Explore Culture, History & Humanities Courses
Explore our extraordinary range of History, Culture and Writing courses and lectures. We offer both introductory and specialist in-depth courses to suit all levels of interest and experience, from ‘How to read a film’ and World literature, to Creative non-fiction writing courses and American history and Politics courses.
Our tutors are experts in their fields and experienced educators; many have published, teach in universities or share their expertise in the media. Tutors share their knowledge and passion through presentations, readings, interactive discussion and exercises, analysis, and other activities.
Many students return to take more courses, telling us they enjoy being part of our City Lit Learning community.
Our popular courses often sell out quickly, so we invite you to browse and book your place now.
- A day at the V&A: an introduction to the collections
Course start date: Mon 19 May 2025 (and 2 other dates)Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Elizabeth EyresSpend a fascinating day at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum exploring a range of galleries. We shall be looking at the decorative arts, paintings, sculpture and design from across the world and across the centuries in this remarkable museum.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Mews, monuments and museumsCourse start date: Sun 1 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneThis circular walk explores the alleys lanes, squares and delightful mews houses and passes a disused tube station in the mainly in the Knightsbridge conservation area and contrasts with the grand museums, institutions and monuments built in South Kensington (Albertopolis) developed with profits of the Great Exhibition held in Hyde Park in 1851. Meets outside the main entrance to the V&A ends outside the Natural History Museum. Meets outside the main entrance to the V&A ends outside the Natural History Museum.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Looking at contemporary artCourse start date: Wed 4 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Francesca CavalloExplore and discuss contemporary art on show in London. Each week we’ll visit 1-2 commercial galleries or a public gallery and examine specific exhibitions of contemporary art across a range of media including painting, works on paper, photography, new media and sculpture.
Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - The Wyldes of Hampstead: Exploring Hampstead’s Northern SlopesCourse start date: Sun 8 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneFinchley Central contains three conservation areas. Starting at the oldest part of the former village of Finchley Church End , this walk stops to admire traces of the old village, Edwardian and Victorian architecture before moving on to the delightful Finchley Garden village and College Farm, the last remaining farm in Finchley.
Meeting points: Start by the bike rack Station Road Exit of Finchley Central tube station, end Henley's Corner on the junction of Regent's Park Road by La Deliverance statue.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Crime and punishment in Old LondonCourse start date: Mon 9 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Diane BursteinTake a guided walk through the old City and its borders taking in beheadings and brutality at the Tower, tales of cutpurses and con men, the rise of prisons and the ghastly punishments that were meted out to wrongdoers. We go on a journey to Newgate Gaol, the Bridewell Prison and the places of execution including the notorious Tyburn Tree to hear tales of brutality, escapes and the bloodthirsty crowds who watched executions. Our tour includes London’s atmospheric legal quarter taking in the Old Bailey, The Royal Courts of Justice and the Inns of Court to discover how London’s legal system developed .
Meet outside St Paul’s Cathedral by the Statue of Queen Anne.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - A sense of place: Constable’s HampsteadCourse start date: Mon 9 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneExplore Georgian and Regency Hampstead walking in the footsteps of John Constable and seeing places he painted and quotes about his thoughts and feelings on Hampstead and his art. - London's smaller art collections Course start date: Tue 10 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julie BarlowExplore and discuss contemporary art on show in London. Each week we’ll visit 1-2 commercial galleries or a public gallery and examine specific exhibitions of contemporary art across a range of media including painting, works on paper, photography, new media and sculpture. - Costume and fashion in art Course start date: Tue 10 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julie BarlowCostume from the past rarely survives, except in the depiction of it in paintings. Explore 500 years of costume in European art across a range of subject matter and decode the socio-political contexts and cultural identities contained within the choice of dress. This course takes place in London-area museums. - Constable and the British landscape traditionCourse start date: Mon 16 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneDiscover the development of the British Landscape tradition from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Victoria and Albert Museum has the largest collection of John Constable sketches in the world, and we will discuss the works on display in detail and compare with works by J.W.M Turner and other artists on display.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Sanctuary in the city – public art by refugees and immigrantsCourse start date: Wed 18 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneCome on a walking tour of public art through the City of London created by Refugees and Immigrants. We will explore artworks such as the 17th century carvings on the Monument and a Victorian plaques relocated on to the post Modern Number One Poultry by economic immigrants to the country as well as looking at mainly works by 20th century artists from refugee backgrounds who were either commissioned to make art works for site specific places or their works have been bought or moved to their locations.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - London's smaller galleries: Apsley House Course start date: Wed 11 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julie BarlowExplore the home and art collection of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Stream Form to Arts and Crafts: suburban architecture 1914-1939 (a guided walk)Course start date: Mon 23 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneStarting at the Modernist East Finchley station, this walk goes back in time looking at architectural styles from between the wars on the North side of Hampstead Garden Suburb finishing with arts and crafts cottages. Starts outside the main entrance to East Finchley Station and finishes at Market Place on the A1 ( a short bus ride from East Finchley or Golders Green).Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Further village London Course start date: Wed 25 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Hazel BakerJoin us for 4 guided walks around London's former villages - Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Southwark and Hampstead. Why did these areas grow up as villages and how did they become swallowed up by the city of London? - An introduction to stained glass at the V&ACourse start date: Thu 5 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Andreas PetzoldStained glass has been described as the most original and important medium in the high Middle Ages. The Victoria and Albert Museum has one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of stained glass in the world, spanning the twelfth century to the modern period. The course will provide an introduction to this medium and the collection of it in the Victoria and Albert Museum.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Arts and Crafts of Hampstead Garden Suburb: a guided walkCourse start date: Mon 16 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneThe walk traces the early history and developments of Hampstead Garden Suburb and includes the Heath Extension, Central Square- designed by Edwin Lutyens, and the original Artisans quarter designed from 1907 by Parker and Unwin. Starts outside the main entrance to Golders Green Tube station and ends at Temple Fortune on the Finchley Road.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00
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