England, Scotland and Ireland are earnestly improving tourism infrastructure for 2018, adding worthwhile exhibits to well-known sights and investing in new experiences for travellers.
Read up on the latest developments to make the most of your time in the isles.
Major changes are taking place at some of London鈥檚 most visited sights.
At Westminster Abbey, a medieval balcony that鈥檚 been closed off for 700 years will open this summer as the Queen鈥檚 Diamond Jubilee Galleries, featuring a collection of artifacts from the Abbey鈥檚 rich history, as well as breathtaking views of the abbey interior (expect timed-entry tickets).
In the Mayfair neighbourhood of London鈥檚 West End, the museum formerly called the Handel House 鈥� where composer George Frideric Handel lived for decades 鈥� was renamed the 鈥淗andel & Hendrix in London鈥� in 2016, as the museum now includes the recently restored former apartments of rocker Jimi Hendrix, who once lived next door to Handel鈥檚 old digs. The exhibit juxtaposes the lives and lifestyles of these two long-haired musicians with a flair for decadence.
London鈥檚 Courtauld Gallery, renowned for its Impressionist paintings, will close this summer for renovation (and remain closed until 2020).
Just across the Thames, the Tate Modern鈥檚 new Switch House (a 10-storey brick twisted-pyramid annex) is now in full swing with rotating exhibitions, performance art, caf茅s and a terrace with stunning views.
And across town, the Victoria and Albert Museum has added 11,840 square feet of gallery space, along with a new entrance and welcoming courtyard.
Outside of the city centre at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, visitors can descend the futuristic Orbit tower via a thrill added in 2016: the world鈥檚 longest, tallest transparent tunnel slide, measuring 177 metres with corkscrew turns.
Meanwhile the skyline on the city鈥檚 eastern edge is still evolving quickly 鈥� new and oddly shaped skyscrapers on the horizon include the 鈥淪calpel,鈥� the tall and twisty Baltimore Tower, the 50-storey 鈥淰ase,鈥� the 67-floor 鈥淪pire鈥� and, right next to the existing 鈥淕erkin,鈥� the new鈥� 鈥淐an of Ham.鈥�
London鈥檚 transportation scene continues to change. Uber is in the midst of a legal challenge after Transport for London decided not to renew its licence; it could cease operation at any time.
Meanwhile, starting in December, a new train line, the Elizabeth line, will run right through the city centre 鈥� with stops at several Tube stations 鈥� and zip travellers from Heathrow Airport to Paddington Station in just 25 minutes.
Across Britain, new museums highlight the diversity of its history. In Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare鈥檚 Schoolroom and Guildhall (which opened in 2016) showcases a circa-1420 guild headquarters and the very classroom where Shakespeare was a student, where visitors can try a quill pen.
The British Music Experience, in its new permanent Liverpool home, tells an immersive story of British music from 1945 until today.
And at Durham鈥檚 impressive cathedral, the new Open Treasure exhibit displays rare artifacts from the cathedral treasury and monks鈥� library.
In Portsmouth, on England鈥檚 south coast, the 16th-century warship Mary Rose is completely dried out, preserved and on display after 35 years of conservation work.
The town鈥檚 D-Day Museum is slated to reopen this spring with exhibits incorporating first-person stories from D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. (The museum also plans to restore the last surviving D-Day landing craft in time for the 75th anniversary in 2019.)
Up north in Edinburgh, the Scottish National Gallery is undergoing a major renovation, with plans for expanded gallery space and a grand entrance from Princes Street Gardens.
In the meantime, certain exhibits and paintings might be out of view.
In Glasgow, the original Willow Tea Rooms on Sauchiehall Street 鈥� the only surviving tearooms designed inside and out by Art Nouveau architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh 鈥� will reopen this year with a new visitors centre, a restored interior based on Mackintosh鈥檚 original design and exhibits marking the 150th anniversary of his birthdate.
Across town, however, the star attraction at Glasgow鈥檚 Kelvingrove Museum, Salvador Dal铆鈥檚 Christ of St. John of the Cross, is on the road until 2020.
The Isle of Skye, just off Scotland鈥檚 west coast, is bursting with tourism, which means hotel rooms are booking up six or more months in advance, and restaurants are turning away diners without reservations. Travellers should book early.
In Ireland, visitors are enjoying two high-tech sights that opened their doors in 2016. Epic: The Irish Emigration Museum tells the story of the Irish diaspora using interactive displays.
The museum also houses the Irish Family History Centre, which helps visitors research their Irish roots.
And the new exhibit at GPO Witness History offers an immersive look at the 1916 Easter Uprising from underneath the General Post Office, which served as the rebel headquarters.
Travellers heading up to Northern Ireland should note that along the Antrim Coast, timed tickets are now required to cross the rickety Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
But they鈥檙e only available in person on the same day, so arrive early before they sell out.
Nearby, at the striking basalt columns of the Giant鈥檚 Causeway, the new Clifftop Experience is a three-hour guided trek exploring eight kilometres of the Causeway coast.
And in Belfast, the Titanic museum now offers a half-price ticket sold one hour before closing. But at such an impressive attraction, it鈥檚 worth the full-price ticket (about $25 US) to spend more time here.
Britain and Ireland are a work in progress for travellers, and those equipped with the latest information enjoy a better experience.
Rick Steves (ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.
