21 Best Museums in London | Highlights, Ticket Information & More

1. The British Museum

Art Museum

Wander through the famous British Museum and explore works from the prehistoric era to modern times, collected from around the world.

Why Visit: The main galleries are free. Don’t miss out on the Rosetta Stone, the mummies in the Ancient Egypt Collection, and the Parthenon sculptures.

Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM (Mon-Sun)

2. Natural History Museum

History Museum

A museum that exhibits a collection of the rarest specimens in the world. It has around 80 million plant, animal, fossil, and mineral specimens.

Why Visit: Come across animatronic dinosaurs, a giant sequoia tree, glow-in-the-dark crystals, a man-sized model of a foetus and so much more!

Timings: 10 AM – 5:30 PM (Mon-Sun)

3. Imperial War Museum

History Museum

The Imperial War Museum puts light on people’s experience of conflict from World War I until date. It has permanent galleries and temporary displays. 

Why Visit:  Check out an extensive collection of profoundly moving and troubling permanent Holocaust galleries and temporary displays of recent conflicts.

Timings: 10 AM – 6 PM (Mon-Sun)

4. National Maritime Museum

History Museum

A part of the Royal Museums, Greenwich, stroll your way through all things nautical; from artefacts, maps, art, and memorabilia.

Why Visit: Be awestruck by more than 2.5 million items of history, such as Admiral Nelson’s uniform from the battle of Trafalgar.

Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM (Mon-Sun)

5. Science Museum

Science Museum

With hands-on exhibits spread out across seven floors, take a ride through the invention and history of the shiny machines.

Why Visit: Come across the astonishing ‘Information Age’ exhibition, a 16th-century artificial arm, a cross-section of a real-life Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet.

Timings: 10 AM – 6 PM (Mon-Sun)

6. Design Museum

Art Museum

The Design Museum in London displays a fascinating bunch of contemporary designs in all forms, right from the temporary exhibition, bookable displays, and more.

Why Visit: Enjoy a short walk at the museum’s new home in Kensington. Try exotic inexpensive authentic Italian cuisine at Pappa Roma.

Timings: 10 AM – 6 PM (Sun-Thu), 10 AM – 9 PM (Fri-Sat)

7. London Transport Museum

History Museum

Set foot into the Transport Museum and dive into the history of London’s transport mechanism, right from horsepower, with loads of contraptions to climb aboard.

Why Visit:  Take a single ticket and explore great exhibits and multiple visits for an entire year at the London Transport Museum.

Timings: 10 AM – 6 PM (Mon-Sun)

8. Sir John Soane’s Museum

History Museum

The Museum is the London home of architect Sir John Soane, whose collections of art, furniture and architectural ornamentation are on display.

Why Visit: The décor at Soane’s home is worth admiring. See the mirrors and lights well channelling the sunlight, cabinets within walls displaying paintings and more.

Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM (Wed-Sun), Closed (Mon-Tue)

9. Museum of London

History Museum

The Museum of London talks about the history of London, from prehistoric times to the modern present. Discover original artefacts found during the archaeological digs.

Why Visit: See how the collections are put in place to represent the capital’s history in every walk of life.

Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM (Mon-Sun)

10. Victoria and Albert Museum

History Museum

A vibrant hub known for displaying decorative art, design, fashion and textiles, that houses a permanent collection of over 2.3 million objects.

Why Visit: Stroll through some amazing art and grab a piece of cake in the sunny Italianate courtyard. Also, many exhibits are free to visit.

Timings: 10 AM – 5:45 PM (Mon-Sun)

11. Royal Museums Greenwich

History Museum

Royal Museums Greenwich comprises four museums in Greenwich. The observatory is situated on a hill and overlooks the river Thames.

Why Visit: See how the prime meridian marks the divide in the middle of the eastern and western hemispheres.

Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM (Mon-Sun)

12. Bank of England Museum

History Museum

Discover the fascinating history of the Bank of England, right from its foundation in 1694 to its role presently as the nation’s central bank.

Why Visit: Marvel at ancient gold bars and their market equivalent, and learn all about bank notes and the people celebrated on them.

Timings:  10 AM – 5 PM (Mon-Fri), Closed (Sat-Sun)

13. Tate Modern

Art Museum

An art gallery that houses UK’s some of the national collections of international modern and contemporary art, forming part of the Tate group with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St. Ives.

Why Visit: Head to the top level of the Blavatnik Building to visit the free viewing platform and get a great panoramic view of London.

Timings: 10 AM – 6 PM (Mon-Sun)

14. Royal Academy of Arts

Art Museum

Founded by artists and architects in the 1760s, the Royal Academy highlight the permanent collection from more than two centures, from William Turner to Tracery Emin.

Why Visit: Don’t miss out on the annual Summer Exhibition held without interruption since 1769, the oldest open-submission exhibitions in the world.

Timings: 10 AM – 6 PM (Tue-Sun), Closed on Mon

15. The Wallace Collection

Art Museum

The Wallace Collection is home to a group of European paintings from the 15th to 19th centuries, which covers a range of subjects, landscapes to portraits.

Why Visit: Witness the gallery that is remarkable for its quality and breath. See masterpieces by Canaletto, Rubens, and exhibitions on fashions, ceramics and more.

Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM (Mon-Sun)

16. Horniman Museum

History Museum

The Horniman Museum is truly a nature lover’s dream! Founded in 1901 by Frederick John Horniman, he used this space to display his private collection of natural history.

Why Visit: Check out the African art or visit the tiny aquarium. Don’t miss out on the conservatory, which provides views over the rolling gardens.

Timings: 10 AM – 5:30 PM (Mon-Sun)

17. Museum of Brands

History Museum

The Museum of Brands takes you down a memory lane and allows you an understanding of consumer culture from Victorian times to current day. 

Why Visit: Take a look at some of your favourite brands like Marmite, Cadbury and more, and see how it has evolved over the years.

Timings: 10 AM – 6 PM (Mon-Sun)

18. Fashion and Textile Museum

Art Museum

The Fashion and Textile Museum exhibits a roster of temporary exhibitions, then putting up a permanent collection. Designer Zandra Rhodes put up 50 years of her fashion line on display.

Why Visit: It showcases works of outstanding British and International designers, allowing one to recognise Britain’s success in the fashion industry.

Timings: 11 AM – 6 PM (Tue-Sat), Closed (Sun-Mon)

Address: Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Ber. Find on map.

19. Dulwich Picture Gallery

Art Museum

The picture gallery displays a significant collection of 17th and 18th century European Old Masters, in a building by Sir John Soane.

Why Visit: See for yourself the innovative techniques used to bathe the whole gallery in sunlight. Check out Baroque masterpieces on the walls.

Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM (Mon-Sun)

20. Charles Dickens Museum

History Museum

Charles Dickens Museum is an author’s house museum where Charles Dickens’ novels come to life inside this beautiful Georgian terraced house.

Why Visit: Have an insight into all original manuscripts, letters and portraits that puts light into the life of Britain’s favourite writer.

Timings: 10 AM – 5 PM (Wed-Sun), Closed (Mon-Tue)

21. Churchill War Rooms

History Museum

A secret underground headquarters where Winston Churchill lived and spent endless hours plotting during the Second World War.

Why Visit: Discover what kind of operations went on during the war, along with sounds and speeches of the time.

Timings: 9:30 AM – 6 PM (Wed-Sun), Closed (Mon-Tue)