Join the Illuminated River project and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), in partnership with MBNA Thames Clippers, for a free evening boat trip on the largest public space in London – the Thames.

The round trip from London Bridge City Pier will introduce the first phase of the Illuminated River public art project: London, Cannon St, Southwark and Millennium Bridges.

Experts from ZSL will give an interactive talk about the rich ecological life of the Thames wildlife super highway, often overlooked and rarely seen.

Join us on London's biggest blue open space, the Thames, and see where art, nature and architecture meet.

Please note that in the eventuality of the boat tour being fully booked, walk-ups may be accommodated on the day, if spaces free up. You are very welcome to join the meeting point at the time indicated below, and we will accommodate you if spaces become available due to late cancellations.

Illuminated River

Illuminated River is an ambitious, new public art commission which will transform the capital at night by lighting up to 15 bridges on the River Thames. The first four bridges: London, Cannon St, Southwark and Millennium, are now illuminated. Once complete, it will be the longest public art project in the world, viewed at least 137 million times each year during its 10-year lifespan.

Conceived by internationally-acclaimed artist Leo Villareal and British architectural practice Lifschutz 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 of Thames bridges in London’s enduring global identity, and encourages people to enjoy the river and riverside at night.

The artwork will be free and publicly accessible to all.

This event forms part of the wider programme of Illuminated River public events - for further details, please visit https://illuminatedriver.london/

The Zoological Society of London

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international conservation charity whose vision is a world where wildlife thrives. Since 2004, ZSL has been working with partners and volunteers on a range of projects aiming to further improve the ecology of the Thames estuary and the wider river catchment, and to conserve and better understand the species that are found there.

An iconic artery flowing through the heart of London, the river Thames is not only a busy urban waterway but is also home to a fascinating and often unexpected array of wildlife. Declared ‘biologically dead’ in the 1950s, subsequent changes in effluent sewage treatment have substantially improved water quality and, as a result, a wide range of species have since returned to live in the Thames.

To find out more about ZSL’s Thames conservation projects and the Mother Thames campaign, visit www.zsl.org/MotherThames

Event information

Entry is free but advance booking via Eventbrite is necessary.

Date: Thursday 25th July

Time: 21:10 - 22:00

Please arrive at London Bridge City Pier at 21:10 for embarkation on the boat shortly after.

Meeting point: London Bridge City Pier, London Bridge Walk, London SE1 2QP

Accessibility

This event is wheelchair accessible.