Somerset House, Temple, London

Wonderful place to have a seat and read or to get a good view of the South Bank. The staff working there are very helpful if you don’t know where you’re going. They host exhibitions all the time (currently they’re doing one about the Arab Spring and London riots, which is actually pretty cool if you have an iPhone or similar smartphone), many of which are free.

Wonderful venue many a good night had fabulous x

Finally saw the permanent exhibition here – and even though I’m not a major impressionism fan (if you are – this museum is heaven!) glad to finally have seen it though. Wonderful building to wonder around! And afterwards sitting in the sun in the courtyard – watching urban kids be afraid of water was fun in its own right

A wonderful place to while away time

The galleries cover interesting art

The courtyard is joyous in the summer (the fountains are fun too) and the winter ice rink is always very popular

Ideally situated and offering lots for all you have to visit Somerset House

What an amazing place to hold an event.
Went to the Clavin Harris concert at Somerset House and it was a fantastic defiantly a afternoon/night to remember.
Really fell in love with the venue.
Cant wait for the summer to hit this year so I can go to another event.
(As not a fan of the cold no matter how beautiful the architecture.)

The vast courtyard is my favourite place to escape the hustle and bustle of central London if I am in the area. I have to go to the LSE every now and then and if the weather is nice I try to arrive early, grab a coffee at one of the many nearby shops and sit in the lovely courtyard for a few minutes of R&R. In the winter there is an ice skating rink and in the summer the water fountain is heaving with kids.

The courtyard is also used for concerts and other events, and Somerset House also hosts open-air films, contemporary art and design exhibitions, family workshops and free guided tours of spaces usually hidden to visitors.

I don't know how I've lived in London for 6 years and never been skating at Somerset House. Now I've done it, I can't believe I've missed it all these years. Believe the hype, skating at Somerset House really is just magical. Yes, ok, the rink isn't that big. And yes, the cafe is expensive. But it's so, so magical.

We went at dusk and it got dark in the hour we were skating. With the pretty lights, the beautiful buildings and the atmospheric classical music, you end up skating around feeling like you're in a film. If you're good. Otherwise you shuffle around the edge, but even so you feel like you're shuffling with style.

The boots are comfortable and high quality, there's a good bag storage area so you're free to skate bag-free and the cafe, though very expensive, is a great place to sit and watch people skate. The hot chocolate with marshmallows, warm cider and mulled wine all come recommended. There's also a lot of staff on the ice so if you fall over, they're there to help you up again. They're good at taking photos too.

Really. If you haven't been yet, it's so very worth a visit.

Lovely location for a gig - and i’ve been for a couple - only problem is depending what you come to see the crowds don’t tend to pay that much attention - at times - during an Athelete gig which I regret to this day - it felt like being in an All Bar One courtyard where the wankers standing around were more interested in discussing their stock options than watching the (admittedley rather lame) band.
UNKLE here on the other hand were so loud it was mindblowing.
Pricey though.

This must be one of the most beautiful venues in London! I have been to several gigs here, and you just couldn’t ask for a better setting. Lovely stage set up in the courtyard of what used to be the home of the Inland Revenue.
The size is just right as well and you get a good view from wherever you stand.
They seem to cater for the crowds, too. While there were 2-pint plastic beakers for the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, they served Pimms and miniature wine bottles for Grace Jones.
It’s a special treat, and the cost prevents me from giving this 5 stars.
Same goes for the ice-skating!

I don’t ice-skate but I do like mulled wine and watching people fallover…a combination that Somerset House can provide. You can watch people fallover for free, however the Mulled wine is horribly expensive for a tiny dram.

A couple of years ago I came here for an Athlete gig which was one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to. As a venue it’s magical, just top drawer. I also came before that for an art exhibition, but this time, I was hear for the skating.

Wrapped up in hat an gloves, I confidently strapped on my skates and took to the ice. 2 seconds later I was clinging to the side, trying to remember how to balance on metal strips on the slipperiest surface known to humanity. It comes back quickly. They do a great job here, with a huge fairy-lit tree, twinkling lights and music piped out, 45 mins whips past in no time. The only down-side is the going round and round in a circle, but then what do I expect? A frozen lake? Skating down the frozen river Cam? Shut up David, and get skating.

I’ve been here ice skating in winter and its amazing!
They serve mulled wine indoors and the wardens are really helpful if you really know how to skate!

Ice skating at Somerset House is just so lovely and Christmasy; it’s such a gorgeous setting. If you’d like to hone your skating skills or learn to skate, I’d really recommend the Skate Schools that runs in January, comprising four one-hour lessons. The weekday classes are 8-9 am, which sounds too early, but actually it’s fabulous, because your the very first people on the ice. The light in the mornings is lovely; I’ll never forget one morning when when it was snowing gently and there were only eight of us on the ice, with Somerset House all to ourselves. The teachers were from the GB Ice Skating team and let you take it at your own pace, there was no pressure to do any scary tricks that you didn’t want to do.

This was one of the best Christmas experiences in London. The ice skating was great. I would recommend to anyone - nice to go in a big group of people. They are so well organized and it is so easy even if you have not skated before. They also have a nice kiddies area. They are well co-ordinated and have different sessions. You should find out about times of sessions etc. before going. We went in a big work crowd and was a really enjoyable experience. They provide you with skis and they have a nice storage place for your belongings.

Annually, somerset house is open up for ice-skating lovers. The venue is probably the most glamorous outdoor venue in London. This year, there’s a grand 18th century setting, the glittering Tiffany Tree. The experience of skating at Somerset takes the romance of skating to the next level. It’s a unique experience.

This is the place where we both go for ice-skating every year. Skating in such beautiful night views of the Sommerset House is simply unforgettable. It’s great for children too! If you are on a budget - do make sure you bring your own hot drinks.

Somerset House is really beautiful, the cafe is expensive, but with outside seating looking over the river it is definitely worth a visit, and in the Winter it is even better when the outdoor skating rink opens and you can drink gluhwein. I also recommend the shop, it’s expensive, but sells some lovely things. The premises are often used for concerts which I think is a great idea as it’s a lovely backdrop.

We go to Somerset House every year during Christmas for ice-skating. We bought the tickets in advance from Ticketmaster.co.uk and arrive just 10 mins before to collect the footwear. As compared to Natural History Musem, this rink is slighly smaller, however the view is spectacular. Remember to bring a camera!

I have no idea what this place is like in the Summer, but I DO know that around christmas time, the whole courtyard gets converted into a giant icerink and becomes the most beautiful nightspot in the city for a few months. Make sure to book in advance, take a loved one and score MASSIVE brownie points for the romantic gesture. With the lights, crowds and music, you’ll find yourself swept up in the festive spirit. I’ve been every year for a while and its always impressive.

Visited Somerset House as part of their Summer Music Festival for a concert, and was quite impressed at the size of the venue.

Although it was clear that Somerset House’s main intention was not as a music venue, the size and acoustics of the site made for an interesting experience. Open air however, so was very much subject to the potential bad weather.

The concert took place in the courtyard, and there was also a number of stalls selling drinks and merchandise aligning the edges to substitute for a bar.

The bouncers and staff working were very pleasant, and the evening was very successful.