15 Best Museums in London to Visit for Art & History
There is no denying that London is a great city for museum lovers. You’ll find plenty of art and history to geek about here, but that’s not all. London museums cater to many interests where you can immerse yourself in your passions. From science, fashion and design to transportation, medicine and the obscure. With over 170 museums in London, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
One of my favourite things about museums in London is that many of them are free. You can walk in and spend an hour or a day checking out priceless art and treasures from around the world without having to pay a hefty admission fee. As a museum enthusiast, I think that this is an incredible treat. While not all museums are free, many of the largest and most well-known are. This goes a long way in a city like London, where things are pricey.
Best museums in London
While there are many great museums in London, I can’t possibly cover them all in this post. Instead, I decided to share my picks for the best museums in London that any culture, history and art lover would appreciate. These are also great if you’re coming here for the first time and unsure where to start.
As much as I love the museums here, I think it’s worth noting that many are in absolutely stunning buildings. It’s a win-win for art and architecture lovers. Even though there are many free museums in London, always make sure to check the official museum site for admission info before planning your visit. Some museums might have special exhibitions that require a separate fee to enter.
The British Museum
Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG
Before I even came to London, I knew that I wanted to visit the British Museum. Famous for its collections, just as for the controversies surrounding many acquisitions, this is a great place to start your exploration of museums in London.
The museum opened in 1759 as the first free national museum to cover all fields of human knowledge. While the museum was open to all visitors, it had limited hours, and visitors had to apply for tickets ahead of time. This, unsurprisingly, meant that admission was restricted to the well-connected, who got special treatment from the curators and trustees. It wasn’t until the changes in regulation in the 1830s that the museum became freely accessible and open to the public. Today, the British Museum welcomes over 6 million visitors annually and is one of London’s most visited.
While the museum houses over 8 million objects, only about 80,000 are displayed in the numerous halls and galleries. Here, you’ll find the Rosetta Stone from 196 B.C., which played a crucial role in our ability to decipher Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Not to be missed are the controversial Parthenon sculptures, brought from Greece by Lord Elgin, ancient Lewis Chessmen chess pieces carved from walrus ivory, and significant Egyptian and Chinese collections.
Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum
Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
I didn’t expect V&A to be such a massive place. As the world’s leading museum of art and design, there is plenty to explore. The museum’s permanent collection includes over 2.3 million objects that span over 5,000 years of human creativity. You can see many of the objects displayed over seven floors in more than 150 galleries.
The museum opened in 1852, after the success of the Grand Exhibition of 1851, as the Museum of Manufactures. It was housed in several semi-permanent buildings with new ones being constantly added. In 1890, the museum’s board launched a competition for a new façade that would bring cohesion to the overall architectural design. Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone in 1899 for what became the museum we know today.
Here, you’ll find one of the most significant collections of decorative arts, design, fashion and textiles. You can also admire furniture, jewellery, glass and ceramics, sculptures, metalwork and paintings. It’s like the museum is all about the beautiful and precious objects that span across various cultures and ages, collected for pure admiration.
Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD
I’m not going to lie. I think I loved the Natural History Museum building even more than its exhibits. There are no artworks by renowned painters here or sculptures from antiquity. Yet, as far as the best museums in London go, this one might be my favourite. It’s also free, which made me happier than a kid in a candy store.
The outside of the museum is an ode to Victorian architecture. The inside is just as impressive. In fact, the Natural History Museum looks more like a cathedral or a fancy palace, built with great imagination and loads of money. The interior is an awe-inspiring blend of staircases, carved pillars, animal reliefs, window arches, and fauna and flora sculptures.
The original collection of specimens was part of the British Museum’s Natural Department. As it grew out of its space, a competition was held in 1864 to design a new museum building. The work was completed in 1880 and the new museums opened to the public in 1881.
The building itself is magnificent, and just when you get past its stunning exterior and the entrance, you’re greeted by a skeleton of a 22.2-metre (over 72 feet) blue whale suspended from the ceiling. It is incredible. Inside, the museum holds about 80 million specimens of dinosaur bones and fossils, living and extinct species, as well as Charles Darwin’s first edition of On the Origin of Species and casts from Pompeii.
Churchill War Rooms
Clive Steps, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AQ
The Churchill War Rooms are exactly what you think they are. The former underground military HQ is where Winston Churchill coordinated the Allied resistance efforts against Nazi Germany during WWII. Much of the space is exactly as it was left after the war.
Today, it’s hard to imagine just how much activity took place just below the streets of London. Through the displays and objects from that time, you can learn about the men and women who worked and often slept here. The rooms and furnishing give you an idea of what this space looked like, while the recordings of the staff who worked here give you a more intimate insight into the daily operations. It’s quite surreal to hear them describe their routines and jobs and work with Winston Churchill while bombs were falling above ground.
There is also an extensive display dedicated to the life of Winston Churchill, where you can learn more about the man himself. Here you’ll find many personal objects, including letters to his wife, military uniforms, paintings and even alcohol expenses. If that wasn’t enough, you can listen to the extracts from his wartime speeches to get a full picture of who he was.
Imperial War Museum
Lambeth Rd, London SE1 6HZ
Like the Churchill War Rooms, the Imperial War Museum offers insights into the UK’s war efforts and the military response. The museum is housed in the former Bethlem Royal Hospital, with additional branches throughout the country. Here, you can find a collection of private documents, photographs and audio recordings collected during significant events,
In addition to documents and archives, there are various military vehicles, planes, weapons and equipment. If you’re into military history and want to see records and weaponry, this is a great place to explore. Admission to the Imperial War Museum is also free.
Tate Modern
Bankside, London SE1 9TG
Housed in what was once the Bankside Power Station, the Tate Modern museum houses a collection of British art from the 16th century to the present as well as international modern and contemporary art. The museum opened in 2000 and has since been attracting millions of visitors annually. Artworks are organized thematically and include works by Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe and Andy Warhol.
The original Tate Museum opened in 1897 with a small collection of British artworks. It was largely funded by the industrialist Henry Tate, who donated his collection of British 19th-century art to the nation. Today, Tate’s collection includes 70,000 works in four different locations. The original is known as Tate Britain.
PRO TIP: Don’t miss the views from the free viewing platform on top of the Blavatnik Building, an extension named after the billionaire oligarch Len Blavatnik, who donated money to the museum.
Museum of London
150 London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN
The Museum of London is the perfect place for history lovers. Covering London’s various incarnations, from Roman Londinium to the present-day metropolis, it takes visitors on a walk through time.
It was a place where the glittering world of wealth, fashion and high culture showed off its seedy underside; where princes partied with prostitutes, and the middle classes went to be shocked and titillated by the excess on display. Simultaneously an art gallery, a restaurant, a brothel, a concert hall and a park, the pleasure garden was the place where Londoners confronted their very best, and very worst, selves. When Vauxhall finally closed in 1859, it was the end of an era, never to be repeated.
Danielle Thom, Curator
Here you learn about the city under the Romans and the Saxons and the history of the Thames. For an insight into London’s dark past, you can walk the streets of Victorian London and examine how civil wars, plagues and fires ravaged the city. You can also learn about the suffragettes and relive the civil- and gay rights movements.
National Gallery
Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN
The National Gallery is home to one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of Western European art from the 13th to early 20th centuries. The gallery is conveniently located in the heart of Trafalgar Square. Here, you can check out masterpieces by Van Gogh, da Vinci and Turner. Don’t miss the Sainsbury Wing and its exquisite medieval and Renaissance works.
Like many of the best museums in London, the National Gallery offers free admission. Keep an eye out for expertly curated temporary exhibitions that provide insight into familiar and lesser-known artists. The gallery’s recent digital initiatives mean that its collection is accessible more than ever, though nothing compares to standing before Monet’s Water Lilies or Van Gogh’s Sunflowers in person. Check out the virtual gallery if you can’t make it in person.
Sir John Soane’s Museum
13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Holborn, London WC2A 3BP
Sir John Soane was an 18th-century architect and an avid collector. Over time, he purchased three adjoining properties and turned them into his own personal museum. Upon his death in 1832, his house and its entire collection were passed on to a board of trustees to preserve it in perpetuity for inspiration and education. The trustees continue to do so today.
Being an architect worked out well for Sir John, who was born as the fourth son of a bricklayer. Through his father’s connection and his own talent, he went on to have a very successful career as an architect. While taking the Grand Tour of Europe, he was inspired by the ancient ruins of Rome, Paestum and Pompeii, which inspired his interest in classical art and architecture.
Here you’ll find many spectacular items, from the sarcophagus of the Egyptian pharaoh, Seti I, stained glass from the medieval Palace of Westminster, Greek vases and Roman bronzes to furniture, paintings and his own miniatures. Everything is arranged how Soane envisioned it, and he was known for rearranging his collections to incorporate new acquisitions. This is one of the museums in London with limited access, so make sure to inquire ahead of time for available spots on the museum’s official website.
Tower of London
St Katharine’s & Wapping, London EC3N 4AB,
The Tower of London is not like the other museums in London, yet it should definitely be on your list. It was built by William the Conqueror in 1066 and has stood watch over London ever since. The Tower is famous for its Beefeaters, the collection of Crown Jewels, and as a notorious execution site where many have lost their heads.
The Tower has played an important part in the history of London. It was a defence fort, military barracks, an armoury and the royal mint. It also housed a menagerie of wild animals and royal records and served as a royal residence for England’s kings and queens.
I spent about three hours touring the tower grounds. It was an incredible experience made even more interesting because it was led by one of the Yeoman Wardens, known as the Beefeaters. The tour is included with your admission and makes the experience a lot more immersive. I totally recommend it!
National Portrait Gallery
St. Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE
The National Portrait Gallery, much like the name suggests, is an interesting take on British history through painted portraits, photographs, prints and drawings. I think telling history through portraits is such a cool idea, and here, you can explore centuries of history told through personal stories and images of those who shaped it.
You’ll find historically significant and famous people here, including kings, queens, artists and models. From the likes of Henry VIII, his wives and daughters, William Shakespeare and Queen Victora, to Elton John and Kate Moss. It’s a fascinating look at the people who have influenced history or profoundly influenced the world. I recommend visiting here for a different look at the past. We often forget that people in the past had eventful lives and did things much like we do today. This is your chance to learn more about the faces you see.
Science Museum
Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD
With seven floors of interactive displays and educational exhibits, this London museum is fun for everyone. From exhibits about early technology to space travel, you’re not likely to be bored. Here you can learn and explore everything about planes, trains, cars, locomotives, space ships and other inventions.
Collections at the Science Museum also include an extensive look at the contributions of women in science from the mid-1800s onwards. From Ada Lovelace’s work in computing during the 1840s to Beatrice Shilling’s work in aviation during the Second World War and many others.
There is also Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries, with more than 3,000 medical artifacts, striking artworks, interactive games and immersive experiences. If that doesn’t grab your interest, there are several others that focus on everyday items, from light bulbs, cooking appliances and roadworks to menstruation items over the centuries and vacuum cleaners. Who said museums were boring?
Design Museum
224-238 Kensington High Street, Kensington, London W8 6AG
When it comes to museums in London, this one is pretty straightforward. It is about celebrating all aspects of design across many media, including products, industrial graphics, fashion and architectural design. The museum houses permanent and temporary exhibitions and offers learning facilities, event space and studios for designers in residence. There is also a large auditorium, a library and archives. The Design Museum won the European Museum of the Year Award in 2018.
Black Cultural Archives
1 Windrush Square, London SW2 1EF
Also known as the BCA, the Black Cultural Archives is a museum dedicated to the history of African and Caribbean people in Britain. Here, can learn about often overlooked aspects of Black British history through photographs, personal papers and publications. The museum also offers educational and cultural events. Its location in Brixton is also a historically significant area for London’s Black community, which adds another layer of cultural relevance to the experience.
Horniman Museum
100 London Rd, London SE23 3PQ
The Horniman Museum opened in 1901, focusing on natural history, anthropology, and musical instruments. Over time, the museum expanded with an Aquarium and a Butterfly House. The British tea merchant Frederik John Horniman opened the museum in 1901 to house his collection of over 30,000 items he collected in his travels.
Here, you’ll find a collection of insects and other animal species, including a massive taxidermied walrus. There is also a permanent gallery dedicated to African, Afro-Caribbean and Brazilian art and a collection of around 1,600 musical instruments. Don’t miss the 16 acres of garden with nature trails, a gazebo and stunning views.
Final thoughts about the best museums in London
I will always love the museums in London. With such a variety, there is something for everyone to enjoy. It also proves that museums can be fun, educational and visually appealing. It helps that many of them are free, which means you can frequently visit without rushing through and trying to see everything all at once.
As London has been home to many wealthy people, its museums are filled with priceless objects collected worldwide. While I love the fact that we can see these things today, sometimes you have to question how they got there. It’s another great talking point that makes museums so fascinating. It’s one of my favourite cities for architecture and museums. If you’re into culture, history and art, you’ll find the museums in London top-notch.
