Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park
You can find out about Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park activities (PDF, 785kb) here.
Opening times
Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park is open at all times.
Location
Kennington Road, SE1
Entrances - St Georges Road, Lambeth Road, Kennington Road and Geraldine Street
How to get here
Tube and train - Elephant and Castle and Lambeth North
Bus - 3, 12, 53, 148, 453, C10, 344, 360, 59, 159
Car - no designated parking area
Bike - cycle racks by the sports pavilion and at the museum's main entrance; cycle hire stations are nearby in Geraldine Street and Kennington Road
Facilities and features
- toilets - located at the cafè
- children's playground (age 12 and under)
- picnic area - tables on both sides of the park and by the cafè
- Art in the park - sculptures in the Tibetan Peace Garden by Hamish Horsley and Soviet Memorial by Sergei Shcherbakov
- Friends Group - the park is supported by a Friends Group, which can be contacted via the Parks team
- gardens - features include mature trees, a small woodland, a community orchard, a world garden, a nature area and wildlife pond (open by appointment) and an Ice Age Tree trail
Sports facilities
- sports centre - sports area comprises a five a side football, basketball, netball and tennis courts which are available to hire throughout the week. Visit Everyone Active website or call 0333 005 0403
- free for all multi-use games area - with basketball hoops and an outdoor gym
About the park
Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park provides an impressive backdrop to the Imperial War Museum and is the home of the Tibetan Peace Garden. It has held a Green Flag award since 2012.
History of the park
Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park opened in 1934. The land was gifted to the "splendid struggling mothers of Southwark" by Viscount Rothermere in memory of his mother. The park surrounds the Imperial War Museum on the site of the former Bedlam Hospital.
The Soviet War Memorial was unveiled in 1999 to commemorate the loss of 27 million citizens of the former Soviet Union in WWII.
Also in 1999, His Holiness the Dalai Lama opened the Tibetan Peace Garden on 13 May; the Peace Garden was commissioned by the Tibet Foundation to provide a tranquil space for contemplation and reflection.
Page last updated: 22 March 2019
