About the area
The elegant streets of South Kensington are home to some of the finest museums in the world. This is one of the more exclusive neighbourhoods in London, the kind of place where, if you have to ask how much a townhouse is selling for, you can't afford it. This region offers a good mix of hotels from budget to luxury.
Nearest major attractions to South Kensington
Brompton Oratory
The London Oratory, Brompton Road, London SW7 2RP
This extraordinary Roman Catholic church is actually the London Oratory, but it is more commonly, though inaccurately, called the Brompton Oratory. The structure was begun in 1878 and the remarkable dome completed by 1896 in flamboyant Baroque style. The nave is exceeded in width only by Westminster Abbey and York Minster. Website
Tube: South Kensington
The Albert Memorial
Queen Victoria's memorial to her beloved consort sits at the Coalbrookdale Gates to Kensington Gardens. The statue of Prince Albert, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, looks upon the South Kensington cultural centre, the lasting legacy of Albert's grand project, the Great Exhibition of 1851.
Tube: South Kensington
Kensington Palace
South Kensington Palace State Apartments, South Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX
The royal residence here was redesigned by Christopher Wren for William and Mary in 1689. The State Apartments and the Court Dress Collection are open to the public, along with the sunken gardens. See the room where Queen Victoria was born, and paintings and furniture from the royal collection. Website
Tube: Queensway, Bayswater, High Street Kensington
Kensington Gardens
Kensington Gardens was once part of Hyde Park, until William IV enclosed it to become the gardens for Kensington Palace to the west. The Gardens are more orderly and formal than Hyde Park, with a sunken garden and a rectangular pond by the palace. By Long Water is a statue of Peter Pan, whose author, JM Barrie, donated the children's swings nearby.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road, South Kensington, SW7 2RL
Museum of the decorative arts, including furniture, jewellery, carpets, sculpture, reliquaries, prints, Dress Collection, and more. Free guided tours. One of the world's great museums. Website
Tube: South Kensington
Science Museum
Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2DO
Wow! Engineering, technology, industry, children's gallery, working models, rail transport, astronomy, and much, much, more. This is fun! Hands-on exhibits teach the fundamentals of science without appearing to teach. Website
Tube: South Kensington
Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road, South Kensington SW7 5BD
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. Website.
Tube: South Kensington
Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP
A popular venue for headline performers. Typical events include ballet, concerts, opera, and top pop or rock music performers. Website
Tube: South Kensington, High Street Kensington
