7 Best Museums in London
London, the heart of England, has been a significant player when it comes to museums, and this has attracted tourists from different nations to come and witness remains from the past. The capital is known for its rich culture and acceptance of art, making the city even more colourful and exciting.
When you talk about museums, even Londoners are yet to finish visiting all the museums they have available, as they check these museums monthly to get a glimpse of the past and tick their lists.
Do you know London has over 192 museums and 11 national museums? The British Museum, one of the most visited museums in Europe, has existed since 1753 and has an extensive collection. Interestingly, almost all museums in London are free to enter, but you’ll be allowed to go to some places for exhibitions if you have paid, which costs some bucks.
Although some museums still require free admission upon entry. According to 2021 data, the British Museum and the Natural History Museum are the two most visited museums in London; they still rank as the best and most visited museums in London.
Due to the vast establishment of museums in London, finding the perfect one to visit that would mark a remarkable moment in your life can be challenging.
In this article, we’ll look at the seven (7) best museums in London, their entry fees, locations, and websites. Without further ado, let’s look at the list of the 7 best museums in London.
The List of the 7 Best Museums in London
- British Museum, Bloomsbury
- Natural History Museum, Kensington
- The Design Museum in Kensington
- Tate Modern, Bankside
- Victoria and Albert Museum, Knightsbridge
- Royal Academy, Piccadilly
- Imperial War Museum, Lambeth
Best Museums in London
1. British Museum, Bloomsbury
If you’re looking for one of the best museums to visit in London in 2024, then the British Museum should be the first on your list. This museum boasts uniqueness and, more importantly, holds a high level of collections.
It is made of a domed glass-and-steel ceiling and is considered the world’s first national museum opened to the public.
Aside from making history as such, the museum holds high regard as it has galleries dedicated to the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians.
Many tourists visit the museum to see the historical Rosetta Stone and Pantheon marble, which are said to be among the original structures in Athens. The Museum has over 120 mummies recovered from Egypt and has attracted millions of visitors annually, making it London’s most visited museum.
In 2022, it was reported that the British Museum had 4,097,253 visitors, which increased afterwards.
The Museum was established in 1753 and has grown over 250 years following British colonisation in different countries. This led to the creation of various branch institutions, such as the Natural History Museum in 1881.
However, the right of ownership of some of its acquisitions, such as the Egyptian Rosetta Stone and Greek Elgin Marbles, is subject to long-term repatriation and dispute claims.
Location: The Museum is in Central London at Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG, England.
Entry fee: Free entry; exhibitions cost extra
2. Natural History Museum, Kensington
This is one of the best museums in London and the UK. It’s known as one of the museums that does not charge entry fee. It houses over 80 million items, including five collections: mineralogy, entomology, botany, palaeontology, and zoology. It is the hub for research primarily focused on taxonomy, identification, and conservation.
The museum is known to hold some historical remains, such as specimens collected by Charles Darwin. Also, it has the skeletons of dinosaurs reported to have been extinct thousands of years ago. It is also widely known for its collection of ornate architecture.
The museum also has a library called the Natural History Museum Library, which has a vast collection of resourceful materials such as journals, books, manuscripts, and artworks linked to the scientific departments’ research and work. However, access to this library is by appointment only. The museum was established in 1881, 143 years ago.
It was formerly called the British Museum (Natural History) until 1992, when it was renamed the Natural History Museum.
Location: The Museum is located in Central London, Kensington & Chelsea, London, SW7, United Kingdom.
Entry fee: Free entry; exhibitions cost extra
3. The Design Museum in Kensington
The Design Museum was founded in 1989 by Sir Terence Conran in collaboration with Stephen Bayley, the inaugural CEO. It is said to be one of the museums in London with free admission, but the exhibition level has different fees.
The Museum operates as a charity, and all money generated from ticket sales is used to assist the Museum in getting new exhibitions.
The Design Museum houses cutting-edge contemporary exhibitions ranging from graphic to architecture, fashion, product, and industrial design.
Location: It is in the Royal Borough of Kensington, 224–238 Kensington High Street, London, W8 6AG.
Entry fee: Free entry; exhibitions cost extra; booking is essential
4. Tate Modern, Bankside
The Tate Modern Museum is reported to be one of the most prominent museums of both modern and contemporary art.
It is also on the list of the best museums in London. Due to its free admission, which allows tourists to enter without paying a fee, many tourists visit here as much as Londoners are
fond of visiting historic art.
However, you are required to purchase tickets to view specific galleries. In 2020, the Museum was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the world negatively and caused the deaths of thousands of people.
This lockdown affected the Museum, which decreased visitation by 77%, or 1,432,991. Still, it recovered in 2022 to have 3,883,160 visitors a year, making it the third most-visited Museum in Britain and the fourth most-visited art museum globally.
The Museum was established in 2000, 24 years ago. It started functioning on May 11, 2000, after the Queen inaugurated it. In its first year, the Museum had a groundbreaking attendance of 5.25 million visitors from London and worldwide.
Location: Tate Modern Museum is in Central London, Bankside London, SE1, United Kingdom.
Entry fee: Free entry; exhibitions cost extra
5. Royal Academy, Piccadilly
The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly, London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment, and appreciation of the visual arts through exhibitions, education, and debate.
Location: It is at the Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD.
Entry fee: Free entry; exhibitions cost extra
6. Victoria and Albert Museum, Knightsbridge
The Museum was established in 1852 and can be considered one of London’s oldest museums. Here, you can find collections ranging from both applied art and science. It is considered London’s most prominent art museum and the eighth-biggest Museum in the world. It presently has more than 100 galleries that display everything from photography to jewellery.
This Museum has been said to have one of the most impressive exhibitions in recent times.
Location: The Museum is located at Cromwell Road, Kensington and Chelsea, London, SW7.
Entry fee: Free entry; exhibitions cost extra
7. Imperial War Museum, Lambeth
This is also one of the most visited museums in the UK and one of the best in London.
The Imperial War Museum boasts many collections related to the First World War, in which many people lost their lives because of the conflict between Britain and the Commonwealth. In this Museum, you will see collections revealing many stories you won’t find anywhere else.
Also, in the Museum, stories about the war are told with the remains of the war dating
back to the Holocaust.
Location: It is located at Lambeth Rd, London SE1 6HZ, United Kingdom.
Entry fee: Free entry; exhibitions cost extra
Final Thoughts
London has lots of museums, but in this article, we gave out the seven (7) best Museums you should visit when you’re in London.
They tell the story of art, fossils, experiments, plants, war, etc. Interestingly, you don’t need an
application fee before entering many, but you will be restricted from some areas unless you buy a ticket. Would you love to visit a museum in London? This list has it all. Have fun, and stay safe out there.
