Bring the family!
by Lindsey Glen, Director
With the summer holidays approaching, Director Lindsey Glen shares some tips for visiting with children and young people.
Illustration is for everyone. Whether you are 9 months or 90 years old, it makes ideas more comprehensible and brings stories to life. We can all illustrate and everyone uses illustrations every day, so it’s a great way to connect across generations and cultures.
We’ve worked with families, schools and community organisations to ensure that every visit to Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration is enjoyable and memorable, whatever your age. There’s lots to do and a wide range of resources to support your visit.
We know that journeying through London can be tiring and overwhelming. On arrival at the Centre, please take your time to settle in and feel at home. Bags, scooters and buggies can be stored at the lockers, although you can also keep buggies with you.
You can borrow a bag containing a soft toy, magnifying glass, fiddle toy and coloured lenses, and a sensory map pointing out facilities and changes in light, noise or smell. Our friendly Welcomers are on hand to answer any questions.
Our comfortable and cool Library is free to use. It includes illustration activities, original artworks and over 1,800 books. The children’s section includes books in some of the most commonly spoken languages locally, along with some that don’t have any words at all and some toys for younger visitors.
At 1.45pm on Wednesdays we share a story and activity for under-fives. Over the summer, we’ll also be holding drop-in sessions for families in our Creative Studio between 10:30am and 12:30pm on Wednesdays.
Outside you can meet Chip, The Horse That Carried The City a 2m high interactive sculpture. Press the star on Chip’s hoof, listen for the bell and make a wish.
You can also play and picnic in the Studio Garden or at the play benches that have been designed with families from local charity The Parent House. Grab an outdoor explorer bag on your way out and look up to spot one of Quentin Blake’s cockatoos!
If you’d like to visit the three special exhibitions then you can book tickets for families and children both online and at the Welcome Desk. Exhibitions include easy-read guides and activities to engage children.
Deeney’s serves toasted sandwiches, fresh focaccias, salads, cakes and drinks including their Wee Illustrator meal deal, children’s toastie and sausage roll. In the shop you’ll find picture books, stationery, badges, stickers, toys and cards, priced from £1.50.
If you’re feeling exhausted or overwhelmed during your visit then you can return to the Library or use the Quiet Room – a small, private space with soft seating, weighed blankets and cushions, sensory toys and books. The Quiet Room is also available for prayer and meditation, with a prayer mat and compass. Our toilet facilities are accessible and gender-neutral, and include baby changing tables and a Changing Places Toilet.
Do check out our Accessibility and Visiting On A Budget pages for more information about your visit.
Finally, we love receiving your illustrations! You can display them on the Library wall, hand them into the Welcome Desk or share them on social media, with the tag #QuentinBlakeCentreForIllustration.
We look forward to welcoming you!