Global cities are those cities that have the greatest influence in the global economic network, but also have significant importance as geographic, cultural, and educational centres.
London is undoubtedly one of the global cities, and according to most categorizations, it is second on that list, behind only New York City.
However, we are not interested in analysing London as a power city in this article. I rather want to explore it as one of the most interesting locations for tourists.
You can spend weeks in London and still not manage to visit everything. There are so many of the best museums, galleries, concert halls, sporting events, and many other things.
This time we will focus on museums. What is simply incredible is that all the national museums in London are free as part of a government plan to make culture accessible to everyone.
So let’s dive into human history with the help of these museums (most of which are free.)
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Imperial War Museum
Address: Lambeth Rd, London SE1 6HZ
Most similar lists start with either the British Museum or the Victoria and Albert Museum, but the Imperial War Museum left such a huge impression on me. That’s why I put it at the very beginning, even though the other museums in this article are not ranked according to importance or my personal preference.
Just two streets away from the Elephant & Castle tube station, a complete insight into the First and Second World Wars awaits you.
Although free, the Imperial War Museum is rarely crowded. So you will have enough time and space.
Get ready to read, and you even have the opportunity to take a folding chair at the beginning and a huge guide.
You will learn a lot not only about the war but also about what preceded the war.
I visited this museum twice because the first time I spent a few hours only on World War II and I had to go.
On one floor you’ll see many vehicles, including armoured vehicles used during the Northern Ireland riots, and even planes and submarines.
I guess no one can remain indifferent after touring this museum.
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National Gallery
Address: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN
The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square is not something to be missed, especially if you are a fan of painting.
When you enter The National Gallery, you will see a very interesting remark that tells you to use the toilet because the next toilets are over 700 years of art away.
Besides being funny, this is true.
There are three routes in total – A, B, and C.
It’s best to start with the A route, devoted to Renaissance masterpieces painted by Botticelli, Michelangelo, and other artists of the era before proceeding to the overlapping B and C routes.
Some of the artists on routes B and C are Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Turner, and Monet.
The rooms are divided by art movements and you should definitely take time to read the information about each one that you will find on the walls.
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Natural History Museum
Address: Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD
The Natural History Museum is the first of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, and the other two are also on our list – the V&A and the Science Museum.
This enormously large collection consisting of almost 80 million items is housed in a huge building built in the Victorian architecture style.
The building itself will take your breath away, and once you enter and spot the life-sized blue whale, dinosaurs, and other structures, you will have the feeling that you are part of the “Night at the Museum” movie.
Skeletons and fossils are only part of the collection, which is divided into five categories – botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology, and zoology.
You can also see a first-edition copy of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species published in the mid-19th century.
This museum is free, but you need to choose a date and time slot in order to get a ticket and enter.
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Victoria and Albert Museum
Address: Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL
After you’ve finished your tour of the Natural History Museum, across the street you’ll find the Victoria and Albert Museum.
I visited them one after the other, but if you want to properly enjoy both, take a break for at least a few hours. Grab something to eat or spend time in nearby Hyde Park.
The V&A is heaven on earth for all those who love applied arts. The stunning V&A Rotunda Chandelier will welcome you at the entrance, and then you can have a look at artefacts from around the world, including reproductions of some of the most famous sculptures.
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British Museum
Address: Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG
Although the British Museum often draws comparisons with the Louvre, they are actually quite different. While the Louvre is mainly an art museum, the British Museum is focused more on history.
They are similar only because they are so large that they take you weeks to visit. Don’t be disappointed if you miss a lot during your first visit, it is physically impossible to go from the Early Dynastic period in Ancient Egypt to the Modern age.
Its permanent collection is probably the most comprehensive since it documents history from its beginnings to the present. Also, not only Europe is documented, but the whole world – from Oceania to America.
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Tate Britain
Address: Millbank, London SW1P 4RG
Tate Britain is one of the four galleries that makes up Tate Britain. Two are located in London (the other being Tate Modern also on our list), while the other two are in Liverpool and St Ives, Cornwall.
Until 1932, Tate Britain was called the National Gallery of British Art, which best describes what you will find in this museum.
If you want to see the art of the United Kingdom since Tudor times, go to Millbank, London. There’s no need to book.
All those who enjoy the works of one of the greatest English painters ever, J. M. W. Turner, should know that Tate Britain is home to the largest collection of his works.
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Science Museum
Address: Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
The Science Museum is the third museum on Exhibition Road, thus creating a kind of counterpart to the Golden Triangle of Art located in Madrid.
You don’t have to be a science geek to enjoy it very much. There are so many different things in this museum, which will show you the advancement of mankind in the last few centuries.
Part of the museum dedicated to space exploration is my favourite.
Temporary exhibitions and IMAX 3D cinema are not free, but entry is free.
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National Portrait Gallery
Address: St. Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE
At the time of writing this article, the National Portrait Gallery is closed until 2023.
But if you’re going to be traveling to England’s capital in 2023 and beyond, this gallery should be on your itinerary.
Almost 200 thousand portraits of famous British people are waiting for you in St Martin’s Place.
The National Portrait Gallery is adjacent to the National Gallery.
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Courtauld Gallery
Address: Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN
The first thing I will mention is that The Courtauld Gallery is not free because it is a private collection.
The price for adults is £9 on weekdays and £11 on weekends. You can also leave a donation of £2. It is free for minors and students.
The Courtauld Institute of Art is in charge of this collection, which consists of many works of art, and French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings are the most important part of the collection.
You will find numerous sculptures and other artworks as well.
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Royal Observatory Greenwich
Address: Blackheath Ave, London SE10 8XJ
Although it is not in the city centre, you can get to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich by public transport.
A meridian zero reference line, also called the Greenwich Meridian (or prime meridian), is the main attraction. Don’t miss visiting a planetarium show too. The price is £16 for adults.
When you get to Greenwich, you just have to see the Cutty Sark, the legendary British clipper ship from the 19th century. You can buy one ticket for the Royal Observatory and the Cutty Sark for £25 and save since the ticket for the Cutty Sark individually is also £16.
Take advantage of free entry to the National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House and thus complete a perfectly interesting day.
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Tate Modern
Address: Bankside, London SE1 9TG
Frankly speaking, I’m not a big admirer of modern and contemporary art. I was quite disappointed after visiting the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome and the Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian in Lisbon.
But I just couldn’t miss visiting Tate Modern.
And I was pleasantly surprised. Picasso’s painting is a must-see, and there are many other interesting installations in the museum.
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Churchill War Rooms
Address: Clive Steps, King Charles St, London SW1A 2AQ
The Battle of Britain is as important to the outcome of the war as D-Day and the Battle of Dunkirk.
That’s why you have to visit the place from where Churchill, with the help of his War Cabinet, made plans to defeat the enemy.
The Churchill War Rooms are located between Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street.
Everything is completely authentic and you will have the feeling that you have travelled back in time.
The price of the ticket for adults is between 25 and 30 pounds sterling.
Conclusion:
My advice is to avoid trying to visit several museums in a single day, or to visit all these museums if you are only staying in London for just 2 or 3 days.
Each of these museums requires considerable time and mental focus or you will miss many important things. If you try to visit everything in just a few hours, you will be overwhelmed by the amount of information and cannot enjoy it properly.
One museum per day plus other activities are optimal, in my opinion.
After all, you should leave something for your next trip to London! Which is lucky as some great options missed off include the London Transport Museum, Sir John Soane’s museum, the Fashion and Textile museum, and the Dulwich picture gallery among many others.
