A Morning in Barnes with Cornell President Michael I. Kotlikoff

Join us for a very special Cornell morning in Barnes on Saturday, November 7, with Cornell President Michael I. Kotlikoff, Fred Van Sickle, Vice President for Alumni Affairs and Development, Wendy W. Wolford, Vice Provost for International Affairs, Christine Potter, Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director of Global Operations and Strategy, and Yvette Lam, Director, International Development (Europe and India).

We’ll kick things off at 9:00 a.m. at the iconic Olympic Studios with a light breakfast and a chance to catch up with fellow Cornellians and Cornell leadership. Once a legendary recording studio where everyone from The Rolling Stones and The Beatles to Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix made music, Olympic Studios is now a lively independent cinema and gathering place—with plenty of rock ’n’ roll history still in the walls.

Then we’ll swap rock legends for wildlife! At 10:00 a.m., we’ll take the short stroll to the WWT London Wetland Centre, an extraordinary 105-acre urban nature reserve created from four former Victorian reservoirs. One of the largest man-made wetlands in any major city, it is a remarkable mosaic of lakes, ponds, reedbeds, meadows and woodland that attracts an incredible variety of wildlife—all just a few miles from the heart of London. Opened by Sir David Attenborough, who called it “an extra lung for Londoners,” it’s one of those wonderfully unexpected places that makes you forget you’re in London at all.

We’ll split into small groups for a guided visit, giving us the chance to discover the reserve, its wildlife and the fascinating story of how former reservoirs were transformed into a thriving wetland.

We’ll finish at approximately 11:30 a.m., leaving the rest of the day free to enjoy Barnes or head off on your next London adventure.

From rock ’n’ roll history to one of London’s wildest corners, all in one morning! A relaxed and fun outing for alumni, students, recent graduates and families with children. We hope you’ll join us!

Price: Alumni £35 | Students/recent grads (10 years) £30 | Children £25 Your tickets include breakfast and also a guided tour of the wetland!

Location: Olympic Studios, 117 Church Rd, London SW13 9HL | WWT London Wetland Centre, Queen Elizabeth Walk, London SW13 9WT

By purchasing tickets to this event you agree to our Privacy Policy and accept that tickets are non-refundable. The event organiser may also take a group photo which will be shared on our platforms and with Cornell University Office of Alumni Relations. If you would prefer not to be included in the photos, please let the event organisers know.