If you’re a museum lover like me, I’m sure you’ll go to the British Museum to see the Rosetta Stone, Tate Modern, and the National Gallery for portraits. Here’s a few more places that maybe weren’t on your radar, but should be!

1. Museum of the Home (formerly Geffrye Museum)

  • Location: Hoxton, East London
  • Focus: The evolution of domestic life and home interiors over the past 400 years.
  • Highlights:
    • Period rooms that recreate the styles and trends of British homes from the 1600s to today.
    • Seasonal displays showcasing how homes looked during different celebrations, like Christmas.
    • Beautiful gardens, including a herb garden and a garden exploring historical planting styles.
  • Who’ll Love It: Fans of interior design, social history, and architecture.
  • Tip: Take your time exploring the outdoor spaces and enjoy a quiet moment in the herb garden.

2. London Transport Museum

  • Location: Covent Garden
  • Focus: The history of London’s public transport system, from horse-drawn carriages to the iconic Tube.
  • Highlights:
    • Restored buses, trams, and Tube trains you can climb aboard.
    • A fascinating look at the design of the Underground map and Tube signage.
    • Interactive exhibits for all ages, including a “Future Engineers” gallery for kids.
  • Who’ll Love It: Transport enthusiasts, families, and anyone curious about the development of London’s urban landscape.
  • Tip: Visit the shop for stylish souvenirs, including posters and Tube-themed gifts.

3. Hunterian Museum

  • Location: Royal College of Surgeons, Lincoln’s Inn Fields (Reopening 2023/24 after renovations)
  • Focus: Medical history, surgery, and anatomical specimens.
  • Highlights:
    • The museum’s incredible collection of preserved specimens, including skeletons, organs, and curiosities.
    • Displays on the history of surgery, including tools and techniques used in the past.
    • The legacy of John Hunter, an 18th-century surgeon and collector.
  • Who’ll Love It: Fans of science, medicine, and the macabre.
  • Tip: Not for the squeamish! Be prepared for some graphic displays.

4. The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret

  • Location: London Bridge (near Borough Market)
  • Focus: The history of surgery and herbal medicine in a preserved 19th-century operating theater.
  • Highlights:
    • A restored wooden operating theater used for surgeries before anesthesia was widely available.
    • Displays of surgical tools, medicine bottles, and herbal remedies.
    • Insightful talks and demonstrations about historic surgical procedures.
  • Who’ll Love It: History buffs, medical enthusiasts, and those fascinated by Victorian-era practices.
  • Tip: Access involves climbing a steep spiral staircase—wear comfortable shoes and be prepared.

5. Sherlock Holmes Museum

  • Location: 221B Baker Street, Marylebone
  • Focus: The life and times of Sherlock Holmes as imagined by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
  • Highlights:
    • A recreation of Holmes’ and Watson’s living quarters, filled with period-appropriate artifacts.
    • Wax figures depicting scenes from Holmes’ famous cases.
    • A cozy, nostalgic atmosphere that brings the stories to life.
  • Who’ll Love It: Sherlock Holmes fans and lovers of Victorian literature.
  • Tip: The museum is small and can get crowded, so arrive early or book tickets in advance.

6. Royal Observatory, Greenwich

  • Location: Greenwich Park
  • Focus: Astronomy, timekeeping, and the Prime Meridian.
  • Highlights:
    • Stand on the Prime Meridian Line (Longitude 0°), marking the division between east and west.
    • Explore historic telescopes, clocks, and tools that revolutionized navigation.
    • The Peter Harrison Planetarium, offering stunning shows about the cosmos.
  • Who’ll Love It: Space enthusiasts, history lovers, and anyone interested in the science of time.
  • Tip: Combine your visit with a trip to the nearby Cutty Sark or National Maritime Museum.

7. Museum of London Docklands

  • Location: Canary Wharf
  • Focus: The history of London’s docks, trade, and its role in the British Empire.
  • Highlights:
    • Immersive displays of dockside life, including a recreated Victorian street.
    • Exhibits on the transatlantic slave trade and its connections to London.
    • Stories of the River Thames and its importance to London’s development.
  • Who’ll Love It: History enthusiasts, especially those interested in trade, industry, and maritime history.
  • Tip: Entry is free, and the museum is less crowded than central London attractions.

8. The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History

  • Location: Hackney, below the Last Tuesday Society Bar
  • Focus: A whimsical, eccentric collection of oddities, art, and natural history curiosities.
  • Highlights:
    • A mix of taxidermy, preserved specimens, tribal artifacts, and celebrity memorabilia.
    • Quirky exhibits, including shrunken heads and mummified animals.
    • A unique bar upstairs serving cocktails inspired by the museum’s eclectic collection.
  • Who’ll Love It: Fans of the bizarre, surreal, and unconventional.
  • Tip: Grab a drink at the bar before or after your visit—it’s as quirky as the museum itself.

9. Sir John Soane’s Museum

  • Location: Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Holborn
  • Focus: The preserved home of Sir John Soane, a neoclassical architect.
  • Highlights:
    • A labyrinth of rooms filled with antiquities, sculptures, paintings, and architectural models.
    • Masterpieces by Canaletto and Turner, and the famous Hogarth series “A Rake’s Progress.”
    • The atmospheric setting lit by natural light and candlelight during evening events.
  • Why Visit? It’s a delightfully eccentric museum with a truly immersive atmosphere.
  • Entry: Free (donations encouraged).

10. The Postal Museum

  • Location: Clerkenwell
  • Focus: The history of the British postal service and communication.
  • Highlights:
    • A ride on the underground Mail Rail, a tiny train that carried post beneath London.
    • Exhibits on stamps, letters, and the evolution of the postal system.
    • Interactive displays and family-friendly activities.
  • Why Visit? The Mail Rail experience is unique and fun for all ages.
  • Entry: Paid ticket required.

11. The Garden Museum

  • Location: Lambeth, near Lambeth Palace
  • Focus: The history of British gardening and horticulture.
  • Highlights:
    • Displays of tools, art, and design related to gardening.
    • A beautiful medieval church repurposed as the museum’s main building.
    • A tranquil garden inspired by 17th-century designs.
  • Why Visit? A peaceful escape for garden and history lovers.
  • Entry: Paid ticket required.

12. The Brunel Museum

  • Location: Rotherhithe
  • Focus: The legacy of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and his father, Marc Brunel, pioneers of engineering.
  • Highlights:
    • The Thames Tunnel Shaft, a fascinating feat of Victorian engineering.
    • Exhibits on the construction of the Thames Tunnel, the first underwater tunnel of its kind.
    • Evening events, including concerts and candlelit tours.
  • Why Visit? A must-see for engineering enthusiasts and history buffs.
  • Entry: Paid ticket required.

13. The Cartoon Museum

  • Location: Fitzrovia
  • Focus: British cartoons, caricatures, and comic art.
  • Highlights:
    • A vast collection of political cartoons, comic strips, and satirical art.
    • Exhibits on iconic British comics like The Beano and The Dandy.
    • Workshops and activities for aspiring artists.
  • Why Visit? A lighthearted and fun experience for art lovers.
  • Entry: Paid ticket required.

14. The Wallace Collection

  • Location: Marylebone
  • Focus: A stunning private collection of art, furniture, and weaponry.
  • Highlights:
    • Masterpieces by artists such as Titian, Rembrandt, and Gainsborough.
    • The breathtaking Great Gallery and intricate 18th-century furniture.
    • A collection of medieval and Renaissance arms and armor.
  • Why Visit? It’s free and feels like stepping into a grand European palace.
  • Entry: Free.

15. The Foundling Museum

  • Location: Bloomsbury
  • Focus: The history of the Foundling Hospital, Britain’s first home for abandoned children.
  • Highlights:
    • Exhibits on the lives of the children cared for by the hospital.
    • Art by famous hospital supporters like William Hogarth and George Frideric Handel.
    • Emotional tokens left by mothers for their children.
  • Why Visit? A touching story of compassion and charity, combined with art and history.
  • Entry: Paid ticket required.

16. Pollock’s Toy Museum

  • Location: Fitzrovia
  • Focus: Historic toys, dolls, and theatrical miniatures.
  • Highlights:
    • A nostalgic collection of toys from the 19th and 20th centuries.
    • Victorian dollhouses, board games, and puppet theaters.
    • The museum’s quirky and creaky setting in an old Georgian townhouse.
  • Why Visit? A trip down memory lane with a charming and slightly eerie vibe.
  • Entry: Paid ticket required.

17. The Cinema Museum

  • Location: Kennington
  • Focus: The history of cinema and movie-going.
  • Highlights:
    • A fascinating collection of vintage projectors, posters, and cinema memorabilia.
    • Tours led by knowledgeable guides with a passion for film.
    • Regular film screenings and events.
  • Why Visit? A must for cinephiles and vintage movie fans.
  • Entry: Tours by appointment; donations encouraged.

18. Leighton House Museum

  • Location: Kensington
  • Focus: The home and studio of Victorian artist Frederic Leighton.
  • Highlights:
    • Stunning interiors, including the Arab Hall, decorated with Middle Eastern tiles and mosaics.
    • Artworks by Leighton and his contemporaries.
    • A glimpse into the life of an artist in Victorian London.
  • Why Visit? It’s a hidden gem of architectural and artistic beauty.
  • Entry: Paid ticket required.

19. Museum of Brands

  • Location: Notting Hill
  • Focus: The history of packaging, advertising, and consumer culture.
  • Highlights:
    • Walk through a “time tunnel” of everyday products from the Victorian era to the present.
    • Nostalgic collections of toys, toiletries, and food packaging.
  • Why Visit? A quirky and nostalgic journey through pop culture.
  • Entry: Paid ticket required.