There are nearly 250 museums in London – more than just about any other city in the world. Through London’s Museum Guide I want to encourage others to share my love of London’s incredible museum scene, and help you to discover gems you might not have heard of.
Below you’ll find a full, filterable list of everything the city has to offer. Head to the London Museum Guide homepage to explore bespoke guides.
A complete A-Z of London’s museums by theme & location
How to use this guide: The cards below show an A-Z directory of all 250+ museums in London. Use the filters to the right to show only museums you’re interested in.
‘Primary focus’ splits museums by their broad area of focus. You can click ‘additional themes’ to see more specific categories, such as museums covering World War Two, or modern art galleries. If you prefer to look at a map, visit my London Museum Map here.
Finally, have fun, and if you have any tips, want to leave a review for a museum, or notice an error, don’t hesitate to comment or contact me!
Museum at Bethlem Royal Hospita,l exploring mental healthcare history and the lives, experience and achievements of people with mental health problems. It also hosts temporary exhibitions about mental health, and showcases a large collection of art, including pieces by former patients dating back 200 years. Open to the public Wednesday-Saturday.
Tells the story of Biggin Hill, “the most important airfield during the Battle of Britain”. It includes personal stories, chapel memorial, and modern interactive displays for all ages. Opening hours change seasonally – visit website.
A small museum dedicated to the world’s oldest underwater tunnel and the iconic Sir Marc Isambard Brunel who designed it. It’s housed in the original 1843 engine house of Brunel’s Thames Tunnel. There’s also the opportunity to see the Grade II* listed Tunnel Shaft which once served as the Grand Entrance Hall for Victorian visitors.
22-mile network of man-made caves, created from the 13th-19th centuries. Originally used as mines, they were used during the First World War to store ammunition and the Second World War as a shelter. Lamp-lit tours explore mythology, geology, and history. Visited by guided tour only
A hands-on museum on the site of London’s medieval Clink prison. It aims to showcase what the prison was like, filled with gruesome stories and torture implements.
A small museum telling the story of the original Crystal Palace, a huge iron and glass structure built for the Great Exhibition in 1851 in Hyde Park. The building was then moved to the area now known as Crystal Palace, but burnt down in 1936.
The home of Charles Darwin, with extensive gardens, an audioguide by David Attenborough and exhibitions about his work. You’ll also find the Sandwalk – a path he would take multiple times a day, thought to be crucial as he developed his theories.
The world’s first purpose-built public art gallery, home to an important collection of art by the old masters. You’ll find many big hitters here – including works by Rembrandt, Gainsborough and Van Dyck. The building is a landmark in its own right – designed by John Soane, its been a core influence on art galleries…
Contemporary fashion museum, founded by designer Zandra Rhodes. It hosts rotating exhibitions of fashion, textiles, and costume design – check what’s on, it hosts a wide range of stuff which will be of interest to many people. For example past exhibitions have covered the textiles of Andy Warhol, to how texiles have been used for…
A full-scale replica of the Golden Hinde, the ship captained by Sir Francis Drake which became the first English ship to circumnavigate the globe. A very kid-friendly museum, with immersive and interactive experiences for children to learn about history in an engaging way. Also great for history buffs – built using traditional methods, with an…
Hackney’s local museum, exploring over 1,000 years of history. This includes exhibitions on Saxon Hackney all the way through to its modern, diverse identity and rich history of migration. It’s all presented in an engaging, family-friendly way and is know for being an inclusive community resource with plenty of interactive elements for children.
A historic airport, home to the world’s first purpose built airport terminal. Between the wars it was the UK’s only international airport, and for a time it was the biggest and most advanced airport in the world.
An iconic WWII Royal Navy warship museum moored on the Thames. You can explore its lower and upper decks to see what life was like for those onboard – all of its cabins are presented as they were, including the Mess Decks, the Sick Bay, and the opportunity to hold the steering wheel. Exhibitions explore…
A historic house in the London borough of Sutton, dating back to the mid-17th century. It reopened to visitors in 2012 after a refurbishment, and is home to exhibitions about the local area and the house itself.
The home of artist Stephen Wright, who has spent years covering with artworks, sculptures and designs with found objects – made up of things he buys at flea markets, or donated by visitors. Every inch is covered with mosaics, riots of colour, sculpture. And… many, many creepy dolls. An utterly unique place to visit.
A unique industrial museum, home to engineer David Kirkaldy’s colossal Universal Testing Machine, which he designed to test building components, and other testing machines. For over a century, Kirkaldy, his team, and later his descendants tested materials of every kind, from metal to wooden beams, for major projects such as Hammersmith Bridge and the Sydney…
A bit of a hidden gem in South West London, the Grade II listed former home of Frank Dickinson, part fof the Arts and Crafts movement. The house was designed by Dickinson himself, inspired by William Morris.
The world’s only museum of the home, exploring home life and how homes have evolved and changed over the past 500 years. Includes ‘Rooms through time’, which features period rooms showing how lives in London have changed – from 1630 to 2049, across different cultures – and ‘Gardens through time’. A unique and thought-provoking museum.…
A unique medical museum in the attic of an 18th century church, home to Europe’s oldest surviving surgical theatre for female patients. Provides insight into the history of medicine and Victorian surgery, back before anaesthetics and antiseptics. As well as exploring the old operating theatre, you can see the Herb Garrett above, which was used…
A reconstruction of Shakespeare’s 16th century Globe Theatre. As well as its live productions in an authentic historic environment, it offers guided tours, during which you’ll learn about Shakespeare’s London and visit the Theatre’s exhibition space.
A grade II listed, restored 1854 tower windmill offering Sunday tours. Most of the original machinery is still in place, give an insight into milling history.
A contemporary public art gallery in Peckham, which has been going for 125 years and has a reputation for cutting edge exhibition showcasing modern art.
A small showcase of Southwark’s historic collection, including local history displays, artefacts from the Cuming Collection (which used to be housed in the Cuming Museum) and works from the borough’s collection of art. Housed within Walworth Library.
The oldest house in Hackney and one of the only remaining Tudor houses in London. Originally built for Sir Ralph Sadler, who you may know from Wolf Hall. Features authentic oak-paneled rooms and a peaceful garden in the heart of East London.
One of London’s premier art galleries, famous for its absolutely ginormous collection of 20th and 21st century art, and blockbuster temporary exhibitions. You could spend all day exploring its free permanent collection and still not see everything. For me, the highlight is the ‘Artist and Society’ section, which explores the interaction between politics and art,…
One of London’s strangest museums, describing itself as a ‘Museum of Curiosities & UnNatural History’. A delightfully bizarre cabinet of curiosities featuring everything from two-headed animals, to an exhibition on ‘Fairies Mermaids, Unicorns and Giants’, to magic and the occult, and even an exhibition on Human Hair. An utterly unique museum, also home to a…
Thanks for visiting my blog! This post may contain affiliate links - which means if you make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission, at no extra cost to yourself. This helps me keep this site running for free.
