Discover every museum in London all in one place.
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!
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All Hallows-by-the-Tower Crypt Museum
Read more: All Hallows-by-the-Tower Crypt MuseumA small museum in one of the oldest churches in London, housed in an atmospheric crypt. It included part of a Roman floor, Roman and Saxon artefacts, and charts the City of London’s history from Roman Londinium through the Great Fire.
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Autograph Gallery
Read more: Autograph GalleryA free to visit photography gallery which puts on groundbreaking exhibiitions, usually focused on identity, race, human rights and social justice.
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Bank of England Museum
Read more: Bank of England MuseumA museum within the Bank of England’s headquarters, which charts over 300 years of monetary history from banknote design to financial crises. Visitors can handle a real gold bar.
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Bankside Gallery
Read more: Bankside GallerySmall public gallery, home to the Royal Watercolour Society. Showcases new and established watercolour artists.
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Barbican Art Gallery
Read more: Barbican Art GalleryAn art gallery showcasing rotating exhibitions of international artists, in the iconic brutalist Barbican complex.
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Battle of Britain Bunker
Read more: Battle of Britain BunkerAn underground WWII operations room at RAF Uxbridge, crucial during the Battle of Britain – fighter aircraft operations took place here during the Battle of Britain and D-Day. A visit includes a tour of the original underground bunker and Operations Room – and above ground is a state of the art, modern exhibition exploring the…
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British Airways Speedbird Heritage Centre
Read more: British Airways Speedbird Heritage CentreBritish Airways’ heritage centre, featuring the airlines memorabilia, aircraft models and artefacts like vintage aircraft seats.
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British Red Cross Museum and Archives
Read more: British Red Cross Museum and ArchivesThis lesser-known collection showcasing the British Red Cross’ 150 years of history, featuring historical objects like medical kits from WWI trenches and documents from relief operations illustrating the evolution of emergency aid since 1870s.
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Brunel Museum
Read more: Brunel MuseumA 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.
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Clink Prison Museum
Read more: Clink Prison MuseumA 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.
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Croydon Art Space
Read more: Croydon Art SpaceA small art gallery showcasing contemporary art, hosting a few exhibitions a year
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Dr Johnson’s House
Read more: Dr Johnson’s HouseThe former home of Dr Samuel Johnson, where he compiled his famous and influential Dictionary of the English Language. As well as exhibitions about his life and work, you can explore the period rooms and gain a sense of 18th-century literary life in London.
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Dulwich Picture Gallery
Read more: Dulwich Picture GalleryThe 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…
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Fashion & Textile Museum
Read more: Fashion & Textile MuseumContemporary 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…
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Golden Hinde
Read more: Golden HindeA 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…
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Guildhall Art Gallery and Roman Amphitheatre
Read more: Guildhall Art Gallery and Roman AmphitheatreAn art gallery home to the City of London’s art collection, especially notable for its Victorian pieces – though the collection ranges from the 17th century to the modern day. Downstairs are the excavated remains of part of London’s Roman Ampitheatre, lost for centuries and discovered when the gallery was built in the 1980s.
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Hackney Museum
Read more: Hackney MuseumHackney’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.
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Havering Museum
Read more: Havering MuseumA community museum exploring Havering’s history, from pre-history to the borough’s diverse present. Located in a historic brewery.
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Historic Croydon Airport
Read more: Historic Croydon AirportA 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.
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HMS Belfast
Read more: HMS BelfastAn 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…
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Horniman Museum and Gardens
Read more: Horniman Museum and GardensA huge, popular family museum with a wildly eclectic collection which is impossible to define. Highlights include the World Gallery, with collections from across continents; an aquarium; a natural history display; a display of music instruments. It’s also popular for its large gardens home to a number of interesting sights – like a butterfly house,…
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House of Dreams Museum
Read more: House of Dreams MuseumThe 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.
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Kirkaldy Testing Museum
Read more: Kirkaldy Testing MuseumA 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…
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London Mithraeum (Bloomberg SPACE)
Read more: London Mithraeum (Bloomberg SPACE)A free to visit, multi-sensory experience based around the ruins of an ancient temple of Mithras, a secretive and mysterious Roman cult. Found below Bloomberg’s London headquarters, the ruins of the 3rd century AD temple are brought to life by an immersive light and sound show. There’s also a small exhibition.
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Manor Farm (Ruislip)
Read more: Manor Farm (Ruislip)A 22-acre heritage site with a beautiful Tudor manor house and medieval barn, housing a small free museum about Ruislip’s history. The Manor house includes many original features; in the nearby Pram Shed are a collection of historic farming tools.
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Mansion House (The Lord Mayors Residence)
Read more: Mansion House (The Lord Mayors Residence)A Grade I listed Palladian mansion from the 1750s, and the official residence and office of the Lord Mayor of the City of London. Includes the striking Egyptian Hall and a large art collection.
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Museum of Croydon
Read more: Museum of CroydonCroydon’s local museum, sharing stories of the borough’s history and people. Also home to the Riesco collection, of Chinese ceramics.
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Museum of the Home
Read more: Museum of the HomeThe 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.…
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Old Operating Theatre Museum
Read more: Old Operating Theatre MuseumA 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…
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Pollock’s Toy Museum (Leadenhall Market)
Read more: Pollock’s Toy Museum (Leadenhall Market)The UK’s oldest toy museum – currently split across two locations, Leadenhall Market and Croydon.
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RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre
Read more: RAF Hornchurch Heritage CentreA heritage centre and tribute to RAF Hornchurch, a former Royal Airforce sector station established to protect London during World War One and playing a major role in the Battle of Britain. Immersive wartime displays and personal stories walk you through the history of the site, with exhibition rooms on topics such as ‘Battle of…
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Rainham Hall
Read more: Rainham HallA beautifully preserved Georgian house with rotating exhibitions on the house’s history and a tranquil garden. Recently reopened following a £2.5m conservation project.
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Science Gallery London
Read more: Science Gallery LondonA free contemporary science gallery, part of King’s College London. It explores the collision between science and art through bold, interactive exhibitions. Aimed at 15-25 year olds but engaging for all ages, it tackles big questions around health, technology and society through rotating temporary exhibitions.
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Shakespeare’s Globe
Read more: Shakespeare’s GlobeA 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.
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Shirley Windmill
Read more: Shirley WindmillA 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.
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South London Gallery
Read more: South London GalleryA contemporary public art gallery in Peckham, which has been going for 125 years and has a reputation for cutting edge exhibition showcasing modern art.
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Southwark Heritage Centre
Read more: Southwark Heritage CentreA 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.
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St Bartholomew’s Hospital Museum
Read more: St Bartholomew’s Hospital MuseumA museum charting 900 years of medical care at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, with artefacts such as the 1546 refoundation agreement between Henry VIII and the City of London.
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St Pauls Cathedral
Read more: St Pauls CathedralLondon’s iconic domed cathedral, designed by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London.with religious art and architecture. Includes the crypt, which is the final resting place of Sir Christopher Wren and the DUke of Wellington,; a Whispering Gallery; and panoramic views across London from the dome.
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Sutton House
Read more: Sutton HouseThe 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.
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Tate Modern
Read more: Tate ModernOne 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,…
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Upminster Tithe Barn Museum of Nostalgia
Read more: Upminster Tithe Barn Museum of NostalgiaA treasure-filled medieval barn with over 500 years of history. Focused on agriculture, with a wide range of historic agricultural artefacts. But over time its collection has expanded to all sorts – from kitchen materials, to old TVs, toys and craft items. It calls itself the ‘Museum of Nostalgia’.
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Upminster Windmill
Read more: Upminster WindmillOne of London’s four remaining historic windmills, dating to 1803. Offers a chance to explore the Windmill, learn about its history and the role of windpower.
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Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities
Read more: Viktor Wynd Museum of CuriositiesOne of London’s strangest and creepiest 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…
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