From world-famous galleries housing priceless works of art by some of history's greatest painters to an enviable collection of free-to-enter museums, the city is the cultural capital of the world. Soak is some of this incredible culture at one of the many must-see destinations listed below.

At a glance:

Museums:

• Science Museum
• The Natural History Museum
• The British Museum
• V&A Museum

Art Galleries:

• Tate Britain
• The National Gallery
• The National Portrait Gallery
• Tate Modern

Theatre & Music:

• Shakespeare's Globe
• The Royal Albert Hall
• The Royal National Theatre
• Barbican Centre
• The Old Vic

Magnificent Museums

Science Museum

Explore 7 floors of educational and entertaining exhibits inside Europe's preeminent science and technology museum. Get hands-on with interactive exhibits that track the course of significant scientific advances of recent history, and explore the 'seven wonders' of the museum, including the command capsule used by the Apollo 10 astronauts.

The Natural History Museum

Housing the world's most extensive natural history collection, a resplendent mixture of Gothic Revival and Romanesque architectural styles comes together in this stunningly beautiful Victorian building. Get lost in its vast collection that includes millions of botanical and animal exhibits, archaeological relics and an array of rare rocks and minerals.

British Museum

Discover an extensive collection of treasures from around the world that spans two million years of human history at the British Museum. Explore famous items such as the Parthenon Marbles and Rosetta Stone, as well as over 140 Egyptian mummies.

Victoria & Albert Museum

Named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and founded in 1852, discover the world's most extensive collection of applied art and sculpture, containing over 4.5 million objects spanning 5,000 years of art history, from ancient to modern times.

Amazing Art Galleries

Tate Britain

Take a stroll through the history of British art from the 16th century to the present day at the Tate Britain, where you'll find works by some of Britain's finest artists, including Turner, Millais and Constable, as well as modern art from Francis Bacon and David Hockney, to name a few.

The National Gallery

The National Gallery is home to one of the most impressive art collections in the world. Mosey around an array of masterpieces by famous painters such as Rembrandt, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Renoir and Van Gogh. 

National Portrait Gallery

As the name implies, the National Portrait Gallery houses a collection of portraits and famous and historically important British people from the 16th century to the present day. However, it isn't all stuffy old oil paintings; among the collection, you'll find famous soccer stars and deeply unflattering caricatures of politicians.

Tate Modern

London's preeminent art museum is also the world's most popular modern art gallery, where art enthusiasts will discover an excellent collection of famous and influential contemporary artists. Unlike Tate Britain, which we mentioned previously, Tate Modern is all about the here and now. Uncover masterpieces by renowned artists such as Cézanne, Bonnard, Picasso, Matisse, Rothko and Dalí, among many others.

Thrilling Theatre & Music

Shakespeare's Globe

This reconstruction of the famous Shakespeare's Globe Theatre is the largest exhibition in the world devoted to history's most famous dramatist. Discover Shakespeare's story using the range of interactive displays and live demonstrations, and learn behind-the-scenes secrets of how special effects were created during Shakespeare's day.

The Royal Albert Hall

This world-famous concert venue, the brainchild of Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, hosts regular free events throughout the year and several free-to-enter exhibits to peruse on the ground floor. Step into the behind-the-scenes world of the hall on one of the many other available tours, where you can take a peek at restricted royal areas and see the stage where some of history's most notable figures have appeared, from Muhammad Ali to Albert Einstein.

Royal National Theatre

Three dedicated auditoriums at Britain's national theatre host a diverse range of new writing, spectacular musicals and plays, and hilarious comedies.

Take in one of over 20 yearly productions by up-and-coming writers, directors and performers, or take a backstage tour that reveals the secrets that bring these fantastic productions to life.

The Barbican Centre

The base for the London Symphony Orchestra is also Europe's largest arts centre, all under one roof, with a concert hall, three cinemas, two theatres, two art galleries, two trade exhibition halls, five conference rooms, a library and even a marriage-licenced tropical conservatory all located on-site.

After you've caught your breath from a tour of this incredible building, stop to enjoy a spot of afternoon tea among the tropical plants of the conservatory - you won't regret it. Did we mention that over 4,000 lucky souls are privileged enough to call the Barbican Estate their home? 

The Old Vic

One of the world's best-known and most-loved theatres, the Old Vic has a rich history of great performances and award-winning shows.

This old historic theatre has helped launch the careers of some of the UK's most distinguished actors, while it counts Hollywood A-Listers among its long roster of creative directors.