London hotels reservations – Historical museums and galleries

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The World’s most visited museums and galleries

London is just amazing for culture seekers with its world-famous museums and its absolutely wonderful galleries. Glimpse and admire the distant past, marvel at superb works of art and step into the exciting and unknown future.

British Museum
Great Russell Street, London WC1
Tel: 020 7636 1555
U Tottenham Court Road/Russell Square/Holborn
Open: Mon-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1200-1800. Closed 24-26 Dec, 1 Jan, Good Fri, early May Day Bank Holiday

One of the great museums in the world and the UK’s largest, with a collection of unrivalled treasures that is one of the world’s most comprehensive records of man’s achievements from prehistoric to modern times. With 94 different galleries it contains the national treasury of art and four million artefacts from all over the world for all periods and all civilisations.
Free admission (a charge may be made for temporary special exhibitions)

Courtauld Gallery
Courtauld Institute of Art, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2
Tel: 020 7873 2526
U Temple (closed Sunday)/Convent Garden/Holborn
Open: Mon-Sat 1000-1800, Sun and Bank Holidays 1200-1800

Britain’s finest collection of Impressionist paintings together with masterpieces by Rubens, Botticelli, Goya and Tiepolo. World famous paintings include Manet’s ‘Bar at the Folies Bergere’ and Renoir’s ‘La Loge’.
Admission: adult £4.00 child free

Design Museum
28 Shad Thames, London SE1
Tel: 020 7378 6055
U Tower Hill, U/T London Bridge
Open: daily 1130-1800. Closed 25, 26 Dec

First museum in the World to look at the influence design has on our everyday lives. A comprehensive collection of innovative designs both classical and contemporary, which explains why and how, objects work and look as they do, from cars to toothbrushes.
Admission: adult £5.25 child £4.00

Dickens House Museum
48 Doughty Street, London WC1
Tel: 020 7405 2127
U Russell Square/Chancery Lane
Open: Mon-Fri 0945-1730, Sat 1000-1700. Closed Sun and selected days at Christmas

The residence of Charles Dickens from 1837 to 1839 with first editions, letters, pictures, furniture, restored rooms and memorabilia.
Admission: adult £3.50 child £1.50

Imperial War Museum
Lambeth Road, London SE1
Tel: 020 7416 5000
U Lambeth North/Elephant and Castle, T Waterloo
Open: daily 1000-1800. Closed 24-26 Dec

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Award winning Museum telling the story of 20th century wars from Flanders to Bosnia. Lots of special features including the Blitz Experience and the Trench Experience. Also displays of every variety of guns with tanks, a battle ship gun turret and aircraft torpedoes.
Admission: adult £5.00 child £2.50

London Toy and Model Museum
21-23 Craven Hill, London W2
Tel: 020 7706 8000
U Lancaster Gate, U/T Paddington
Open: daily 0900-1730

Amongst the best toy collections in Europe showing the history and development of commercially made toys and models including dolls, teddies, Dinky toys, Meccano, clockwork planes, cars, rows of shops, regiments of soldiers and dolls’ houses. Also a 1930s children’s carousel ride and in the museum’s garden there is the only miniature steam railway in London.
Admission: adult £5.00 child £3.50

London Transport Museum
Convent Garden Piazza, London WC2
Tel: 020 7379 6344
U Convent Garden/Leicester Square
Open: daily 1000-1800 (last admission 1715). Fri opens 1100. Closed 24-26 Dec.

Charts the development of London’s public transport network with historic vehicles and exhibits including horse-drawn, motor and trolley buses, early steam and electric locomotives, trams and underground trains.
Admission: adult £4.95 child £2.95

Museum of London
150 London Wall, London EC2
Tel: 020 7600 3699
U St Paul’s/Barbican, U/T Moorgate/Liverpool Street
Open: Mon-Sat 1000-1750, Sun 1200-1750. Closed 24-26 Dec, 1 Jan

It depicts the chronological development of London over a period of 2,000 years from prehistoric to the present day. Popular exhibits include ‘The Great Fire Experience’, and a reconstructed Victorian street with shops.
Admission: adult £5.00 child £3.00

Museum of the Moving Image
South Bank, Waterloo, London SE1
Tel: 020 7401 2636
U Embankment, U/T Waterloo
Open: daily 1000-1800 (last admission 1700). Closed 24-25 Dec

Charts the magical history of moving images from Chinese shadow puppets through to film, television, video and satellite. Lots of film and TV clips and plenty of opportunity to join in the fun.
Admission: adult £6.25 child £4.50

National Army Museum
Royal Hospital Road, London SW3
Tel: 020 7730 0717
U Sloane Square
Open: daily 1000-1730. Closed Good Fri, May Day Bank Holiday, 24-26 Dec and 1 Jan

The British Army’s own museum portraying the life of the British soldier in peace and war covering five centuries including displays on both World wars and unique collections from the Victorian period and the Battle of Waterloo.
Free admission

National Gallery
Trafalgar Square, London WC2
Tel: 020 7839 3321
U Leicester Square/Embankment, U/T Charing Cross
Open: 1000-1800, Wed to 2000, Sun 1200-1800. Closed Good Friday, 24-26 Dec, 1 Jan

One of the World’s most important picture galleries featuring a collection from the 13th to the early 20th century representative of every European School of painting and works by most of the great Masters including; Rembrandt, Monet, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Rubens.
Free admission

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National Maritime Museum
Romney Road, Greenwich, London SE10
Tel: 020 8858 4422
T Maze Hill
Open: daily 1000-1700. Closed 24-26 Dec

The world’s largest collection of marine art as well as charting the history of seamanship through to the Gulf War. Includes displays of boats, barges, models, paintings, navigational instruments and galleries for Captain Cook Explorers, Nelson and 20th Century Sea Power.
Admission: adult £5.00 child £2.50

National Portrait Gallery
St Martin’s Place, London WC2
Tel: 020 7306 0055
U Leicester Square, U/T Charing Cross
Open: Mon-Sat 1000-1800, Sun 1200-1800. Closed 24-26 Dec, 1 Jan, Good Fri, May Day Bank Holiday

National collection of portraits of famous British men and woman from the Middle Ages to the present day. Includes paintings in oil, and watercolour, sculpture, caricatures and photographs. Regular lectures and tours.
Free admission (charges for some exhibitions)

Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road, London SW7
Tel: 020 7938 9123
U South Kensington
Open: Mon-Sat 1000-1750, Sun, Bank Holiday 1100-1750. Closed 23-26 Dec

World’s leading museum of natural history with hundreds of exciting displays including the dramatic earthquake experience and the sensational dinosaurs exhibition as well as press-button gadgets and 3D-video magic.
Admission: adult £6.00 child £3.00

Royal Air Force Museum
Grahame Park Way, Hendon NW9
Tel: 020 8205 2266
U Colindale, T Mill Hill Broadway
Open: daily 1000-1800. Closed 24-26 Dec and 1 Jan

Located 15 miles from central London this impressive collection of military aircraft includes a display of 70 full-size aircraft
Admission: adult £6.50 child £3.25

Science Museum
Exhibition Road, London SW7
Tel: 020 7938 8000
U South Kensington
Open: daily 1000-1800. Closed 24-26 Dec

The world’s most comprehensive collections of science, technology, industry and medicine. Five floors of interactive galleries including The Flight Lab, Launch Pad, Secret Life of the Home and marvellous displays of scientific invention.
Admission: adult £6.50 child £3.50

Tate Gallery
Millbank, London SW1
Tel: 020 7887 8000
U Pimlico
Open: daily 1000-1750. Closed 24-26 Dec

Hosts the National Collection of British Painting from 1500 to the present day and the national collection of 20th-century painting and sculptures both British and Foreign.
Free admission

Theatre Museum
Russell Street, London WC2
Tel: 020 7836 7891
U Convent Garden/Leicester Square, U/T Charing Cross
Open: Tue-Sun 1100-1900. Closed Good Fri, 25-26 Dec, 3 Jan and some public holidays. Last admission 1830

Exhibition displays depicting the history of the theatre and major performing arts in the UK from Elizabethan times to the present day. Includes theatre, ballet, circus, musicals with stage models, pantomime and pop.
Admission: adult £3.50 child £2.00

Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road, London SW7
Tel: 020 7938 8500
U South Kensington
Open: Mon 1200-1745, Tue –Sun 1000-1745, Wed Late View (seasonal) 1830-2130. Closed 24-26 Dec

One of the great world museums for decorative arts and design. With 146 galleries illustrating artistic achievement of different cultures from around the world containing collections dating from 3,000BC to the present day. Includes furniture, fashion, textiles, jewellery, books and photographs.
Admission: adult £5.00 child free

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