The magnificent British Museum host an exhibit of 8,000,000 items spanning 2 million years of human experience, with galleries featuring Africa, the Americas, Ancient Egypt, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Classical Greece and Rome, and more.
Great Russell Street
Drawing annual crowds of 6 million, the British Museum and its massive collection provide themed tours, talks, and exhibitions with topics covering the globe. This makes the British Museum the top museum to visit not only in London but also the world.
The National Gallery in London displays the British national collections of paintings in the Western European tradition from between the 13th to 19th centuries.
Trafalgar Square
The National Gallery features more than 1000 paintings, including masterpieces from the Renaissance, Impressionist Movement, and more. Yet, it is the availability of a 60-minute tour that covers the cream of the collection that ensures the National Gallery is a must-see for art fans in London.
Featuring 500 years of human art, the Victoria and Albert Museum is a museum of decorative arts and design, home to a permanent collection with over 2.3 million objects.
Cromwell Road
Most museums, particularly those featuring art, offers tours of their permanent collection, but the Victoria and Albert Museum goes above and beyond! Besides their special exhibitions, they also have interactive components such as workshops and classes.
Though the Imperial War Museum in London was only intended to document WWI, it had since been extended to cover all British and Commonwealth military operations from August 1914 onwards.
Lambeth Road
Regardless of justification or morality, wars remain a source of tragedy and remembrance. The galleries featuring the World Wars and the Holocaust always leaves one with a sombre feeling, but it is one all should experience, lest historical mistakes are repeated.
Founded in 1881, the Natural History Museum showcases natural sciences ranging from biological specimens like fossils or a 9-metre giant squid to the works of pioneers like Charles Darwin and Sir Hans Sloane.
Cromwell Road
One of the defining characteristics of the Natural Museum is the space it has, allowing for huge specimens to be displayed, like the giant squid discussed earlier as well as the skeleton of a whale. Displays of this magnitude are rare and showcase London’s history as one of the premier scientific centres of the world.
Not only did the Churchill War Rooms serve as the great Winston Churchill’s private bunker during the Second World War, but they have also since been converted into a museum that showcases the life and legacy of the late Prime Minister and Allied hero.
Clive Steps
Stepping into a site of history is always astounding, and here at the Churchill War Rooms, you can actually walk on the very ground where the man himself worked and sometimes resided. From war cabinet meeting notes to war maps, you can experience the life of Churchill for yourself as everything remains exactly as it was left on the day the lights were switched off in 1945
Founded by Philip Henry Stanhope in 1856, the National Portrait Gallery holds the most extensive collection of portraits in the world, giving insights to the people who have shaped British history and culture through their painted or photographed portrait.
St Martin's Place
When a museum is a nightlife option, you can see why London is always thought to be a city of high culture. Every Thursday and Friday night, the National Portrait Gallery runs interactive activities, from drawing workshops to lectures, from discussions to live entertainment. The best part? You can even enjoy a drink at the Late Shift Bar afterwards. Why stand on the shoulder of giants when you can have a beer with them instead?
The converted Bankside Power Station is home to London’s The Tate Modern gallery, one of four museums in the Tate Gallery series. It displays British talent in a venue enhanced by the post-industrial ambience of the building's architectural design and its previous iteration as a power station.
Bankside
From exhibits dating back from 1900 to features on the present day, Tate Modern is dedicated to international art, both modern and contemporary. Disregarding the age of works is perhaps the gallery’s greatest accomplishments, choosing instead to focus on themes and subjects of modern art, ensuring its ‘can’t miss’ status for art fans.
The Wellcome Collection curates an exploration of the connection between medicine, life and art, inviting visitors to embark on a scientific adventure through the medium of arts and culture.
183 Euston Road
Having recently doubled in size to cater for growing numbers of visitors, the Wellcome Collection’s exhibition space is perhaps its greatest draw. The Medicine Now exhibit with its focus on the body, genomes, obesity and living with medical science, and Medicine Man, a cross section display of interesting objects from Sir Henry’s personal collection are among the most popular within the permanent exhibits.
Originally founded as part of the South Kensington Museum in 1857, the Science Museum has grown into an exhibition in its own grant, showcasing scientific, technological, and medical achievements from all around the globe.
Exhibition Road
Unlike its other museum counterparts in London, the Science Museum is one that emphasises an experience for the family. Interactive experiences like the WonderLab provides hands-on experiences and tours for children 7 and up, with exhibits including full-sized steam engines, the evolution of technology, and an IMAX 3D Experience with views from the International Space Station. However, when compared to some of London’s other museums, the Science Museum is not as ‘uniquely London’ as the others. Still, its children-friendliness and interactiveness more than justify its inclusion in the Top 10 Museums in London.
