London’s got a great reputation for its museums, and it’s one that’s really well deserved. If you’re planning a stay in the capital, it’s worth checking out one or two of the best; to help you decide which is for you, I’ve put together a list of my top picks below.
Science Museum
Where: South Kensington
One of my favourite museums in London, the Science Museum is one of the places that you could visit over and over again without ever getting bored. Plus, it’s located virtually right next to two of London’s other top museums – the Natural History Museum and the V&A – so it’s a pretty good place to start.
As you’ve probably guessed, the Science Museum is all about, well, science. But don’t assume that means a trip here will be dry and dull – in fact, this establishment is well known for being exactly the opposite. A lot of the exhibits are interactive (which is just as much fun for adults as it is for kids!) and you can see everything from exhibitions on humans to space exploration.
The Exploring Space gallery is particularly fun, since it’s packed with rockets and such, and tells you pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about how the space age started in 1957 and how it’s developed since.
Natural History Museum
Where: South Kensington
Just around the corner from the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum is another firm favourite. Here, you can see dinosaur skeletons, scale models of vast mammals such as blue whales and browse exhibitions on the natural forces that shape the planet.
One of the real must-sees of this attraction is also one of its newest. Opened in 2009, the Darwin Centre is an amazing place where you can watch scientists at work and discover a whole range of exciting interactive exhibits.
Among the most interesting is the Climate Change Wall, a 12 m wide interactive screen that displays a host of images and graphics that change as you approach. These are designed to demonstrate the effect of humanity on the earth’s climate, and show you things like plant life flourishing and icecaps melting.
British Museum
Where: Great Russell Street
The British Museum ranks among the oldest in the world, and its collection is so extensive – totalling millions of artefacts, in fact – that just a small selection is on display at any one time. The magical thing about coming here is the incredible variety of exhibits on offer, as well as the compelling temporary exhibitions.
While the collection is certainly vast, there are some well-loved favourites bound to particularly capture your imagination. These include the statue of Ramesses II, which dates back to around 1250 BC. Weighing 7.25 tonnes, it is one of the largest Egyptian sculptures you’ll see here.
Make sure you also check out the Rosetta Stone, one of the key tools in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs. Dating back to 196 BC, it is among the most celebrated of the museum’s artefacts.
Magic Circle Museum
Where: Euston
While the big, well-established museums are definitely worth visiting, I reckon you should also try to head to one or two of the more unusual, lesser-known establishments. The Magic Circle Museum in Euston is one of these, and it’s a must for magic fans.
Situated in a private club, the museum is home to industry treasures like a pair of handcuffs used by Harry Houdini. A guide will accompany you round the exhibits, telling you about each, and you can also find out lots of interesting little magic facts, including how a prominent magician helped out the British Army by making the Suez Canal invisible to enemies in 1941.
Finding a hotel near to some of the city’s museums is pretty simple, since they are situated all of the capital, and companies like Hostelbookers can help you snap up low-cost options.
