years."

"At the instigation of Dr Helen Megaw, a leading Cambridge scientist, diagrams of atomic structures inspired an eclectic array of patterns" "reunited en masse for the first time since the Festival" Also free.

"Together they reveal a fascinating ‘lost world’ of British design and invention – a glimpse of a time when the TV in the corner was a Murphy, not a Sony" Sounds like it's worth a visit. Helpfully free.

Waldemar Januszczak in fine grumpy form on the War Museum's Bond show, although he takes a while to warm up. I don't entirely agree with his conclusion, but I'm rarely bothered about many of the for-pay exhibitions.

"A new code of ethics for museums advocates the disposal of some works to better display the rest" Hmm.

"Chris Rapley, the newly appointed director of London's Science Museum, talks to Robert Butler about Sherlock Holmes, climate change, and shifting the museum's focus from the past to the future"

The (soon to reopen, hopefully) museum has put what looks like its entire poster archive (certainly hundreds of them) online for browsing and purchasing (in A3/A4). Lovely.

In case you ever wondered how the King's Cross deep interchanges fit together.

On Jean Nouvel's new gallery in Paris, with a few passing mentions of the interesting-sounding Walbrook Square Foster collaboration in London. I'm relieved to find Glancey isn't happy with the new City cluster skyscrapers either.

Oh noes! A museum nobody has heard of is threatened! Don't let them tunnel!

In Hampstead. Been past it loads of times, should actually stop there at some point.

The bells! The bells!