Choosing The Best Museums in London to Visit

If you love to explore history and culture, then there’s no better place to visit than London. Not only does London have its own history that dates back tens of thousands of years, it has an almost immeasurable amount of knowledge, artefacts and information from all around the world located in its many museums.

You can spend an entire week in London exploring the city’s museums. And there are so many to choose from that no matter what you find interesting, you’re bound to find plenty of exhibits that are right up your alley.

Fascinated by dinosaurs? The Natural History Museum is where you should head first. Interested to learn more about design and world culture? The Victoria and Albert (V&A) is a fantastic place to get lost in. Do you have kids who love to soak up facts while pressing buttons? Then the Science Museum will, well… push their buttons!

But where should you head first if you’re looking to soak up some facts and discover something new? In this guide, we’re going to run through the best museums in London so you can have a fun, interesting and exciting day out in the capital.

Visiting museums in London

It goes without saying, but London is a big city. Thankfully that means there are loads of museums to choose from, so you can have plenty of free days out.

Before you set off, make sure you know what you want to do beforehand. Some of the museums in London are close together, like the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, which are right next door to each other. But others are fairly spread out. Thankfully, London has a great network of transport options, so getting around the city is easy peasy. But, you’ll want to make sure you’re not zipping about too much to make sure you have the most time possible exploring the museums and not sitting on buses or trains.

You should also check whether the museum you’re looking to visit is free or charges an entry fee. Many museums and galleries around London are free to enter, but some do charge, so it’s best to check first. Some museums also have temporary exhibitions, with some requiring an upcharge to experience, so just be aware of this before you visit. If there is a charge, it can be worth booking online as you may need a timed slot. Booking ahead could even save you a little bit of money.

Our recommended museums to visit

London is a treasure trove of amazing places to visit. High on the list is the massive amount of museums, which each have different things to discover, from the history of the world to how the world actually works and everything in between.

So, if you’re keen to visit London and some of its iconic museums, we’re here to help you decide which is best for you. Below are our picks for the best museums in London.

The Victoria and Albert Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum (also known as the V&A) is a world-famous museum that specialises in exhibits dedicated to art and design. Named after the legendary Queen Victoria and her love Albert, the V&A was established in 1852 and boasts a collection of more than 2.3 million items across 5,000 years of world history.

It’s practically impossible to see everything. Including fashion, textiles, sculptures… even an exhibit that focuses on iron gates. There’s so much to take in, with regular guest exhibits and new additions, which makes it great for returning to again and again.

You’ll find the V&A in South Kensington, which has great tube connections and isn’t far from the Natural History Museum or Science Museum. It also has a fantastic shop and boasts the world’s first museum cafe, where you can enjoy a bite to eat and a drink among absolutely incredible architecture. It’s definitely worth a visit.

The Science Museum

Whether you have kids in tow or not, The Science Museum is a great place to visit and learn all about the ways things work. You can feed hungry minds and keep the whole family entertained for hours.

Learn all about space, engineering, the body, mathematics, transport, computers and more, all presented in interactive and interesting exhibitions across multiple floors. It’s free to access The Science Museum, but it’s recommended that you reserve your place ahead of time.

There’s also a shop and five cafes, including the diner which offers freshly stonebaked pizzas, and the shake bar which whips up made-to-order shakes.

Tate Modern

The Tate Modern is easily recognisable thanks to it being located in a former power station on the banks of the River Thames. You can access it easily, too, by taking a wander over the famous Millennium Bridge (which was destroyed by Death Eaters in the Harry Potter films!).

The Tate Modern is home to modern and contemporary art from renowned and emerging artists from across the world. There are pieces that make you think, laugh, cry and every other emotion under the sun.

Admission is free, but there are often visiting exhibitions with an upcharge. If you get hungry, there’s a restaurant and cafe, as well as an Espresso Bar to help give you a little pick me up. At the end of your visit, pop into the shop to pick up artwork and souvenirs inspired by many of the items in the museum.

The British Museum

The British Museum is right around the corner from Russell Square and the University of London. It was founded in 1753 and is known as one of the world’s most prestigious cultural institutions, with a collection of more than 8 million objects.

Here, you can explore exhibitions that focus on human history from Ancient Egypt, the Americas, China, Africa and beyond. It’s a stunning building with parts covered by an incredible glass roof. It really has to be seen to be believed.

You can spend all day here learning about more than 2 million years of history. Of course, there’s also a shop and several places to grab a bite to eat, including a pizzeria, and if you become a museum member you even get 10% off.

Serpentine Galleries

Found in the incredible Kensington Gardens, Serpentine Galleries is an art gallery split between two different buildings on either side of The Serpentine lake. It offers a series of galleries filled with contemporary art from both established and up-and-coming artists.

The Serpentine hosts regular rotating exhibitions, including paintings, sculptures and installations. The Sackler Gallery, which is located in a former gunpowder factory, is a smaller space that has innovative exhibitions and experiences.

When you’re done taking in the artwork, you can then explore the picturesque Kensington Gardens, which itself is like a museum with statues, memorials, pristine gardens and more to explore.

British Library

You’ll find the British Library next door to St Pancras station, but it’s not like other libraries you might have visited. It houses one of the largest collections in the world, with more than 170 million items from the past and present. It includes some incredible pieces you should definitely check out, including the Magna Carta, notebooks used by Leonardo da Vinci and original scores written by Beethoven.

You can of course use the British Library as a library with a reader pass and study spaces, and there are several cafes inside, as well as a shop that sells a variety of gifts and – as you might expect – books.

Imperial War Museum

To learn all about the history of modern warfare, The Imperial War Museum highlights the experiences of those who have lived through war.

The museum is free to visit, and has a collection of objects from wars around the world, including World War I, World War II and the Holocaust. It’s a sombre and emotional journey through the tribulations of war, so it can be a rather heavy visit. But, it’s also important and shows just what happens during wartime.

There’s also a cafe and shop, and the IMW London is just one of many museums around the UK, along with locations in Duxford, Manchester and Belfast.

The Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum in South Kensington is arguably one of the most famous museums in the world. The architecture of the building alone is reason to visit, but it’s also home to exhibitions that focus on dinosaurs, space, minerals, animals, insects and loads more. Even entering the museum offers incredible views, including the enormous blue whale skeleton that hangs in the grand Hintze Hall.

The museum is free to enter but does offer additional experiences to see parts of the museum that the public usually can’t access, which includes incredible specimens you might not otherwise see, including a preserved full size giant squid and some of the actual species Darwin returned to London with.

There’s also a cafe and a huge shop, and the museum regularly hosts upcharge exhibits which are always worth checking out.

National Gallery

Right in London’s iconic Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is home to what some call the best collection of art in West Europe. There are more than 2,000 pieces of art, from legendary artists including Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Turner and Botticelli.

It’s not a place to take kids who are looking to burn off some energy, instead it’s somewhere to be quiet and reflect while taking in masterpieces produced between the 14th and 19th centuries.

There’s also a cafe here which offers a Van Gogh themed afternoon tea, including a sunflower chocolate pot which is absolutely to die for. Or if you just fancy a quick sit down, there’s also a cafe and espresso bar which offer light refreshments.

The Wallace Collection

The Wallce Collection is something of a hidden gem, which you’ll find in Manchester Square. Established in 1897, the museum has a wonderful collection of art, including paintings, furniture, armour, porcelain and sculptures.

The museum is free to enter, and it’s well worth a visit, and you can almost get lost within the incredible architecture. There’s also a lovely cafe that offers a range of light bites, and a restaurant that offers cream teas, a la carte options and a three course set menu.

London Transport Museum

London’s transportation history is fascinating, and there’s no better place to learn all about it than at the London Transport Museum. It’s home to almost half a million items, including buses, vintage cars, memorabilia and more. It even goes into detail about how the underground started way back in 1860, including the only remaining steam engine from that time.

You might not initially assume so, but the museum is actually great for kids, with loads of interactive things for them to see and do. There’s also a shop so you can buy a souvenir and a cafe if you fancy a bite to eat during your visit.

The museum isn’t free, but once you purchase your ticket you automatically get upgraded to an annual pass, so you can head back as many times over the next year as you like.

London Museum Docklands

London Museum Docklands offers insight into the fascinating history of London’s docklands and the River Thames, with plenty of artefacts, interactive elements and exhibits. The museum is free to enter, and while not the biggest London has to offer, it’s worth checking out to see how the docklands had such a major impact on shaping modern day London.

National Army Museum

Found in Chelsea, the National Army Museum showcases the history of the British Army through a collection of 250,000 items. You can explore the museum and see genuine items used by the British Army, including weapons, vehicles and uniforms, and hear all about real stories from those who have served

Admission to the museum is free, and it’s well worth a visit to get an interactive look at life in the British military.

Charles Dickens Museum

The Charles Dickens Museum might be small, but it’s packed full of fun and facts about one of literature's most well-known names. The museum will tell you all about Dickens’ life and his works, and includes genuine items from his life.

The museum itself, located at 48 Doughty Street, was actually the home of Charles Dickens and where he wrote some of his best known works, such as Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby.

Children can visit the museum for free but there is a fee for adults, so bear this in mind. However, it’s certainly worth it to get a glimpse at what life was like for one of the greatest authors in history.

See what our apartments in London look like

If you’re looking to learn about history, cultures, science, literature or practically anything else you can think of, then London is the place to be. But, with so much to explore (with many more museums beyond this list) the best way to experience everything London has to offer is by calling it home.

If you’re thinking about moving to London, see what our London apartments are like and why they’re the perfect way to make your big move into the city.