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London's Museums and Galleries
 
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London is home to over 300 museums and galleries, making it the epicentre of culture and collections in the northern hemisphere! From the world's largest Maritime Museum to an art gallery in an old power station, London delves into the history of everything from boats to Botticellis and mosaics to manuscripts. Over the following pages you will find information about London's top museums and galleries - specially chosen to give you a flavour of some of London's great cultural assets.
  British Museum
 Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG World-renowned museum of human history and culture. Over seven millions objects from all over the world are housed in this impressive museum of human history and culture (many of the artifacts are stored underneath the museum due to lack of space). Founded in 1753, displays ranging from prehistoric to modern times were primarily based on the collections of physician and scientist, Sir Hans Sloane. Notable objects include the Parthenon Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, sculptures from the Parthenon, the Sutton Hoo and Mildenhall treasures, and the Portland Vase. The hieroglyphics and classical sculptures are instantly recognisable and world famous, but more surprising is the workmanship and beauty of the Saxon jewellery collection. The treasures assembled here, from Britain's Dark Ages, reveal a period of original and brilliant artistry. The museum's Great Court with its magnificent glass and steel roof by Sir Norman Foster is an exhibition piece in itself. Regular events include talks, films, performances and demonstrations. Best for: Archaeology and anthropology, artifacts and antiquities, the Rosetta Stone and Elgin Marbles. Did you know? 'Blackmail', Alfred Hitchcock's first sound film, features both the Reading Room and the dome of the British Museum. Address: Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG Phone: 020 7323 8000 Timing: Sat to Wed 10:00-17:30, Thu & Fri 10:00-20:30 Pricing: Free. Exhibition prices vary. Highlights tour £8 Adults, £5 Concs Nearest Station: Tottenham Court Road British Museum - Information  National Gallery
Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN Huge range of European art, ranging from 1260 to 1900. The National Gallery dominates over London's Trafalgar Square as it dominates all other galleries in the city in terms of world renown. Some of the finest examples of European art, ranging from 1260 to 1900, are included among the 2300 paintings filling its halls and rooms. Holbein's 'The Ambassadors', 'The Hay Wain' by Constable, and Jan Van Eyck's 'Arnolfini Marriage' are just some of the major attractions. Works on display also include those of Botticelli, Monet, Constable, Van Gogh and Rembrandt. This really is the place to come for top quality artwork spanning a wide spectrum of styles and periods. From the Early Renaissance to the Post-Impressionists, every significant stage in the development of painting is represented in its collection, often by masterpieces. Originally established by Parliament in 1824, the collection belongs to the British public and every effort is made to encourage the public to visit, view and experience the art: free entry, free events, free talks and free tours support this ethos of encouragement and enthusiasm. Regular weekend activities include: guided tours at 11:30, 14:30 with extra tours at 12:30 and 15:30 on Saturdays, lunchtime talks on Saturdays at 13:00, and Art Through Words sessions for visitors with a visual impairment at 11:30 on the last Saturday of the month. Best for: Masterpieces, art for the people, talks and tours, Holbein and 'The Hay Wain'. Did you know? In 1853 a parliamentary Select Committee was set up to investigate the alleged ?over zealous? cleaning of paintings at the gallery. Address: Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN Phone: 020 7747 2885 Timing: Daily 10:00-18:00 (Wed 21:00) Pricing: Free, special exhibitions prices vary. Nearest Station: Charing Cross Tube / Rail National Gallery - Information  Tate Britain
Millbank, SW1P 4RG British art and the Turner Prize, Blake, Spencer and Stubbs. Overlooking the River Thames, Tate Britain was originally founded through the philanthropy of the sugar magnate Sir Henry Tate. The Tate legacy now encompasses three other galleries around the UK, including Tate Modern also in London. Dedicated to showcasing Britain's artistic talent, Tate Britain is home to the greatest collection of British art from 1500 to the present day. Since it opened in 1897, the collection has expanded to include works from Blake, Rossetti, Spencer and Stubbs. It also hosts the Turner Prize - the contemporary art world's premier award. Turner's Gallery (another tribute to the artist himself) is a virtual reconstruction of the room in which Turner showed his own paintings. Address: Millbank, SW1P 4RG Phone: 020 7887 8000 Timing: Open from 10:00 to 17:50 daily. Pricing: Free, special exhibitions prices vary Nearest Station: Pimlico Tube Tate Britain - Information  Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD Interactive, life and earth science museum. An 8-metre long giant squid, a walrus from Hudson Bay overstuffed by a London taxidermist in the 1880s, the skeleton of a Triceratops, a life-size Blue Whale and a sea cow are just a few of the 70 million items to call this exciting, interactive, life and earth science museum home. Highlights include: Dinosaurs - the ultimate prehistoric exhibition, Creepy-Crawlies - guaranteed to have you scratching in seconds, Human Biology - the must-see exhibition about the evolution of the species, The Power Within - a sensational earthquake experience, and Ecology and Mammals. Investigate - a hands-on science centre - is especially great for children. Rhythms of Life and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibitions also demand attention. For those wanting to explore further a visit to The Darwin Centre is recommended. Regular lectures and demonstrations combined with interactive exhibitions aim to bring to life the millions of preserved specimens on show. There is also a tranquil wildlife garden containing native fauna and flora. Best for: Dinosaurs, creepy crawlies, bones and beasts, science and species. Did you know? The remains and bones of the Thames Whale trapped in the river on 20th January 2006 were donated to the museum following a campaign by The Sun newspaper. Address: Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD Phone: 020 7942 5000 Timing: Mon to Sat 10:00-17:50, Sun 11:00-17:50 Pricing: Free, special exhibitions prices vary Nearest Station: South Kensington Tube Natural History Museum - Information  Science Museum
Exhibition Road, SW7 2DD IMAX, interactivity, twiddling, tweaking and technology. Home to one of the world's most magnificent collections of science, industry, technology and medicine, the Science Museum is one of London's most hands-on and interactive museums. Funded by the profits of the Great Exhibition of 1851, it started life in the 19th century as part of Prince Albert's grand scheme to promote industrial technology. Today, it occupies a purpose-built gallery and contains some 300,000 objects, covering the entire history of Western science, technology and medicine. Visitors are invited to learn about forces and motion in Launch Pad and discover how aircraft are built in Flight Lab. The Wellcome Wing allows visitors to morph their faces to look older or younger, manipulate their voices and create digital music, or be sucked into the 3D world of the stunning IMAX cinema. The scientific questions of the day are hotly debated in Antenna. Address: Exhibition Road, SW7 2DD Phone: 0870 870 4868 Timing: 10:00 17:45 daily Pricing: Free, special exhibitions prices vary Nearest Station: South Kensington Tube Science Museum - Information  National Portrait Gallery
St Martin's Place, WC2H 0HE Portraits from the 14th century to the present day. This isn't the place to come for serious works of exceptional artistic merit - the overriding aim of this gallery is to reflect the status of the sitter, not the artist - but where else in London could you hope to find The Beatles, Henry VIII, Fatboy Slim and Joan Collins all hanging out together? The appeal of this gallery (opened in 1856) rests simply in its comprehensive commemoration of British history from the late 14th century to the present day through the medium of portraiture. The sense of progression and the feeling of familiarity with many subjects are what make the gallery so appealing. Having said that, critically acclaimed self-portraits by William Hogarth, Sir Joshua Reynolds and other notable British artists are also displayed alongside the 10,000 portraits of everyone from statesmen to showbiz stars and media barons. The collection represents Britain and is arranged thematically, starting with the Tudors and ending with present day politicians and pop stars. Look out for the only surviving portrait of Shakespeare taken from life in The Ondaajte Wing, the Hans Holbein cartoon of Henry VIII, the anamorphic portrait of Edward VI, and the sculpture of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in medieval costume. Photographs, caricatures, drawings and sculpture are included in the collection which also boasts 250,000 archived images. The National Portrait Gallery also hosts the annual BP Portrait Prize competition alongside ever-changing collections of contemporary work. Best for: Accesssible art, portraits and posing, Shakespeare and showbiz. Did you know? The biggest portrait in the gallery is 52,000 times larger than the smallest. Address: St Martin's Place, WC2H 0HE Phone: 020 7306 0055 Timing: Open from 10:00 to 18:00 daily, 10:00 to 21:00 Thursday and Friday Pricing: Free (except for some special exhibitions) Nearest Station: Charing Cross Tube / Rail National Portrait Gallery - Information  Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum
Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL Museum of decorative and applied arts. With over 145 galleries to explore and over 4 million items, the V&A is one of the most influential museums of decorative and applied arts in the world. It was originally founded in 1852, with the aim of enthusing and educating British manufacturers and designers. It is now home to a stunning collection of European, Indian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Islamic artefacts ranging from ceramics, glass, metalwork and sculpture to costume, armour, weaponry and furniture. The gallery also houses the national collection of photography. Visitors can delve into the fascinating dress collection that features samples from historical dress to 21st century haute-couture or examine the celebrated Arts and Crafts interiors of the Morris and Gamble Rooms. The gallery is often cited as housing the greatest collection of Italian Renaissance sculpture outside Italy, while the British Galleries - which opened to great acclaim in November 2001 - are unique in their exploration of British design from Chippendale to Morris, Adam to Mackintosh. Highlights include the Great Bed of Ward as mentioned in Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night', and James II's wedding suit. In recent years the trend at the V&A has been towards style retrospectives of entire periods like Art Deco, Art Nouveau and shows focusing on individual designers like Armani and Ossie Clarke. The museum is second-to-none in this regard. The building itself - a mix of Victorian and Edwardian design - also presents a truly formidable display. The two halls (Cast Courts), in particular, form a major focal point for the gallery - with their high glass roof, elevated corridors and walkways. Best for: James II's wedding suit, ceramics and sculpture, Morris to Macintosh. Did you know? In July 1973 - to support its outreach programme aimed at attracting young people - the V&A became the first museum to hold a rock concert. Address: Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL Phone: 020 7942 2000 Timing: Thu to Tue 10:00-17:45, Wed and last Fri of every month 10:00-22:00 Pricing: Free Nearest Station: South Kensington Tube Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum - Information  National Maritime Museum
Romney Road Greenwich, SE10 9NF Navigation, navy, the sea and the Empire. Located in the heart of historic Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum houses the most important collection of objects relating to the history of Britain at sea. The collection dates back to 1823 when a National Gallery of Naval Art was established, featuring some 300 portraits, paintings and artefacts. The museum occupies a former asylum and hospital school, and enjoys fantastic views of the Thames from its elevated position. With the addition of the covered Neptune Court, the museum now boasts galleries dealing with topics ranging from navigation, naval exploits and Nelson, to exploration, the ecology of the sea and emigration. Visitors can try their hand at signalling and gunnery, explore the expansion of the Empire or just revel at the power, majesty and romance of the sea through poetry, painting and photography. Address: Romney Road Greenwich, SE10 9NF Phone: 020 8858 4422 Pricing: Free Nearest Station: North Greenwich Tube/ DLR National Maritime Museum - Information  Museum of London
150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN Record of London from the prehistoric to the present day. Experience the real flavour of London life from the prehistoric to present day at this modern museum boasting over 1.1 million objects - many rescued from archaeological digs or discovered during building works in The City. A chain of chronological galleries guide visitors through the history of this ancient city; 47,000 objects from Roman London pave the way to buckles, brooches and belt-fittings of the medieval period, 17th century glassware leads onto vivid Victorian street scenes, interiors and shop fronts. From the skulls of those thought to have been massacred by Queen Boudica to boots worn by the Duke of Wellington, Queen Victoria's parliamentary robes and paraphernalia from the Suffragettes' Movement, the history of London and its inhabitants is brought back to life with startling intensity. Don't miss fragments of the old London Wall located just outside the museum. Best for: London life past and present, archaeological treasures, skulls and skeletons. Did you know? Built in 1757, the Lord Mayor's Coach built on display in the museum is still taken out and used every year for the city's Lord Mayor's Show. Address: 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN Phone: 0870 444 3852 Timing: Mon to Sat 10:00-17:50, Sun 12:00-17:50. Pricing: Free Nearest Station: Barbican Tube Museum of London - Information  Imperial War Museum
Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ War and weapons, tanks and rockets, painting and poetry. Occupying the former Bethlehem Hospital for the Insane ('Bedlam'), the Imperial War Museum is the national museum of 20th century conflict. Founded in 1917, the museum not only contains a fascinating display of the vehicles and weapons of war, but also makes an in-depth study of the social effects of conflict. From the M4 Sherman tank, the V2 rocket and Polaris missile, to the walk-through recreation of a front line trench from the Somme, the Imperial War Museum represents all facets of fighting and its aftermath. Both World Wars are chronicled with thought-provoking displays of painting and poetry from Sassoon to Wilfred Owen, and a reconstructed air raid shelter and blitzed street from 1940. The sights, sounds and smells have been carefully recreated to really bring the experience to life. Over 15,000 paintings, 120 million feet of cine film and 30,000 posters make this a unique collection. Address: Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ Phone: 020 7416 5320 Timing: 10:00 to 18:00 daily Pricing: Free, donations appreciated Nearest Station: Elephant & Castle Tube / Rail Imperial War Museum - Information  Tate Modern
Bankside Power Station, 25 Sumner Street, SE1 9TG The Turbine Hall, 20th century art, Matisse to Moore. Located along the banks of the River Thames, Tate Modern opened to great acclaim in 2000 and has since welcomed millions of visitors through its imposing doors. If you are visiting for the first time, you should approach from Blackfriars (Tube / Rail) station, crossing Norman Foster's 'Blade of Light' Millennium footbridge, walking towards this spectacular modernist masterpiece with the dome of St Paul's Cathedral behind you. Housed in the former Bankside Power Station, the gallery pays homage to art from 1900 to the present day. The awesome Turbine Hall creates a stunning entrance and a vast space, used to display temporary installations on a grand scale. There are three levels of galleries enclosed by a spectacular two-storey glass roof that provides fantastic views of London and a great cafe. Full of the jokey eccentricities of contemporary art, it's one of the few art galleries that children and teenagers will enjoy, but it also offers the full set of iconic 20th century artists, from Matisse to Moore, Dali to Picasso. Justifiably the most popular art gallery in Europe. Address: Bankside Power Station, 25 Sumner Street, SE1 9TG Phone: 020 7887 8000 Timing: Open from 10.00 to 18.00 Sunday to Thursday, 10:00 to 22:00 Friday and Saturday Pricing: Free (but donations from visitors are needed to support the gallery's work) Nearest Station: Blackfriars Tube / Rail Tate Modern - Information  Somerset House
Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA Gallery and former Tudor palace. Now a magnificent 18th century art gallery housing the celebrated Courtauld Institute Gallery and the Embankment Galleries, Somerset House was once the site of a spectacular Tudor palace. Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset and Lord Protector of Edward VI, built the great mansion on the banks of the river to match his new-found status and rank. Following the Duke's execution for treason in 1552, the house passed onto Queen Elizabeth I and then Anne of Denmark and Norway - wife of James I - who christened it 'Denmark House'. Charles I's Queen, Henrietta Maria of France, was the next royal occupant. Having lived through the Civil War, the Great Fire, various refurbishments and other regal guests including Queen Catherine of Braganza, the palace fell into disrepair in the 1700s and was eventually demolished. Sir William Chambers was commissioned to design a replacement building whose purpose was to house various learned societies of the day. The current building still looks and feels like a palace with its great courtyard and elegant fountains, riverside terrace and magnificent collection of art and sculpture. It's easy to imagine a time when kings, queens and courtiers graced its grounds. Modern-day concerts now held in the courtyard echo the dramatic and musical masque entertainments popular during the reign of Anne of Denmark. While visitors have to pay to view the main galleries, admission to the courtyard, riverside terrace, restored Seamen's Hall, Nelson Stair, interpretation gallery and 18th century Commissioner's Barge are all free. Best for: Former royal palace, fountains, courtyards, art, terraces and treason. Did you know? The existing Courtyard was used as a car park by the Inland Revenue only a few years ago. Address: Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA Phone: 020 7845 4600 Timing: Daily from 10:00 Pricing: £5 (Adults) £4 (Concs) FREE (Under 18s) Nearest Station: Temple Tube Somerset House - Information  Design Museum
28 Shad Thames, SE1 2YD Furniture, fashion, architecture and art. This was the first museum in the world to focus on the exhibition of mass-produced items and today boasts a celebrated collection of everyday objects from the 20th and 21st centuries. While the items allow visitors to reminisce about the past, the Design Museum also provides an opportunity to examine innovative prototypes for the future. The objects relate to engineering, technology, furniture, fashion and architecture. Housed in a 1950s building re-designed by the Conran Group, the museum lies just downriver of Butler's Wharf and the old spice-importing warehouses. Address: 28 Shad Thames, SE1 2YD Phone: 0870 833 9955 Timing: Open from 10:00 to 5.45 daily Pricing: £7 Adults, £4 Conc, free for Under 12s Nearest Station: Tower Hill Tube Design Museum - Information
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