All that research on London but you still don’t know which English museum you should start with? Or are you not convinced that museums are your thing? Try this list to help you kick-start your fancy stroll along some of London main and finest museums! And just maybe we are able to change your mind and spark some inspiration ?
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1. London Transport Museum
Located at Convent Garden, the London Transport Museum (LT) tops this list simply because we feel that it keeps London enthusiasts high on excitement. Did we also mention that it’s an interactive museum?
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It's a great way to enjoy museums! Not only will you be able to enjoy horse-drawn carriages from the early days of London, you will also be able to enjoy climbing on these vehicles. It’s really nice to just play pretend as if we were in a Sherlock Holmes movie or looking for Mr. Darcy! ?
It's a great place to bring your kids too! The London Transport Museum has a play area specifically for children under the age of 7, where they can get hands on experience in trying to repair a little tube train. These are totally lessons that go beyond their classrooms!
[Check out our 3 tips for exploring London with your kids!]
Address: London Transport Museum, Covent Garden (South East Corner), London, WC2E 7BB
Opening Hours: Museum Galleries are open daily from 10.00 – 18.00 (Monday – Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) 11.00 – 18.00 (Friday)
Admission Fees: £17; Concession £14.50. Children and young people under 18 go for FREE
Contact Details: + 44 (0)20 7379 6344
Email: [email protected]
Nearest Underground Station: Holborn (Central or Piccadilly line) (500m), Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Embankment or Charing Cross
Nearest docking station for Santander Cycle Hire: Just behind the Museum at Tavistock Street.
2. The Guard’s Museum
You know how we’ve always associated Britain with the famous guards in red with long hairy hats? Well, here’s your chance to find out actual information about these Foot Guards that people have long stereotyped as very serious people!
Situated at the Wellington Barracks in Westminster near Buckingham Palace, The Guards Museum is home to five regiments of Foot Guards. Learn more about their multi-functional roles besides ceremonial duties.
The Guards Shop is where you can buy toy soldier figurines as souvenirs. The shop sells an extensive range of Britain’s Toy Soldiers, which include knights from different periods like during Napoleon's time, the Zulu War or the American Civil War just to name a few. It’s like a toy museum in itself!
Address: The Guards Museum, Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, Westminster, London, SW1E 6HQ
Opening Hours: Opens daily from 10.00AM – 16.000PM all days a week.
Admission Fees: Adults - £6, Concession- £3, Children and young people under 16 go for FREE
Contact Details: + 44 (0)20 7414 3271
Nearest Underground Station: Westminster (Circle, District and Jubilee line), Victoria (Circle, District and Victoria line)
3. Leighton House Museum
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The former home of Victorian artist Lord Frederic Leighton back in the 1800s, it was built exactly to his preference. This beauty was once his studio-house and like most artists, he started humbly but soon his home became a “private palace of art”.
What grabbed our attention is the magnificent Arab Hall with its golden dome. This hall is completed with his collection of elaborate mosaics and the walls are lined with geometrical Islamic tiles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VeW4nnUXFU
I mean think about it, having Islamic influenced interiors since way back in the 1800s – now that’s mind-blowing! SubhanAllah ?
Address: Leighton House Museum, 12 Holland Park Rd, Kensington, London W14 8LZ
Opening Hours: Opens daily from 10.00AM – 17.30PM except Tuesday.
Admission Fees: Adults - £7; Concession £5Children and young people under 5 go for FREE
Contact Details: + 44 (0)20 7602 3316
Nearest Underground Station: High Street Kensington, (Circle and District lines)
Nearest Overground Station: Kensington Olympia
4. Sherlocks Holmes Museum
Ever wonder what’s it like being a detective or curious to see how a detective lived? Pop by the Sherlock Holmes museum at 221B Baker Street to get a first hand look on how the house of the famous detective and his sidekick, Dr. Watson, looked like.
Getting to the famous 221B Baker Street address can be quite tricky, since it's actually located between 237 and 241. Perhaps some detective skills will come in handy! ?
Depicting Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s literary description on how the great detective’s home looked like, the Sherlock Holmes Museum is a definite go-to place for fans! Not only does the management of the museum give attention to detail, the actual initiative to preserve a terrace home in honour of the famous literature is something not all authorities are willing to do!
End your Sherlock Holmes adventure by visiting Madame Tussauds, a 5-7 minutes walk away from the Sherlock Holmes Museum to take a picture with a life sized Robert Downey Jr. dressed fully as Sherlock Holmes – just like in the movies ?
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Address: 221b Baker Street, Marylebone, London NW1 6XE, United Kingdom
Opening Hours: Opens every day from 9.30AM to 6PM except on Christmas day
Admission Fees:Adults pay a fee of £15, Children and young people under 16 pay £10
Contact Details: + 44 (0)20 7224 3688
Nearest Underground Station: Baker Street Station (Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee and Metropolitan line)
5. Freud Museum London
After experiencing how London preserves heritage from a famous literary figure of the great detective, you should next witness how the heritage of an actual home to the famous psychologist Sigmund Freud is preserved!
During World War II, Freud relocated from Vienna to London to run from the Nazis and permanently settled in London. Freud’s consulting room in London was recreated exactly like the one in Vienna, which means you get to see the famous psychoanalytic couch (You'll know this couch if you’re a psychology nerd like I am)!
Not only has this sophisticated place been turned into a museum, they sometimes have special exhibitions and host educational workshops and talks. If you are lucky during your visit like I was, you might just be able to see people preparing for a garden dinner party, as this place is also open for rental!
Address: 20 Maresfield Gardens, London NW3 5SX
Opening Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 12.00PM – 17.00PM
Admission Fees: Adults pay a fee of £7, Senior Citizens £5, Concessions £4
Children under 12 enter for free
Contact Details: + 44 (0)20 7435 2002
Nearest Underground Station: Finchley Road (Jubilee or Metropolitan line)
6. Pollock’s Toy Museum
Enough geeky stuff and let’s move on to a more light-hearted museum. At Pollock’s Toy Museum, you will be able to see toys made during the Victorian era. Towards the mid 1800s, this museum used to be a toy and printing shop.
Exhibited in six small rooms and two winding staircases are collections after collections of dolls, teddy bears, tin toys and many more! The toy theatre materials displayed at the museum were mostly hand painted and constructed by Benjamin Pollock himself way back in the 1850s.
Again, this is proof of how London appreciates her heritage and history and we think it is a great way to know what it was like for the people back in the 1850s!
Address: 1 Scala Street, London, W1T 2HL
Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday 10.00AM – 5.00PM, Last admission 4.30PM
Admission Fees: Adults pay a fee of £6, Child £3, Senior Citizens / Students £5
Contact Details: + 44 (0)20 7636 3452
Nearest Underground Station: Goodge Street (Northern line)
7. Cinema Museum, Kensington
This is a definite must-go place for movie buffs, filmmaking students or just a curious tourist/traveller! The Cinema Museum holds various collections of equipment, B-Sides and many more!
It's a great way to experience the difference between modern day cinemas, and the days where actual rolls of films were used to project onto the silver screen.
Avid fans will be able to appreciate the shop as they sell original movie posters, film memorabilia and the sorts!
Address: The Cinema Museum, 2 Dugard Way (off Renfrew Road), London SE11 4TH
Opening Hours: The museum is available for most days for visits ONLY with a guided tour. A guided tour should be booked in advanced by phone (as below) or email [email protected]
Admission fees: Adults pay a fee of £10, Child and Concession £7 (inclusive of guided tour)
Contact Details: + 44 (0)20 7840 2200
Nearest Underground Station: Goodge Street (Northern line)
8. British Museum
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I’m pretty sure at some point of our lives we have read willingly or otherwise, on ancient civilizations from various parts of the world. Located in central London, the British museum offers a firsthand experience to heartily indulge on human history, art and culture from ancient Egypt (mummies!), Mesopotamia to the Islamic World and Japan’s modern advances. Not forgetting also to all the K-Pop fans - imagine a roomful of Korea’s artifacts and development across time!
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It can get a little daunting visiting a huge museum like this - there are just too many to see and too little time! Being the first few in line right before the museum open its doors it’s a great way to start your visit at the British museum. Imagine this whole place all to yourself and your travelling buddies!
[Also read: Explore London On A Budget With 5 Travelling Hacks]
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Since the various exhibitions at the British museum offers quite an extensive amount of things to see, shortlisting the rooms you want to visit is a great way to save time. And you can check out the exhibitions and rooms on their official page here.
Opening Hours: Opens every day except for Good Friday, 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January
Museum Galleries are open daily from 10.00 – 17.30
Admission Fee: Free (Seasonal Special Exhibitions have a fee charged but the main halls are free)
Address: The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG
Nearest Underground Station: Holborn (Central or Piccadilly line) (500m), Tottenham Court Road (Central and Northern line) (500m), Russell Square (Piccadilly line) (800m), Goodge Street (Northern line) (800m)
9. Natural History Museum
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Visiting the Natural History Museum is not only exciting for us adults, but can be super thrilling for kids too as the museum believes in hands-on experience. So not only will you be entertained with insightful knowledge, you will also be able to experience it too! I mean come on, how many of us have the luxury to say “oh yeah, I met (and touched) Dippy the dinosaur!”. Now imagine your kid saying that to his/her friends! How cool of a parent can you get?
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The Natural History Museum divides its sections into 4 different coloured zone each sugarcoated with an experience to remember! The Blue zone covers the amazing diversity of life on Earth, the Red zone will take you on a journey through the amazing earthly sculpture and treasures. The Green will sweep you off your feet with its fascinating facts on life forms and environments while at the Orange zone you will be able to see scientists at work and enjoy the tranquility of their Wildlife Garden. Look out for their growing fox cubs at the garden early or later in the day!
[Also read: 3 Tips To Exploring London With Your Little Ones]
Opening Hours: Opens every day except for 24, 25 and 26 December.
Museum Galleries are open daily from 10.00 to 17.50.
Admission Fee: Free (Seasonal Special Exhibitions have a fee charged, main halls are free)
Address: Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd., London SW7 5BD
Nearest Underground Station: South Kensington (Circle, District and Piccadilly lines)
10. Victoria & Albert Museum
In short, the locals just call it V&A, one of Britain’s royal iconic couple. Situated just right next to the Natural History Museum, the V&A Museum stores the world’s greatest art and design creative expressions across time. As vast and subjective Art gets, so does the variety of art installations and exhibitions you will be able to find at the V&A. You name it, from architecture to textile; to books and ceramics; to photography and theatrical performances. It really sounds like a great place to get inspired and tingle your creative streak, if you ask me.
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Because of their deep appreciation of art and it’s highly celebrated at all levels, it’s only logical to have their very own National Art Library. This library is situated at the first floor of V&A. If you’re an art student, a person who appreciates aesthetics or just someone who needs an inspiration – this is a place to check out. The nerdy traveler in me always wants to check out libraries of any kind in different cities – so this is a definite to-go place for me!
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Opening Hours: Opens every day except for 24, 25 and 26 December.
Museum Galleries are open daily from 10.00 – 17.45
Tunnel Entrance to the V&A is open from 10.00 – 17.40 Saturday to Thursday, 10.00 – 20.00 on Fridays
National Art Library is open 10.00 – 17.30 Tuesday – Saturday, closed on Sundays and Mondays
Admission Fee: Free (Seasonal Special Exhibitions have a fee charged)
Address: Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL
Nearest Underground Station: South Kensington (Circle, District and Piccadilly lines)
11. Science Museum
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To add flavour to all that artsy experience you just had, the Science Museum is the next place you should pop in, just to give a little balance to all that left-right brain thingy ma jig. The Science Museum is known worldwide for its wide array of exhibitions, collections and galleries. Showcases that intrigue your mind to probe further on our existence, our limitless Universe and everything that you could think of under the sun!
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If time is a factor (again!), the must-go showcases at the Science Museum are the: Energy Hall, Exploring Space, Making the Modern World, Who Am I and Flight. But of course there are other selections that may interest you more. If you’re not up for those exhibitions, at least catch a show event at their IMAX Theatre (for some fee)!
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After all that in-depth research, who knows you might be the next Einstein? ?
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Opening Hours: Opens every day except for Good Friday, 24, 25 and 26 December
Museum Galleries are open daily from 10.00 – 18.00
Admission Fee: Free (IMAX Theatre, flight simulators and other special exhibitions have an entry fee)
Address: Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD.
Nearest Underground Station: South Kensington (Circle, District and Piccadilly lines)
#HHWT Tip: As the Science Museum is very near the Natural History Museum and V&A, you can head to either Bosphorus Kebabs or Roots and Bulbs to get your meal!
12. National Gallery
Credit: Diego Delso [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
A definite visit for art buffers as it is one of the mostly visited Art museums next to Paris’ Musèe du Louvre and the British Museum. Located right at Trafalgar Square, visits on days you just want to wind down from London’s hustle are ideal. Just let your mind wander as you go through different paintings by different soulful artists.
Taking a peep into their Virtual Tour can help you decide if this is the right place for you! You can do that through this link (the wonders of the internet!)
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It will also come in handy to know briefly about the time and environment these artists’ come from to appreciate their masterpieces. How else are you going to witness Da Vinci to Van Gogh’s famous masterpieces for FREE?
Address: The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN
Contact: 0207 584 0019
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday, 08.00 – 19.30, Saturday – Sunday, 09.00 – 19.00
Nearest Underground Station: Picacadilly Underground Station (Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines), Leicester Square Underground Station (Northern and Piccadilly lines) - 200metres away
There are just too many museums in London that it is impossible to squeeze everything in a list. We hope that these selections above can help you on what to expect on your London adventure!