Top 8 London Museums You Shouldn’t Miss!
The British Museum and National History Museum, synonymous with London, are not the only museums in the city worth a visit…
1 THE WALLACE COLLECTION
The Wallace Collection houses a fantastic display of French 18th century arts, including furniture, sculpture, porcelain and paintings. It’s strong on the Dutch Masters, like Rembrandt, Steen and Metsu. The impressive armour collection includes Sir Thomas Sackville’s ornate suit of armour from 1587, medieval weapons and war artefacts. The items were collected by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the 4th Marquess’s son. They’re displayed inside Hertford House, the family’s 19th century Marylebone home.
2 THE WELLCOME COLLECTION
This is a museum and library, with a cafe and reading room. It explores different approaches to medical care, including pioneering techniques and technologies. The gallery about Henry Wellcome himself is entitled Medicine Man. He travelled around the world collecting items related to life, medicine and death. My favourite is a chair with upright knife blades in the seat and back. It looks like an instrument of torture, but it’s actually a medium’s chair. Tribal masks and a scold’s bridle adorn the walls. Temporary exhibitions cover diverse topics.
3 BETHLEM MUSEUM OF THE MIND
Bethlem Museum of the Mind explores the history of mental healthcare, through art, historic objects, and archive materials. The Bethlem Royal Hospital first opened in 1247. It moved several times and still provides care to the mentally ill today. In 1598 the hospital was notorious. It opened its doors to the public and became part of the visitor tour of London, alongside the Tower of London and London Zoo. Today exhibitions explore its history, treatments and artwork.
4 THE CLINK PRISON MUSEUM
Built on the site of one of England’s most notorious jails. Explore the sights, sounds and smells of the jail, touch torture devices, and hear stories about the inmates who were incarcerated here. The prison operated for over 600 years, during a time of tremendous social and political change – reflected in the crimes. People locked up included debtors, heretics, drunkards, prostitutes, and religious adversaries. An educational experience!
5 THE V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD
The V&A Museum of Childhood whisks you back to the Victorian age with toys and gadgets that include puppets, mechanical toys, and Jack-in-abox. There are dolls houses and porcelain dolls, board games, clockwork figures and robots. Exhibitions explore childhood, learning, and development. There’s even a children’s furniture collection.
6 THE GEFFRYE MUSEUM
The Geffrye Museum explores the history of interior design, with a series of period rooms decked out in styles from the 1600s to the present day. Displays include furniture, textiles, paintings and household objects, each reflecting a specific era. It’s currently closed for renovation until the spring, but the restored almshouse tours, available now, offer a glimpse into the past.
7 THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM
The Horniman Museum is a fascinating place, with objects exploring the lives and cultures of people and civilisations around the world, including tribal masks, pottery, art, and the natural world. See musical instruments reflecting the music of different ethnic groups. The Natural History galleries house fossils and taxidermy animals, skeletons, pressed plants, fungi, mollusc shells, eggs, insects, minerals and rocks.
8 THE “RED ZONE” GEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
The Geological Museum, located in the bowels of the Natural History Museum, has been re-branded The Red Zone in recent years. It takes you on a journey, exploring the story of our planet and solar system, with gems, minerals – and a piece of the moon! See a Stegosaurus fossil in the Earth Hall and learn about volcanoes, earthquakes, rocks and crystals.