These are just a taste of the wonderful museums and galleries of London.
If you have a particular interest, chances are there is a museum devoted
to it in London. Note that several of the museums are clustered near
to each other in South Kensington, making for an easy day out.
A fascinating exploration of popular culture over the past century, as manifested in our habits as consumers. Everything from posters to postcards, from chip packets to fads you might remember from ... well, awhile back!
2 Colville Mews, Lonsdale Road,
Notting Hill London,
Greater London,
England,
W11 2AR
A marvelous way to spend a rainy afternoon in London. The museum's exhibits are arranged in chronological order from prehistoric times to the present. There is a relief map of the Thames valley, and models of Old St. Paul's and the White Tower in the time of William the Conqueror, as well as an audio-visual recreation of the Great Fire. The centrepiece of the museum is the Lord Mayor's State Coach, built in 1757 and still used in the annual Lord Mayor's Show.
150 London Wall,
London,
Greater London,
England,
EC2Y 5HN
A historic warehouse in London's Docklands has been converted into a modern museum telling the tale of London's river and port over time, going back as far as the Roman conquest. There is a children's interactive gallery, plus recreations of a 19th century riverside, and an exhibition detailing London's involvement with the slave trade. Fee payable, but tickets allow unlimited entry for a full year. Children free.
West India Quay,
London,
Greater London,
England,
E14 4AL
One of the world's great art museums, the National Gallery faces onto Trafalgar Square. Pigeons and tourists outside, but inside a wealth of magnificent European art from the 13th to the 20th century. Despite the presence of Gainsborough's Mr. And Mrs. Andrews, and Constable's Haywain, this is not the place to look for a large gathering of native British art, as the honour of housing the national collection falls to the Tate Gallery. Never mind, what is here is priceless. The prize of the collection is probably Leonardo da Vinci's Virgin and Child with St. Anne and John the Baptist, but there are also works by Rembrandt, Boticelli, Vermeer, Goya, Manet, and Renoir, among many, many others.
Trafalgar Square,
London,
Greater London,
England,
WC2N 5DN
The largest maritime museum in the world contains some 2500 models of ships, plus paintings, navigational instruments, uniforms, and historical artifacts telling the long story of Britain at sea. Look for the collection of royal barges and the special exhibits on Nelson and Cook. The Museum is housed in Queen's House and includes the Royal Observatory further up the hill.
Park Row,
Greenwich London,
Greater London,
England,
SE10 9NF
Just around the corner from the National Gallery. This is the place to come if you simply must put a face to the names you've been picking up in historical romance novels (just ask my wife). Portraits of the famous and infamous in British history from the Tudors to the 20th century.
Martin's Place,
London,
Greater London,
England,
WC2H 0HE
Originally part of the British Museum, the collection grew so large it required a separate identity. Dinosaur skeletons, fossils, human biology, Britain's major habitats examined, and the ever-popular Creepy Crawlies exhibit.
Cromwell Road,
South Kensington London,
Greater London,
England,
SW7 5BD
The public art gallery for the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The Orleans House Gallery is located by the banks of the Thames in a lovely 18th century building which includes the superb Octagon Room by James Gibbs. The house is named for Louis Phillippe, Duc D'Orleans, who lived here in exile between 183-15. The core of the art collection is paintings from the early 18th century to the present.
Riverside,
Twickenham London,
Greater London,
England,
TW1 3DJ
A beautiful gallery hosting changing exhibits, including major touring art shows from around the world.
Burlington House,
Piccadilly London,
Greater London,
England,
W1J 0BD
Take off to the Royal Air Force Museum and soar through the history of aviation from the earliest balloon flights to the latest Eurofighter. Gaze at a world-class collection of over 100 aircraft, aviation/wartime memorabilia and artefacts together with an awe inspiring sound and light show that takes you back in time to the Battle of Britain. The Aeronauts Interactive Centre offers hands-on entertainment and education for all ages and includes cockpit controls, co-ordination tests, engine lifting, air speed, drop zone, pilot testing and more.
Grahame Park Way,
London,
Greater London,
England,
NW9 5LL
Part of the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory is official home to 0 Meridian, and Greenwich Mean Time. You can straddle the meridian line in the courtyard outside the building and have one foot in each hemisphere. Inside, the fascinating museum traces the attempts to establish reliable navigation and time measurement. There is a planetarium and special exhibits. Look for the Time Ball atop the turret, which drops each day at precisely 1:00 PM so that ships in the Thames below can set their chronometers.
Park Row,
Greenwich London,
Greater London,
England,
SE10 9NF
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