Illuminated River Boat Tours

The first four bridges of Illuminated River, the public art commission to light up the bridges of the Thames at night, are now lit! Join official City Guides and experts from Historic England, as they take you on a journey under the rivets of London, Cannon Street, Southwark and Millennium bridges.

Illuminated River is an ambitious, new public art commission which will transform the capital at night, lighting up to 15 bridges on the River Thames. Once complete, it will be the longest public art project in the world, seen by over 200 million people each year during its 10 year lifespan.

Conceived by internationally-acclaimed artist Leo Villareal and British architectural practice Liftschutz Davidson Sandilands, and delivered by the Illuminated River Foundation, the artwork has been sensitively developed, paying attention to heritage, wildlife and the built environment to create an exceptional transformation that celebrates the role that the Thames bridges play in the enduring global identity of London, and encourages people to enjoy the river and riverside areas at night.
 

Illuminated River will leave a legacy for the capital in the form of a dynamic public artwork, refocusing and celebrating the Thames bridges as social, historical and architectural landmarks. It is a beacon of London’s creativity, ambition and spirit, free to view and accessible to all.
 

These boat tours have been arranged in partnership with Thames Clippers to provide low cost access to the Thames and to the Illuminated River artwork, which is best experienced from the river itself. The boat tours offer the opportunity to sail underneath the bridges and view the beautiful latticework of these architectural structures artistically lit for the first time.
 

Official Guides from the City of London and experts from Historic England will take you on a journey through time, discovering the heritage of these great landmarks that have stood at the very heart of the story of London.

Meeting Points

• Thu 5 (with City Guides) & Tue 10 Sep (with Historic England) - embark/disembark London Bridge City Pier
• Thu 12 & Thu 19 Sep (both with City Guides) - embark/disembark Tower Millennium Pier

Accessibility
 

Wheelchair accessible (please send through access requirements as there are limited places available).

There is an audio description of the Illuminated River artwork for blind and partially sighted people, produced by Vocaleyes, that can be downloaded from the Illuminated River website.