Crystal Palace Park
London SE19

The Crystal Palace, Joseph Paxton's superb feat of engineering, was built in 1851 to house the Great Exhibition.  Originally erected in Hyde Park, the great glass-house was dismantled and rebuilt in Sydenham in 1852.  The vast building was then used for exhibitions, plays and concerts.  Its grounds contained an amusement park, dotted with life-sized models of dinosaurs. 

In 1936 the Crystal Palace caught fire and was burned to the ground. 

The small Crystal Palace Museum shows the history of the stunning building. The museum is housed in the old engineering school where John Logie Baird invented television.  

Very popular with children the park has a farmyard, boating lake, maze and play area.  The model dinosaurs, which survived the fire, are now classified as listed buildings.  

Views from the park are spectacular and also unmissable is the vast Crystal Palace TV Transmitter, located in the park.

Outdoor concerts are held in the park in the summer. Crystal Palace Park is also home to the National Sports Centre.

Admission free - museum appreciates donations

Opening Times