Themes

May 2011 is the 60th anniversary of
The Festival of Britain that took place on London's South Bank in 1951.

The war-damaged city was badly in need of redevelopment. The Festival was intended to promote a sense of recovery for Britain and encourage innovative thinking.

New buildings sprung up to house the festival and showcase modern urban architecture. Today only the Royal Festival Hall remains, and a wonderful collection of images from The National Archives...