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The British Museum
The British Museum is one of the biggest museums of the world which takes probably weeks or even months to discover. Actually the name is a bit misleading as treasures from all over the world are displayed, especially from Greece, Egypt and the Roman Empire, from Babylon, South East Asia and China. The origins of the museum go back to the year 1753. Impressive is already the 125m long main façade which is structured through ionic pillars. When visiting the museum it is essential to have already an idea what you want to see. The “Rosetta Stone” in the entrance hall and the “Elgin Marbles” (a group of sculptures) on the ground floor are worth seeing as well as the departments depicting Rome and Italy before the Roman Empire on the first floor. Egyptian mummies, oriental collections and different silver and gold treasures are of extraordinary high cultural value and indeed worth seeing. No admission fee!
Opening times:
Great Court: Sun – Wed 9 am – 6 pm, Thurs – Sat 9 am – 11 pm
Galleries: Sat – Wed 10 am – 5.30 pm, Thurs – Fr 10 am – 8.30 pm
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Great Russel Street
WC1
London
Tel: +44 (0)20 7323 8299
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| www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk |
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The Museum of London
The Museum of London is a very lively museum presenting the history of the city. In 1976 two different museums were unified in the collection of the Museum of London, the Guildhall Museum from 1826 and the London Museum from 1912. Since then the number of pieces has grown immensely. The chronological exhibition starts in prehistoric times, leads through the Roman time and the middle ages, through the eras of Tudor and Stuarts, Hanover and Victorians and ends in the 20th century. Highlights are for example the multimedia show which lets visitors experience the great fire of 1666, the in 1954 discovered “Temple of Mithras” and the golden coach of the Lord Mayor, which is used once in a year to cart the new “boss” on his first official ride through the city. From time to time there are changing exhibitions depicting different aspects of the London life as well as regular lectures and movie presentations. A broad library hosts a lot of books for all those who are interested in the history of this amazing metropolis.
Opening times:
Tues – Sat 10 am – 5.50 pm, Sun 12 am – 5.50 pm
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150 London Wall
EC2
London
Tel: +44 (0)870 4443852
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| www.museumoflondon.org.uk |
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Museum of Mankind
The Museum of Mankind is a branch of the British Museum with an ethnographic collection. Similar to the British Museum the cadre of the collection are pieces brought together by Sir Hans Sloane, amongst them Eskimo glasses, Indian baskets and African leather shoes. After some time the collection was extended with a variety of curiosities and interesting objects which were brought home by Thomas Cook and his crew but also by private persons who had travelled far. Today the visitor can dive into the cultures of Africa, Australia, North and South America, the Pacific Islands and different parts of Europe. Due to the limited space the objects are shown in changing exhibitions.
Opening times:
Mo – Sat 10 am – 5 pm, Sun 2.30 pm – 6 pm
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6 Burlington Gardens
W1
London
Tel: +44 (0)20 7323 8043
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| www.british-museum.ac.uk |
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London Transport Museum
The former flower market at Covent Garden at the east side of the piazza became a new meaning as a museum area. The whole place is used by the London Transport Museum and the Theatre Museum together. The transport Museum gives a nice overview over the history of the public transport system in London. Old carriages, trams and red double-decker busses but also modern tube compartments and busses with a computer governed control systems are displayed. The prides of the museum, however, are the old advertisements in Art Deco style, which used to hang in the old metro stations and attracted a wide group of people. Today old and modern advertisements can be viewed and even purchased as poster in the museum shop.
Opening times:
Sat – Thurs 10 am – 6 pm, Fr 11 am – 6 pm
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Location:Covent Garden
39 Wellington Street
WC2
London
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| www.ltmuseum.co.uk |
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Theatre Museum
The Theatre Museum, a branch of the Victoria & Albert Museum, is located at Covent Garden next to the London Transport Museum. There could not be any better position for this museum as Covent Garden is still the artistic quarter of the city. Here you can see costumes, props, photos, programmes and different other things related to the glamorous world of theatre, no matter if theatre, puppet theatre, opera, ballet pantomime, music circus or rock and pop. Worth a visit is the model of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the original stage décor of Peter Shaffer’s play “Equus”.
Opening times:
Tues – Sun 11 am - 7 pm
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Location:Covent Garden
Russel Street
WC2
London
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| www.theatremuseum.org.uk |
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Pollock’s Toy Museum
This museum that is located in two small houses offering a dignified atmosphere is not only a place for kids. Small rooms, narrow staircase, is seems the architect had something like a doll house in his mind. An abundance of toys found its home over here: puppet theatre, railways, doll houses, uncommon plays and old teddies. Especially worth a visit is the puppet collection with samples made of wax, wood, textile or celluloid. The first pieces were collected by Benjamin Pollock (1856 – 1937), who produced puppet theatre. Occasionally, you have puppet theatre performances taking place.
Opening times:
Mo – Sat 10 am – 5 pm
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1 Scala Street
W1
London
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| www.pollocksmuseum.co.uk |
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National History Museum
Being previously a branch of the British Museum, the elementary exhibits come from the broad collection of Sir Hans Sloane. In 1881 the museum was outsourced into a building with an impressive and long façade whose entrance is characterized by two small and steep towers which lead to the main attraction of the museum, the huge dinosaur in the Central Hall, whose skeleton is most of the time surrounded by many visitors. In the “Life Galleries” the bones of elephants, giraffes and whales are exhibited. But also bones of fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds are over here. One of the thematic presentations is “origin of Species”, a consideration of Darwin’s evolutionary theory. The “Earth Galleries“ is the geological section of the museum, depicting topics as earthquakes, volcanoes or other natural forces. Free admission!
Opening times:
Daily 10 am – 5.50 pm
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Cromwell Road,
SW7
London
Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5000
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| www.nhm.ac.uk |
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Imperial War Museum
This well visited museum tries to work up the war history of the 20th century by depicting not only the martial side of the war but also the human harm that is connected with it. Founded in 1920, immediately, after the horrible experiences of WWI the museum had to be extended in order to make place for all the tragic events until the Falkland and the Gulf War. The museum spreads over four floors. In the Large Exhibit Hall bulky objects like tanks, busses, ships and airplanes can be viewed. Weapons, medals, uniforms and other war devices in the other exhibition hall complete the collection. Admission fee only for special exhibitions!
Opening times:
Daily 10 am – 6 pm, closed 24, 25 and 26 Dec
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Lambeth Road
SE1
London
Tel: +44 (0)207 416 5320
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| www.iwm.org.uk |
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Victoria & Albert Museum
For this in South Kensington located museum hours and maybe days need to be spent in order to see half of what is offered in the 150 galleries. The initiative for this national museum for the fine and applied arts goes back to the Prince Albert who founded the museum together with his friend and first director of the museum Henry Cole. As there was never a limitation or a special topic for which the exhibits were collected, the collection rose to immense dimensions. The accumulation of inventive and extraordinary objects added zest to the V & A. A rough division can be made into two fields: “Art and Design” which deals with objects that are interesting as art pieces and “Materials and Techniques” where the used material and the construction method are the main focus. The areas which can be viewed are sculpture ceramics, furniture, interior design. Metal works, the Far East, textiles, printing, drawings, photography, painting and Indian art.
Opening times:
Daily 10 am – 5.45 pm, Wed and the last Fr of the month 10 am – 10 pm, closed 24, 25 and 26 December
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Cromwell Road
SW7
London
Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 2000
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| www.vam.ac.uk |
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Jewish Museum
Nearly half a million Jews live in Great Britain, half of it already in London. This museum concentrates on the history of the English Judaism. Founded in 1932 by Wilfried Samuel, the museum displays ritual objects from London’s synagogues as well as exhibits of Jewish daily life culture. Videos show background information on the history of the Jews in England.
Opening times:
Mon - Thurs 10 am - 4pm, Sun 10 am – 5 pm (Last admission to the galleries half an hour before closing)
Closed Fr, Sat and Jewish Festivals.
Entrance prices:
Adult £3.50, Senior citizens £2.50, Children/students with ID/UB40s £1.50. Family ticket £8. Group rates available. Museum Friends free.
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Location:Raymond Burton House, Camden Town
129-131 Albert Street
NW1
London
Tel: +44 (0)20 7284 1997
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| www.jewishmuseum.org.uk |
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Madame Tussaud’s
Who does not know it – the most famous waxworks collection in the world? What used to be an attraction in the 19th century, to see famous people as a wax figure, is today predominantly expensive. Nevertheless, every day there is a huge queue in front of London’s most famous crowd puller. The Madame was actually named Marie Großholz, came from the Alsace and was a wax builder at the court of Ludwig XVI. before the outbreak of the French Revolution. In 1802 she came to England and presented her collection throughout England until she settled in London in 1835. Since then, the collection is brought up to date constantly. Even the visitors can make suggestion whose figure should become part of the illustrious community. For a combined ticket you can also visit the London Planetarium.
Opening times:
Mo – Fr 10 am – 5.30 pm Sat – Sun 9.30 am – 5.30 pm
Entrance prices:
Adults from £14.95 to £16.95 children from £5.00 to £12.00
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Marylebone Road
NW1
London
Tel: +44 (0) 870 999 0046
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| www.madame-tussauds.com |
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Science Museum
Here mechanics and science is displayed so informative and descriptive that not only “freaks” have fun. Founded as the South Kensington Museum in 1857 it used to be part of the Victoria & Albert Museum. In 1964 the museum was parted from the V&A and became the official name “National Museum of Science and Industry”. It deals with the history and function of mechanics and natural sciences and their influence on daily life. On five floors visitors become their answers to questions regarding astronomy, meteorology, biochemistry, electronic, navigation, aviation and photography.
Opening times:
Daily 10 am – 6 pm, closed from 24 to 26 Dec
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Exhibition Road
SW7
London
Tel: +44 870 870 4868
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| www.sciencemuseum.org.uk |
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Design Museum
Founded by Sir Terence Conran the museum is of the first of its kind worldwide. Since 1989 a collection of objects of daily use, that are attractive, innovative, quaint or rakish, are displayed. In the exhibition halls you can get to know nearly everything about the history and theory, the development or the practical implementation of design ideas. The museum includes broad study facilities and an excellent library.
Opening times:
Mo – Fr 11.30 am – 6 pm, sat – Sun 12 am – 6 pm
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Location:Butlers Wharf
Shad Thames
SE1
London
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| www.designmuseum.org |
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County Hall and London Aquarium
The County Hall used to be the seat of the closed Greater London Council (GLC). The impressive building in neo-renaissance style has a 250m long façade, 2390 rooms and about 10 miles of corridors. After the closure of the GLC the County Hall was not used for years. In 1997 the London Aquarium was established in the ground floors of the building. On three floors visitors can experience the undersea world. Corals, mangroves and rain forests become alive. A gigantic double aquarium combines the underwater world from the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean.
Opening times:
Daily 10 am – 6 pm
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Location:Riverside Building
Westminster Bridge
SE1
London
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| www.londonaquarium.co.uk |
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Dickens House
A museum for all fans of Charles Dickens who lived here between 1837 and 1839. In this house he wrote novels like “Pickwick Papers”, “Oliver Twist” and “Nicholas Nickleby”. In the 1920s the Dickens Fellowship bought the house and restored it fondly. A lot of furniture and personal belongings such as his writing desk, letters, books and manuscripts can be viewed. The Dickens Library, one of the broadest research libraries regarding the poet, is located in the basement of the building.
Opening times:
Mo – Sat 10 am – 5 pm
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48 Doughty Street
WC1
London
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| www.dickensmuseum.com |
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