London is a city with an immense history of religion, exploration and culture, meaning that there are countless museums across the English capital that are dedicated to preserving and showcasing what the country has done for the world – both good and bad! Guests of hotels near Hogarth Road are well placed to enjoy the many cultural institutions of London, many of which are free to visit.
First-time guests in London will no doubt want to learn about the city by exploring its streets. The museums of London can help first-time visitors understand its culture, its history and its creative legacy through accessible and exciting exhibitions and galleries.
From the natural history of the city and the world to the exploration of historic fashion and design and even celebrity oddities, the city has many exciting museums. This blog will explore some of the best, the weirdest and the most exciting museums in the city, providing guests of 4-star hotels in Kensington London with unforgettable days out during their visit to the English capital.
Museum Of London
The Museum Of London in the Barbican area is a free to visit museum that does what it says on the tin – chart the history of the capital city. You’ll walk through galleries that explain and present artefacts from as far back as the prehistoric era, before London was even a city, through Roman conquest and creation of London all the way up to the modern day development of the city. The London Wall is on display as are many unique objects, some of which date back thousands of years.
London Transport Museum
If you’re interested in learning about how the city of London created its vast underground network of tube trains, then look no further than the London Transport Museum. The London Transport Museum includes galleries that explore the link between international immigrants and the city’s public transport system, as well as the ways that buses, taxis and trains developed over the last 200 years. The London transport Museum is located in Covent Garden and is a must visit for engineering and vehicle enthusiasts.
British Museum
One of the most visited museums in Europe, the British Museum in the Russell Square area celebrates the legacy of exploration and archaeology that the British people have nurtured over the past 500 years. The British Museum explores different periods of history through artefacts uncovered from across the world, exploring everything from the culture of samurais to the prehistoric people of Great Britain. Be warned, this museum is so vast and its collection so large, that you’ll need multiple visits to complete it in its entirety.
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum’s collection was once part of the British Museum collection, which grew so large that they had to divide it up and build the impressive Gothic building in the South Kensington area. Not far from Park Grand Kensington accommodation, the Natural History Museum explores everything from the evolutionary discoveries of Charles Darwin to the geology of space rocks, encompassing many aspects of natural history into its vast collection of fossils, interactive exhibitions and beautiful interior design.
V&A Museum Of Design
Located close to the Natural History Museum and therefore easily reachable from the Park Grand Kensington Hotel, the Victoria & Albert Museum is a beautiful museum that was conceived by Prince ALbert, husband of Queen Victoria before his death in 1861. The V&A explores design and antiquities from all across the world and has one of the largest collections of artefacts concerning design and jewellery in the world. With 2.8 million objects and a wealth of stunning galleries, the V&A is a must visit for art and history lovers, as well as those who just want to bask in the magic of this Victorian Italian Renaissance architecture.
Science Museum
Completing the Exhibition Road trilogy (see the two previous) of museums, the Science Museum is again an offshoot from the British Museum’s Science research and is located in South Kensington. This museum explores everything from echoes to electricity through accessible and interactive exhibits that posit concepts in a way that is easily grasped by children and adults alike.
Horniman Museum
Jumping away from West London to southeast, the Horniman Museum in Dulwich explores everything from ancient musical instruments to the biology of animals and originally stemmed from collections from late 19th century tea merchant heir Frederick Horniman. The unusual architecture of the Horniman Museum was inspired by Horniman’s travels and his museum, grounds and gardens are a great day out for children and adults alike.
Viktor Wynd’s Cabinet Of Curiosities
Not for the faint of heart, this Hackney based museum was developed by Viktor Wynd and the Last Tuesday Society, a group of artists focussing on the surreal. And the Cabinet of Curiosities is certainly surreal, exhibiting everything from shrunken heads to fake mermaid skeletons as well as strange celebrity collectibles including Amy Winehouse’s faecal matter and prophylactics used by the Rolling Stones. Purveyors of the freaky and the risque, if you can conjure the image, the Cabinet of Curiosities probably has it.
National Gallery
This art museum is situated on Trafalgar Square and is a selection of the British government’s collection of art. Dating back to the 13th century, the arts on display in this free to visit museum include European Master works, historic portraits and mediaeval masterpieces. Make sure to visit the adjacent National Portrait Gallery which includes a wealth of portraits dating back hundreds of years and all the way up to the 21st century, including influential leaders, artists and figures from throughout history.
Tower of London
Another great way to learn about the history of London, the Tower of London dates back to the 11th century when it was built as a symbol of Norman rule by William The Conqueror. Over the years, the Tower has been used as an animal menagerie, monarch palace and even a prison. To this day visitors can enjoy the processions and traditional marches of the Tower guards, known as Beefeaters as well as a tour of the treasury where the Crown Jewels of England are kept.