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!
The museum at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, dedicated to the clubs history from its 19th century origins in Woolwich to present day. Filled with memorabilia, trivia, history and interactive exhibits. Included as part of a stadium tour, but can be visited separately.
A volunteer-run small art gallery devoted to current drawing practice. Provides non-commercial exhibition space for emerging and established artists to show drawings free from market pressures.
An immersive museum for young children devoted to storytelling and imagination, with two floors of immersive play spaces called ‘Story Worlds’ and interactive storybook exhibitions.
The UKs only gallery devoted to modern Italian art, best known for its Futurist masterpieces and figurative art and sculpture dating from 1890 to the 1950s. Housed in a Grade II listed Georgian villa in Canonbury. As well as its permanent collection it hosts temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary Italian artists
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.
The local heritage museum for the Borough of Islington. Its galleries cover themes community and social history, including fashion , food healthcare, wartime Islington and radicals. Includes a bust of Lenin who lived in the borough.
A museum devoted to the history of London’s waterways, exploring the story of canals in London – how they came to be built, the lives of the workers, and how they worked. Housed in a 19th-century ice warehouse it also tells the story of London’s ice industry. Highlights include peering into huge Victorian ice wells…
A small museum about the history of Methodism, housed in its spiritual home – the Methodist church built under the direction of its founder, John Wesley. Next door is Wesley’s former home, which can also be visited.
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 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.
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.
A historic building with a multi-layered history – having been a medieval monastry, a Tudor mansion, and a school. You can explore this history through its well-preserved rooms, its garden and its museum
A museum about the history of post in the UK, with interactive and immersive displays. Its highlight is the Mail Rail – a small train running underground, originally used to transport mail across the city, which you can ride as part of your visit and learn about its history.
The storehouse for the some of the V&A’s vast collection not on display in the main museum, allowing you to get a behind-the-scenes look. Across three levels are public walkway to see the museum store at work and some of its collection. There are also mini displays showcasing the collection, and free group sessions highlighting…
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…
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