When thinking of museums in London, most travellers think of the Tate, the National Gallery, or The V&A Museum, but there are actually many more to visit! If you want to reflect after your visit, you can also indulge in delicacies at the museum cafés and restaurants. So, be ready to fill your curiosity as we hand-picked some of the best London museums to add to your bucket list.

At a glance:

• Art Museums:
  • Tate Britain
  • Tate Modern
  • National Gallery
  • National Portrait Gallery
  • British Museum
  • Saatchi Gallery
  • V&A Museum
  • Wallace Collection
  • Design Museum
  • Serpentine
  • Hayward Gallery
  • Cartoon Museum
  • Moco Museum
  • Whitechapel Gallery
• Science & Biology Museums:
  • Natural History Museum
  • Science Museum
  • Royal Observatory, Greenwich
  • Wellcome Collection
  • Horniman Museum & Gardens
  • Grant Museum of Zoology
• History, Literature and Culture:
  • Imperial War Museum
  • Churchill War Rooms
  • Museum of London Docklands
  • The Postal Museum
  • Freud Museum London
  • British Library
  • Charles Dickens Museum
  • Jewish Museum London
  • Handel & Hendrix in London
• Others:
  • Royal Air Force Museum London
  • Dennis Severs' House
  • Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum
  • Bank of England Museum
  • London Transport Museum
  • Florence Nightingale Museum
  • Household Cavalry Museum
  • Cutty Sark Museum Ship
• Quirky Museums:
  • Museum of Brands
  • Clink Prison Museum
  • Old Operating Theatre Museum
  • The Crime Museum
  • The Fan Museum
  • Pollock's Toy Museum

Here's our full London Museums map. 

Art Museums

If you’re into art, there’s plenty to see in London. Take a look at the museums below as they offer unique exhibitions and artworks - contemporary art, Middle Ages, Egyptian collections, etc. If you’re an artist yourself, grab your materials to join the other artists in sketching statues!

Tate Britain

Tate Britain is everything British art from 1540 to the present day. The museum collection includes artworks by some of Britain's most renowned artists, such as William Blake, Francis Bacon and David Hockney.

• Tube station: Pimlico (Victoria Line)
• Postcode: SW1P 4RG

Tate Modern

Located in a converted power station, the Tate Modern covers international works of contemporary art from the year 1900. See awe-inspiring paintings, sculptures, and more made by artists from all over the world.

• Tube station: Southwark (Jubilee Line)
• Postcode: SE1 9TG

National Gallery

In the middle of Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery, with an extensive collection of Western European art from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. Exhibitions showcase some of the greatest artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and more. 

• Tube station: Charing Cross (Bakerloo and Northern Lines)
• Postcode: WC2N 5DN

National Portrait Gallery

Reopening this Summer, the National Portrait Gallery features portraits of famous British people throughout history, including artists, politicians, and royal family members. The Gallery specialises in explaining and describing portraiture throughout many disciplines and formats.

• Tube station: Charing Cross (Bakerloo and Northern Lines)
• Postcode: WC2H 0HE

British Museum

The British Museum spans two million years of human history and objects from every continent. Some of the most famous items in the museum include the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin Marbles.

• Tube station: Russell Square (Piccadilly Line)
• Postcode: WC1N 1LJ

Saatchi Gallery

The Saatchi Gallery specialises in contemporary art and is located in Chelsea, where you can also go for a round of shopping. The gallery’s collection features work by emerging artists from around the world and is known for exhibiting controversial and provocative art.

• Tube station: Sloane Square (Circle and District Lines)
• Postcode: SW3 4RY

Victoria and Albert Museum

Located in South Kensington, the Victoria and Albert Museum - aka V&A - showcases art, design, and performance with 5,000 years of human creativity from ceramics and textiles to fashion and furniture. 

• Tube station: South Kensington (Circle and District Lines)
• Postcode: SW7 2RL

Wallace Collection

Located in Marylebone, the Wallace Collection houses a collection of fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th century across paintings, sculptures, furniture, and other decorative objects from Europe and the Middle East. 

• Tube station: Bond Street (Central, Jubilee and Elizabeth Lines)
• Postcode: W1R 1FE

Design Museum

As its name suggests, the Design Museum specialises in design coming from all over the world. It showcases the history of design and highlights the impact of design on our everyday lives. You’ll find a wide range of objects from fashion, architecture, furniture, graphics, and product design.

• Tube station: Kensington (District Line and Overground)
• Postcode: W8 6AG

Serpentine

Serpentine is a contemporary art gallery located in Kensington Gardens across two sites, Serpentine North and Serpentine South. The gallery is known for creating connections between artists and society, pioneering contemporary art exhibitions and cultural events with a legacy that stretches back over half a century - from a wide range of emerging practitioners to the most internationally recognised artists of our time.

• Tube station: Knightsbridge (Piccadilly Line)
• Postcode: W2 3XA

Hayward Gallery

Another one of London's leading contemporary art galleries is Hayward on the South Bank of the River Thames. The gallery focuses on visual arts and exhibitions, showing retrospectives and a wide range of adventurous and influential artists.

• Tube stations: Waterloo (Northern, Bakerloo, Jubilee and Waterloo & City Lines) or Embankment (District and Circle Lines)
• Postcode: SE1 8XX

Cartoon Museum

Fan of British cartoons? So am I! Head to the Cartoon Museum, where you’ll see British cartoons, humourous caricatures and comic strips, owned and operated by the Cartoon Art Trust. It also has a library of over 5,000 books and 4,000 comics.

• Tube station: Goodge Street (Northern Line)
• Postcode: W1A 3AE

Moco Museum

Moco Museum has become a must-visit for art lovers worldwide, featuring a wide range of modern, contemporary, and digital art from icons like Warhol, KAWS, Haring, Hirst & many more. 

• Tube station: Marble Arch (Central Line)
• Postcode: W1H 7EJ

Whitechapel Gallery

Founded in 1901, the Whitechapel Gallery is one of the first publicly funded galleries and brings contemporary art to the East End of London. The Gallery features modern masters such as Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo and Hannah Höch and contemporaries such as Zarina Bhimji, William Kentridge and Cindy Sherman.

• Tube station: Aldgate East (District and Hammersmith & City Lines)
• Postcode: E1 7QX

Sir John Soane's Museum

Sir John Soane's Museum is a fascinating museum, dedicated to the work and collection of the famous architect Sir John Soane. Located in Soane's former home - designed by the architect himself - visitors can admire Soane's incredible collection of art, artefacts, architectural models and the eclectic rooms of the house.

• Tube station: Holborn (Central and Piccadilly Lines)
• Postcode: WC2B 6AA

Science and biology Museums

London is home to some of the world's most outstanding museums, praised for their collections covering a broad range of topics - the wonders of the natural world, human anatomy, fossils, and the environment. If you’re a science enthusiast or a curious traveller, don’t look further. The following museums should be on your bucket list!

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is a world-renowned museum focused on exploring the natural world. Many interactive exhibits are open to the public to learn about the earth's history, extinct species, insects, marine life, and more. The museum's iconic dinosaur and whale skeleton are particularly popular with visitors.

• Tube station: South Kensington (Circle and District Lines)
• Postcode: SW7 5BD

Science Museum

Founded in 1857 and located in South Kensington as well, the Science Museum tells everything there is to know about science, technology and space. It attracted more than 3 million visitors in 2019! 

• Tube station: South Kensington (Circle and District Lines)
• Postcode: SW7 2DD

Royal Observatory Greenwich

The Royal Observatory Greenwich is a museum and research institution where visitors can learn about the history of astronomy, timekeeping, see a variety of telescopes, and even stand on the historic Prime Meridian, the location from which all time zones are measured - Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). 

• Tube station: Greenwich (DLR)
• Postcode: SE10 8JQ

Wellcome Collection

At the Wellcome Collection, you’ll find everything about science, medicine, and art. Visitors can try interactive displays, learn about medical breakthroughs and ethics, and art that explores the understanding of body and health over time.

• Tube station: Euston Square (Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan lines)
• Postcode: NW1 2BE

Horniman Museum and Gardens

The Horniman Museum hosts an extraordinary collection of anthropology, natural history, and musical instruments. Its garden features a wide range of plant life, a small animal enclosure, and panoramic views of London.

• Tube station: Forest Hill (Overground)
• Postcode: SE23 3PQ

Grant Museum of Zoology

Established by Robert Edmond Grant in 1828, the Grant Museum of Zoology is part of the University College London (UCL) and was developed as a teaching collection of zoological specimens and material for dissection.

• Tube station: Euston Square (Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan lines)
• Postcode: WC1E 6DE

History, Literature and Culture

History museums in London offer visitors a chance to explore the city's fascinating heritage, from ancient civilisations to modern times. From the British Museum to smaller exhibits, there is always something to learn. Whether you're interested in literature, Roman history, medieval art, or the city’s heritage, here’s our selection of museums.

Imperial War Museum

The Imperial War Museum takes pride in relating the history of war and conflict. Here, visitors can learn about soldiers and civilians and discover a range of objects, photographs, and artwork around the impact of war on the British.

• Tube station: Lambeth North (Bakerloo Line)
• Postcode: SE1 6HZ

Churchill War Rooms

At Churchill War Rooms, you’ll see the underground bunker that served as the command centre for the British government during World War II. Explore the cabinet war rooms and Churchill's private apartment, both of which have been preserved as they were during the war.

• Tube station: Westminster (Circle, District and Jubilee Lines)
• Postcode: SW1A 2AQ

Museum of London Docklands

The Museum of London Docklands details the rich history of the city's docks and the role they played in shaping the city's development and identity. You’ll find exhibits like the slave trade, the Blitz and displays to experience life in London's docks.

• Tube station: West India Quay (DLR)
• Postcode: E14 4AL

The Postal Museum

The Postal Museum tells the history of the British postal service. Ride through hidden tunnels and discover industrial heritage with incredible objects, exciting stories, and fun exhibitions.

• Tube station: Farringdon (Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan Lines)
• Postcode: WC1X 0DA

Freud Museum London

This is a museum dedicated to the life and work of Sigmund Freud, located in the house where Freud and his family used to live after fleeing Nazi persecution in Austria. Here, visitors can see his couch, his collection of antiquities and learn about his famous theories.

• Tube station: Swiss Cottage (Jubilee Line)
• Postcode: NW3 6HY

British Library

One of the largest libraries in the world, the British Library is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items. As a legal deposit library, the British Library receives copies of all books produced in the UK and Ireland, including a significant amount of overseas titles. 

• Tube station: Euston (Victoria and Northern Lines)
• Postcode: NW1 2DU

Charles Dickens Museum

The Charles Dickens Museum is set up the way Dickens himself had just left. In a typical Victorian home, you’ll see furnishings, portraits and decorations that have belonged to Dickens. Step back into 1837 in a world both intimate and familiar, yet something else - in which one of the greatest English writers found his inspiration. 

• Tube station: Russell Square (Piccadilly Line)
• Postcode: WC1N 2LX

Jewish Museum London

The Jewish Museum relates the history and heritage of Jewish people in Britain through migration, family, faith and culture. Founded in 1932 by Professor Cecil Roth, Alfred Rubens and Wilfred Samuel, after first being located in Bloomsbury, it moved to an elegant Victorian building in Camden Town in 1994. You’ll learn about Jewish communities in Britain from the Middle Ages to the present day. 

• Tube station: Camden Town (Northern Line and Overground)
• Postcode: NW1 7NB

Handel & Hendrix in London

Handel & Hendrix in London showcases the homes of two of the greatest musicians ever to have lived in London. George Frideric Handel lived at 25 Brook Street from 1723 until his death in 1759, and in 1968, Jimi Hendrix moved into a flat at number 23. Discover these buildings and learn about Handel and Hendrix’s lives, their music and legacies.

• Tube station: Bond Street (Central, Jubilee and Elizabeth Lines)
• Postcode: W1K 4HB

Other interesting museums

Royal Air Force Museum

The Royal Air Force Museum London is located on the former Hendon Aerodrome in North London. You'll find five buildings and hangars and learn about the history of aviation and the Royal Air Force. 

• Tube station: Colindale (Northern Line)
• Postcode: NW9 5LL

Dennis Severs' House

In 1979, Dennis Severs came to Spitalfields and bought an abandoned house saved by the Spitalfields Trust, which he converted to tell the story of an imaginary Huguenot family who had lived there since it was built in 1724. At Dennis Severs' House, you'll discover the amazing stuff he collected and turned into characters, with each room telling a story of life during that era.

• Tube station: Shoreditch High Street (Overground)
• Postcode: E1 6BX

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum

Inaugurated in 1977 at The Championships centenary event and made public in 2006, the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum is the largest of its kind in the world. Here, discover the history of the world-famous annual tennis tournament, and the evolution of sport throughout the decades and admire the championship trophies.

• Tube Station: Wimbledon Park (District Line)
• Postcode: SW19 8AA

Bank of England Museum

At the Bank of England Museum, you'll understand why people started using paper money and why banknotes are so difficult to copy. Located in the City of London, the museum explains the Bank's role in shaping the country's economy from 1694 to the present day, and why the building is one of the world's largest stores of gold. You can even try picking up a gold bar!

• Tube station: Bank (Central, Northern, Waterloo & City Lines, DLR)
• Postcode: EC2R 8AH

London Transport Museum

Based in Covent Garden, the London Transport Museum showcases incredible stuff, such as the red London bus to the first-ever Tube maps. Discover how London's growth, culture and society have been strongly connected to its transport system since the 1800s. 

• Tube station: Covent Garden (Piccadilly Line)
• Postcode: WC2E 9JT

Florence Nightingale Museum

A female icon in the Victorian era, Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing and still inspires nurses today. The Florence Nightingale Museum celebrates her life, childhood, how she fought against her parent's wishes to become a nurse, her work during the Crimean War, and her campaigning for better healthcare for ordinary people. You'll also understand why she's called The Lady of the Lamp. 

• Tube station: Lambeth North (Bakerloo Line)
• Postcode: SE1 7EW

Household Cavalry Museum

Located on Horse Guards Avenue, the Household Cavalry Museum celebrates the history and accomplishments of The Household Cavalry. Discover the 'behind the scenes' work that goes into the training, traditions, ceremonies and role of HM The Queen's Mounted Bodyguard. 

• Tube station: Westminster (Circle, District, and Jubilee Lines)
• Postcode: SW1A 2AX

Cutty Sark Museum Ship

Built in 1869 in Scotland for the Jock Willis Shipping Line, Cutty Sark (she) was one of the last tea clippers to be built and one of the fastest. Named after the short shirt of the fictional witch in Robert Burns' poem Tam o' Shanter, the vessel has been preserved and restored to its former glory. 

• Tube station: Cutty Sark (DLR)
• Postcode: SE10 9HT

Weird and quirky museums

Additionally, in the history, science, and art museums mentioned in this article, there is a plethora of weird museums that shed light on bizarre things. These hidden gems offer visitors and locals the chance to discover the strange. Try them if you're fascinated by taxidermy, medical oddities, or simply intrigued by the unusual - here are our top picks.

Museum of Brands

Located in Notting Hill, the Museum of Brands will take you on a nostalgic journey through 200 years of social change, culture, and lifestyle. Looking at things that family generations have thrown away, your memories as a child will be brought back to life in the Time Tunnel. You’ll learn much about the evolution of consumer culture in Britain through product packaging and advertising.

• Tube station: Ladbroke Grove (Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines)
• Postcode: W10 6HJ

Clink Prison Museum

Built in 1144, Clink Prison is one of England’s oldest and most notorious prisons. Located in Southwark, the Clink Prison Museum takes you back the Medieval London and tells the scandalous truth of Old Bankside through a hands-on educational experience. Sights, sounds, smells of the prison, torture devices, and inmate artefacts. 

• Tube station: London Bridge (Jubilee and Northern Lines)
• Postcode: SE1 9DG

Old Operating Theatre Museum 

Based in the church attic of the old St Thomas’ Hospital, the Old Operating Theatre Museum gives you perspective into the history of medicine and surgery. The Herb Garret was once used to dry and store herbs for patients’ medicines, and in 1822 an operating theatre was added to it. Pioneering anaesthetics and antiseptics, it is Europe's oldest surviving surgical theatre. 

• Tube station: London Bridge (Jubilee and Northern Lines)
• Postcode: SE1 9RY

The Crime Museum

At the Crime Museum, you’ll see criminal memorabilia kept at New Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police Service. Previously closed to the public, it showcases artefacts from some of the UK's most notorious crimes and investigations, including cases like Jack the Ripper and the Great Train Robbery.

• Tube station: Westminster (Circle, District and Jubilee Lines)
• Postcode: SW1A 2JL

The Fan Museum

Open to the public since 1991; the award-winning Fan Museum is devoted entirely to the history, culture and craft of the fan. Located in Greenwich, the museum explores fans' art, design and cultural significance throughout history, showcasing a remarkable collection of beautifully crafted fans from around the world.

• Tube station: Cutty Sark (DLR)
• Postcode: SE10 8ER

Pollock's Toy Museum

Started in 1956 in a single attic room in St. Giles, the Pollock’s Toy Museum is a treasure of antique toys and games, showing the history of childhood play in London and beyond. Visitors can see everything from Victorian toys to more modern classics like Barbie and Action Man.

• Tube station: Tottenham Court Road (Central, Northern and Elizabeth Lines)
• Postcode: W1T 2HL

We hope the above selection was useful to you and helped you add great stops to your next trip to London, as the city's museums provide endless knowledge and cultural experiences. From science to history, art to design, there is something to enjoy for everyone, and these experiences will be even more memorable with a London in One Day tour added to your journey.