London has some of the worlds most celebrated museums and justifiably so. Not only is there a great variety of museums but some of the most important historical artefacts, such as the Rosetta Stone, or the most controversial, like the Elgin Marbles, are in London. Covering all the museums that London has to offer is a task for another time - but these are the must sees for museums buffs in London. Many of the museums have regular temporary exhibitions to compliment their permanant exhibitions - so be sure to check schedules to find out whats on.
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British
Museum (Great
Russell Street) - The British Museum is one of
the most impressive museums I've ever been to. The
central courtyard, controversially
remodelled, is home to the Rosetta Stone, which
helped decipher hieroglyphics, and the controversial
Elgin or Parthenon Marbles from the which Greece would
like returned. -
National Portrait Gallery (St Martin's Place) - The National Portrait Gallery, along with the nearby National Gallery, are must visits any paiting buff. With a primary collection of over 4,000 paintings, sculptures and minatures, of which 60% are regularly exhibited, there's no shortage of works. Works by Caravaggio, Rubens and van Dyck are displayed. One of the finest, if not the finest, portrait gallery you could visit.
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National Gallery (Trafalgar Square) - One of the most impressive collections of paintings in the world, The National Gallery plays host to paintings by English greats such as Constable and Turner as well as internationally acclaimed greats such as Botticelli, Van Gogh and Rubens.
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Victoria and Albert Museum (Cromwell Road, Kensington) - The V&A has one of the most diverse collections in London covering Asia, ceramics, fashion, photography, theatre and textiles as well as contempory items from todays modern art.
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Natural History Museum (Cromwell Road, South Kensington) and Science Museum (Exhibition Road, South Kensington) - The Natural History Museum, best combined with the adjacent Science Museum, is one of the most impressive buildings in London. With dinosaur skeletons in Natural History museum and reproduction flying devices from bygone ages in the Science Museum, both museums boast an excellent array of interactive displays which make both museums ideal for all ages.
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Greenwich National Maritime Museum (Romney Road, Greenwich) - In the east of London, the National Maritime Museum charts not only the nautical history of a great sea-faring nation but also takes you on a journey through astronomy and telescopes - which played such an important part in early naval navigation.
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Imperial War Museum (Lambeth Road) and Churchill Rooms (King Charles) - The Imperial War Museum and Churchill War Rooms are mandatory for history buffs. The two museums compliment each other perfectly as they take you through the British experience during the Second World War. The Churchill War Rooms are a fine exhibit where the actual war rooms where war-leader Winston Churchill and his chiefs-of-staff worked during the war.
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Tate Britain (Millbank) - The most impressive collection of British art you're likely to encounter. Covering Constable to comics, sculpture and constructions - Tate Britain has a broad variety of works on display with regularly changing exhibitions.
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Tate Modern (53 Bankside) - On the south side of the Thames, in sight of St Pauls Cathedral on the other side of the river, the Tate Modern occupies a disused power station. Entering the cavernous interior through the former turbine hall is an experience in itself although the uber-modern exhibitions are almost certainly not to everyones taste.
