The new £27m facility is a giant ‘air lock’ and time capsule showcasing 19,000 Tudor artifacts, including as wooden eating bowls, leather shoes, musical instruments and even nit combs complete with 500-year-old lice through to longbows and two-tonne guns.

The Mary Rose Museum, which opens 30 years after the ship was raised from the seabed and 437 years after she sank, is situated at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard – the very same dockyard where the warship was built more than 500 years ago.

The Mary Rose is the only sixteenth-century warship on display anywhere in the world.

Ticket information
There are two types of tickets for the Historic Dockyard.

An all attraction ticket includes the new Mary Rose Museum, HMS Victory, HMS Warrior 1860, National Museum of the Royal Navy, Action Stations and a Harbour Tour –

• Adult tickets are £26
• Child £18
• Concessions £24.50
• Family (2 adults/seniors and up to 3 children) £70.

Single attraction tickets for just the Mary Rose Museum

• Adult £17
• Child £12.50
• Concessions £16
• Family £47.

The Shard, Credit: © The View from The Shard

The new state of the art visitor experience at The View from The Shard was revealed for the first time on Friday, ahead of the attraction’s official opening to the public on 1 February 2013.

The View from The Shard is the only place where it is possible to see the entire city of London at once and provides a unique encounter with the iconic building. With spectacular 40 mile (64km), 360 degree views of the city, 800ft (244m) above ground, the attraction is set to become the first one-stop destination in London where visitors can experience the UK’s capital like never before – the first day of opening is already sold out.

Visitors to the Shard enter from Joiner Street through the ground floor galleries taking in more than 140 famous Londoners, animated maps and video screens illustrating the growth of London and reveal the context of the historic London Bridge location – the oldest crossing point over the Thames – around which the city has expanded.

Through a series of short films, guests are given glimpses of London’s diverse communities and famous streets and places across the capital – all of which they will be able to see from the viewing galleries over 200m above them. Interactive displays also bring The Shard to life, demonstrating how this unique building is connected to the city.

Visitors will transfer lifts at Level 33 arriving at the ‘cloudscape’ on level 68 and immediately head upwards to the triple-height, light-filled, main viewing gallery at Level 69 where breath-taking, 360 degree views for up to 40 miles (64km) over the capital are revealed.

For the most profound experience, guests can go higher to the viewing gallery at Level 72 (800ft/244m). Here, at the very highest public level of the building, partially open-air and exposed to the elements, guests are surrounded by the giant shards of glass that form the top of The Shard and can fully experience the sounds and atmosphere of the city below.

The entire attraction offers free Wi-Fi. Guests can immediately share pictures, thoughts and views as they stand over the city with friends all over the world. Experiences can also be shared on The View from the Shard’s Facebook page and on Twitter using the hashtag #shardview.

Tickets and visiting

Tickets are pre-booked, timed and dated, providing a queue and crowd free premium experience with no time limit in the attraction. Tickets can also be given as gifts via The View from The Shard Gift Certificates which enable the recipient to choose when they would like to visit. Tickets cost £24.95 for adults and £18.95 for children. The View will be open from 09.00am to 22.00pm daily to enable guests to experience the city by day or night.

Britain is the third most visited destination by Polish tourists and around 60% of all Polish visitors to the UK arrive by air, therefore providing an excellent opportunity for the British Tourism agency and Wizz Air to join forces in promoting Great Britain as an excellent choice for short breaks.

This partnership slots in to the four year global marketing campaign ‘Great Britain – You’re Invited’ launched by the British Prime Minister in 2011.

Today’s agreement will see the launch of an advertising campaign and more low fare promotions on Wizz Air flights between Poland and Great Britain, aiming to focus on Britain’s unique features which attract Polish visitors by highlighting that “Tradition, Culture, Sport and Shopping is GREAT Britain”.

Daniel De Carvalho, Corporate Communications Manager at Wizz Air, said: “Wizz Air is excited about its new partnership with VisitBritain because our 17 low cost routes from Poland to Great Britain are the best choice for Polish travelers and this campaign is a confirmation of Wizz Air’s attractive low fares route offer to Great Britain. With fares starting from £14.99 there is a reason for every Polish tourist to come and see Great Britain!”

Joanna Sosnowska, Representative Poland at VisitBritain, said: “Almost 5 billion people around the world witnessed the amazing events in Britain this summer. But as the sun finally sets over the London 2012 Games, there’s no need to be sad – there’s plenty more great British moments still to enjoy and now we’re launching a new partnership with Wizz Air as a part of our four year global marketing campaign “Great Britain – You’re Invited”. Polish tourists who have watched the great opening and closing ceremonies of the Games showing Britain’s history and heritage, its sense of humour and quirkiness and highlighting of British literature, film and music can experience it now. Great Britain is still celebrating and all Polish visitors are invited!”

Since the recession caravanning holidays have been talked about in the travel media as something of a new phenomena. But Britain’s love affair with camping is nothing new; in fact it dates back to the days of Robert Baden-Powell and Scouting in the early 20th century. Groups of young boys headed out to learn survival skills in the great outdoors of the English countryside and the love of sleeping under canvas was instilled in them for life.

During the fifties and sixties tents were replaced by caravans and mum and dad rather than scout leaders were in control. Holiday parks sprung up all over the UK even giving rise to movies such as Carry On Camping.
However, camping and caravanning holidays took a nosedive in the eighties and nineties as the cost of air travel plummeted and low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair took to the skies. People swapped the South Coast for the Costa del Sol sleeping in purpose built resorts rather than old and well-loved tents and caravans.

But as fuel costs increased and the UK was plunged into the deepest recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s, camping and caravanning holidays were given a new lease of life. Hailed as the saviour of holidays, Brits were choosing to take their summer holiday within the UK once again. The media dubbed this the ‘staycation’, but really it was how holidays began.

Holidaymakers began to search for used caravans for sale, such as those on offer from Park Resorts, to enjoy British-based holidays year after year. The cost effective holiday retreat was found with used caravans for sale as people realised they could have a ‘holiday home’ for a lot less than they thought.

However, there was more change on the horizon. Although Britons loved the idea of enjoying their home landscape and taking time out to breathe in the great outdoors, not everyone was happy with the basic accommodation found in traditional tents and caravans. ‘Glamping’ as the media termed it, became a new trend in camping. Holidaymakers wanted the level of comfort found in a hotel, but with the flexibility and outdoors lifestyle enjoyed with camping. Caravans were fitted out with all the mod cons; tents multiplied in size and looked more Bedouin than bargain but the basic premise remained the same: people want the ‘back to nature’ low-impact living enjoyed with camping and caravanning holidays and instilled in our mind-sets from the Baden-Powell era, it’s just they are now willing to pay a bit more for a real bed.

If planes, trains and automobiles are your ‘thing’, get yourself along to Manchester Airport this weekend for Europe’s biggest Aviation and Transport Fair.

The fair, which is now in its fourth year, is one of the biggest of its kind in the world, attracting visitors from across the UK and from as far afield as Holland, Switzerland, Germany and Dubai.

Taking place in the Manchester Airport’s Runway Visitor Park and the hangar that houses the retired Concorde, visitors can expect to see exhibits that include six full-scale model railways depicting actual stations and villages in North West of England, alongside a giant Scalextric track, which will be available for visitors to race; and demonstrations of Air Navigation Radar equipment.

Outside the hangar, more than 200 classic cars dating back to 1914 will be on display around the Runway Visitor Park, alongside special novelty shaped hot air balloons, a diesel train engine, vintage fire engines, busses and military vehicles which served in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Members of the UK Cockpit Club will also be exhibiting their treasured aircraft flight decks which range from an RAF Tornado to an HS 748 aircraft built at Woodford Aerodrome. The former BAe Chief Test Pilot, Mr Robbie Robinson, will be reunited at the Fair with the aircraft he first flew on delivery to Trinidad and Tobago Airlines more than 30 years ago.

For younger transport enthusiasts, the author of the children’s story books “Fergus and Friends”, Steve Burnside, is attending the event, along with Fergus the tractor.

Aviation and transport enthusiasts, societies and traders will be selling all sorts of vintage memorabilia and collectibles – including model aircraft, old posters, timetables, advertisements and steam engines – in the hangar under the wings of the world’s most famous aeroplane, Concorde

Glenn Wheeler, Secretary of The Aviation Society (TAS), which organises the event in conjunction with Manchester Airport, said “The Aviation and Transport Fair is a fantastic day out for the whole family, attracting visitors from far and wide. There is always a large queue on opening, with people on the lookout for rare items and memorabilia, particularly from airlines that are sadly no longer around. In addition to the more specialist side of things for collectors, this year we have more exhibits and exciting things for everyone to enjoy than ever before, regardless of whether you are a seasoned aviation enthusiast, or a first time visitor.”

All of the Runway Visitor Park’s permanent exhibits – including the iconic supersonic airliner Concorde, a retired RAF Nimrod, an Avro RJX; a DC-10; and a retro Trident airliner – will also be open to the public for viewing. Visitors will also be able to watch aircraft landing and taking-off on Manchester Airport’s busy runways, with a live loud-speaker commentary provided by one of Manchester’s Air Traffic Controllers.

Entry to the Concorde Hangar and Memorabilia Fair is £2.00, with free entry for children-under-14. Throughout the weekend money will be raised for local and national charities including: Help for Heroes, Child Flight and St Annes Hospice.

The Runway Visitor Park is located next to Manchester Airport’s runways, off Sunbank Lane in Altrincham, Greater Manchester – just two minutes from Junction 6 of the M56 motorway.

The Manchester Airport Aviation and Transport Fair takes place this Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th July 2012 at the Runway Visitor Park, Greater Manchester, with the Park open from 08:00 to 20:30.

The Shard, Credit: © The View from The Shard

London’s newest landmark, The Shard, was unveiled yesterday with a spectacular laser light show.

The Shard, which was designed by Master Architect Renzo Piano, stands at a height of 1,016 ft (310 m) and is located in the historic London Bridge Quarter in the heart of London – The Shard sits centrally between the West End, Westminster, the South Bank, the City and Canary Wharf.

Located within The Shard are offices, international restaurants, the 5-star Shangri-La hotel, exclusive residences and visitor attraction: The View from The Shard, which will provide visitors with a multi-sensory experience and exhilarating 360° views for 40 miles across London.

The View from The Shard will open on 1 February 2013 and tickets go on sale today, 6 July.

The View from The Shard will take guests from street level up to 244m (800ft) in two high-speed ‘kaleidoscopic’ lifts that take just 30 seconds each to reach Level 68 where they will encounter the cloudscape and the feeling they are on a different plane rising above the world.

From Level 68 they make their way to the triple-height, light-filled, Level 69 where the view is revealed. Here, in the sky above London, guests will have the most astonishing 360 degree, 64km (40mile) view over the city and beyond. The past, present and future of London is unfurled beneath them and also brought to life in multimedia displays and installations. Examples include high tech digital telescopes that take the viewer deeper into the story of London.

Guests can choose to go even higher to the full 244m: Level 72, the highest public level of The Shard. Here, guests have the most profound experience exposed to the elements and sounds of the city beneath, as well as the chance to look up to the shards of glass that form the top of this sculptural building as they disappear upwards further into the sky.

The View from The Shard is the highest vantage point from any building in Western Europe and almost twice as high as any other viewing point in London.

Advance tickets cost £24.95 for adults and £18.95 for children. Tickets can be purchased from the dedicated website www.theviewfromtheshard.com or via the box office hotline: +44 (0)844 499 7111 (a handling fee applies for telephone bookings only).

McLaren F1 star and 2009 World Champion Jenson Button will make a special guest appearance at this weekend’s DTM event at Brands Hatch.

At 11.10am on Sunday (20 May), Jenson will briefly sign autographs for fans before taking part in a live question and answer session with ex-F1 star and current Mercedes DTM racer David Coulthard. This will take place in front of the Mercedes-Benz hospitality suite located in the public areas behind the Pit Straight grandstand.

Shortly afterwards, Button will take the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz DTM ‘race taxi’ with current DTM championship leader Gary Paffett alongside; the first time Button will have driven the circuit since his British F3 days in 1999.

“Brands Hatch is one of the circuits where I cut my teeth in junior single seaters and I have many fond memories of the place” said Button. “It’s one of the greatest tracks in the world and a place with an awful lot of motorsport history.

“It’s going to be a fantastic experience to head back to Brands Hatch to watch the DTM race on Sunday. I think the DTM weekend will be a great event – it’s a fantastic series with some excellent, close racing and some of the best drivers in the world. It’s going to be a great personal experience and a fantastic opportunity to get up-close and personal with all the British fans who have been supporting me over the years.”

Discounted tickets for the DTM at Brands Hatch are available until tomorrow (Wednesday 16 May) at midday. Tickets are available from £29 with free admission for children aged 12 and under. For more information call 0843 453 9000 or visit www.brandshatch.co.uk.

Oulton Park is geared up for its first major event of 2012 this Easter weekend (6,7 & 9 April) as the British GT and F3 Championships race for the first time in 2012. Also headlining over the weekend will be the F3 Cup Championship, which promises one of the biggest grids of the meeting on Easter Monday.

The British GT Championship looks in rude health with a bumper field featuring some of the world’s most desirable cars. The Ferrari 458 and Porsche 911 are the most popular choice amongst the teams, but examples of the Nissan GT-R, Mercedes SLS-AMG, Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8 and Lotus Evora will also be found in combat this Easter. Two one-hour races spearhead the action on Monday.

Local interest comes from Ben and Freddie Hetherington racing one of the Nissans, whilst Northwich’s Speedworks team will be running a Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Antrobus’ Chevron cars will also be fielding two cars for David Witt and Ray Grimes, plus Jordan Witt and former Touring Car driver Anthony Reid.

On Saturday the prestigious British F3 Championship will commence with three races. Recent champions Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne continue to impress in Formula 1 with Red Bull-backed Toro Rosso, and the drinks company has tipped Carlos Sainz Jr, son of the double World Rally Champion, as a future star. He makes his F3 debut in Cheshire with their support. British hopes lie with experienced pairing Jack Harvey and Harry Tincknell, plus reigning Formula Renault UK champion Alex Lynn.

Meanwhile the MSVR-run F3 Cup attains championship status in 2012 and celebrates in style with over 20 cars entered for the first round. Easter Monday’s two races will include Chester’s Jamie Stanley, a former British GT champion, plus Monoposto champion Tristan Cliffe, British Formula Ford race winner Linton Stutely and Radical Sportscars champion James Abbott.

Other entertainment over the weekend includes the British Formula Ford Championship, which launches a new car and fuel-efficient engine this season, the Volkswagen Racing Cup and the newly-rechristened Ginetta GT5 Championship. There’s plenty of family fun too, with a supercar parade on the Monday, free pitlane walkabout and autograph session, an Easter egg hunt and a funfair for kids.

Tickets for the British GT and F3 Championships at Oulton Park on 6, 7 & 9 April are available on the gate from £13. Children 12 and under go free on all days. For more information, call 0843 453 9000 or visit www.oultonpark.co.uk.

The MG marque is represented with the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship, which features the best of British sportscars and saloons. Meanwhile there’s more of a German flavour to the Kumho BMW Championship, where a wide range of propeller-badged tin-tops can be found on the grid.

Porsche fans will enjoy the GT3 Cup Challenge, which features the more extreme variant of the classic rear-engined Sportscar.

There are classic touring car races aplenty on Easter Sunday, with events for the Classic Thunder series for saloon cars built before 2005, Post Historic & Classic Group 1 Touring Cars, Pre ’93 Touring Car Championship and the Classic Saloon & Historic Touring Car Championship.

Meanwhile single seaters also feature heavily over the weekend with the Formula Renault BARC Championship and Classic Formula Ford 1600 and 2000 classes.

Tickets for the BARC Club Car Championships are available from £10, with free entry for children aged 12 and under. For more information, call 0843 453 9000 or visit www.snetterton.co.uk.

The £15 fee was due to be introduced in July however, MPs blocked the plans, condemning them as ‘undemocratic’ and ‘fundamentally wrong’, with one MP arguing that Parliament was not a theme park.

Around 10,000 people take Big Ben tours every year.

Take a tour of Big Ben:

To take a tour of Big Ben’s clock tower, you must be a UK resident – only UK residents are permitted to visit the Clock Tower. To arrange a tour residents should request a visit through their local MP or a member of the House of Lords.

Visitors must be in good health and be capable of climbing 334 small, spiral steps – there’s no lift!

For more information visit here: www.parliament.uk/visiting/visiting-and-tours/ukvisitors/bigben/health/