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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575 Wandsworth Road
Read more: 575 Wandsworth RoadAn unassuming Georgian terraced house which on the inside is utterly beautiful, covered in hand-carved fretwork, decorated by its former owner poet Khadambi Asalache. A tiny marvel and one of London’s artistic hidden treasures.
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Black Cultural Archives
Read more: Black Cultural ArchivesAn archive and heritage centre devoted to Black British History. Temporarily closed as a museum, but continues to host events and tours of its exhibition.
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Boston Manor House
Read more: Boston Manor HouseA 17th-century Jacobean manor in Brentford, recently restored and open to the public. Set in a scenic park, it offer s beautifully preserved interiors, including original ornate plasterwork, and community exhibition galleries, often about Hounslow’s modern diverse communities.
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Charlton House
Read more: Charlton HouseOne of the best examples of Jacobean manor houses in London. You can explore and learn about its rich history and its walled garden. Also includes the exhibition ‘Living in Greenwich: Tales Through Time’, showcasing its collection.
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Chisenhale Gallery
Read more: Chisenhale GalleryA small not-for-profit art gallery in East London. Found in a former veneer factory, it was founded by artists in the 1980s. It’s one of London’s leading contemporary art spaces, focusing almost entirely on newly commissioned exhibitions – which means artists create work specifically for the gallery’s programme. Many now-internationally known artists had their first…
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Chiswick House & Gardens
Read more: Chiswick House & GardensA Grade I listed Villa, famous as one of London’s gems of Georgian architecture gems. It features large gardens (the first ever English landscape gardens); while in the house, Neo-Palladian in style and extremely striking, you can explore its ornate details, period rooms and art collection.
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Cutty Sark
Read more: Cutty SarkThe Cutty Sark is a former tea clipper, and was the fastest ship of its time. It’s now an immersive experience: explore its deck and cargo hold, take the ship’s wheel, and discover what life was sea was like. Below the ship you can see the Cutty Sark dramatically suspended above you – on the…
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Dennis Severs’ House
Read more: Dennis Severs’ HouseA unique way to discover London’s history. American artist Dennis Severs bought this Spitalfields townhouse in 1979 and spent the rest of his life transforming it into a “still-life drama.” Each of its rooms is set between 1725 and 1919, as if the fictional Huguenot Jervis family, silk weavers by trade, had just stepped out…
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Discover Greenwich (Greenwich Visitor Centre)
Read more: Discover Greenwich (Greenwich Visitor Centre)An exhibition introducing the history of Greenwich, including details about the former Tudor palace once located here and movies and TV filmed in the area. Part of the Old Royal Naval College, but can also be visited separately (ticketed).
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Eltham Palace & Gardens
Read more: Eltham Palace & GardensA dizzying fusion of architectural styles – a medieval palace which was then further developed during Henry VIII’s time, who spent time in the property (he danced in the Great Hall!). In the 1930s, eccentric millionaires built an art-deco mansion. There are also large, glorious gardens – 19 acres of them – and an awesome…
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Florence Nightingale Museum
Read more: Florence Nightingale MuseumA museum celebrating the pioneer of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale. Explores her life, how she pioneered nursing during the Crimean War, and her campaign for better nursing. A highlight is the lamp that gave her her famous nickname: ‘the lady with the lamp. Well-regarded for its informative and inspiring storytelling.
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Garden Museum
Read more: Garden MuseumA small museum dedicated to British gardening history within a medieval church. Home to lovely gardens (as you’d expect!), and a permanent exhibition about gardening and its history. You can also climb the church’s ancient tower, with views over the Thames.
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Gunnersbury Park Museum
Read more: Gunnersbury Park MuseumA large museum, with over 50,000 items in its collection, focused on the history and culture of West London boroughs Ealing and Hounslow. Features archaeological artefacts from the area; exhibitions on the culture of Ealing and Hounslow and its famous residents; social history; fashion and industry. It’s housed in a former Rothschild mansion, and some…
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Hayward Gallery
Read more: Hayward GalleryA leading contemporary art gallery which hosts rotating modern art exhibitions. Has a reputation for putting on cutting-edge exhibitions, including immersive installations. Housed in the brutalist monolith of the Southbank Centre on the River Thames.
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Hogarth’s House
Read more: Hogarth’s HouseThe former country home of 18th-century artist William Hogarth, now a small museum about his life. It has a large collection of his work, as well as exhibits on the house, its residents and the local area, as well as a lovely garden.
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Imperial War Museum London
Read more: Imperial War Museum LondonAn excellent museum exploring modern conflict. As well as military vehicles, rockets and artefacts, has excellent permanent exhibitions on the Two World Wars, an award winning and poignant Holocaust exhibition, and a collection of art and photography related to conflict. Its temporary exhibitions are also excellent and free, and the museum’s focus on real people’s…
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Jack the Ripper Museum
Read more: Jack the Ripper MuseumAn immersive museum in Whitechapel which tells the story of Jack the Ripper and his crimes. It aims to plunge you into the unsettling world of Victorian East End London, with recreated (often gruesome) scenes. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the museum was extremely controversial when it first opened – its planning…
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Lambeth Palace
Read more: Lambeth PalaceThe historic London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury (still in use), open for guided tours on specific days. One of London’s oldest continuously inhabited residences, and a stunningly preserved example of medieval architecture. Also home to peaceful gardens.
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Lambeth Palace Library
Read more: Lambeth Palace LibraryThe National Library and Archive of the Church of England. Founded in 1610, it holds one of the most important collections of ecclesiastical archives in the world – from medieval manuscripts and early printed books to modern church records, and hosts exhibitions about the history of the Church. Also operates free tours of the library.
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London Museum of Water & Steam
Read more: London Museum of Water & SteamA hands-on industrial museum at the former Kew Bridge Waterworks. Tells the story of London’s water supply, with interactive exhibits; live steam demonstration; the world’s largest collection of working Cornish steam engines, and a splash zone for kids.
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London Transport Museum Depot
Read more: London Transport Museum DepotThe London Transport Museum’s depot, where the majority of its 500,000-object collection is held, including vintage vehicles, trains, buses, posters and maps. Visited by guided tour focusing on specific aspects of its collection – such as design, and ‘Cab it!’ where you can explore a number of old underground trains and see the drivers room.…
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Museum of Immigration & Diversity (19 Princelet St)
Read more: Museum of Immigration & Diversity (19 Princelet St)A Grade II* listed Georgian townhouse, originally built for a wealthy Huguenot silk merchant. Later home to Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, who created a small synagogue at the back of the house that still survives. The building went on to host the Museum of Immigration & Diversity, telling the stories of Spitalfields’ many communities.…
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Museum of London Docklands
Read more: Museum of London DocklandsThe Museum of London’s East London branch, set in a Grade I listed warehouse on the Isle of Dogs. It tells the story of London’s port and the Thames, from the rise and fall of the docks to the Blitz. Highlights include atmospheric recreated dockside streets, plenty of interactive exhibits and a Mudlarks family gallery,…
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Musical Museum (Brentford)
Read more: Musical Museum (Brentford)A unique museum of self-playing musical instrument, telling the story of how music has been recorded and reproduced throughout history. Engineering marvels and inventions, such as self-playing violin and The Mighty Wurlitzer, designed to accompany silent films. There are lots of opportunities to listen to the instruments. Also home to a gallery dedicated to music…
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National Maritime Museum
Read more: National Maritime MuseumBritains premier maritime museum and the largest of its kind in the world. A must-visit for maritime history enthusiasts, with exhibitions immersing visitors in naval history – a higlight is the jacket Admiral Nelson war at the Battle of Trafalgar – and home to ships and boats from all across the world. A Fijian canoe,…
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Nunnery Gallery
Read more: Nunnery GalleryA small, not for profit art space in Bow, housed in a 19th century convent building. It’s a community-focused space, often showcasing East London artists – such as through the biannual East London Art Prize.
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Old Royal Naval College (Painted Hall)
Read more: Old Royal Naval College (Painted Hall)Greenwich’s architectural gem, designed by Sir Christopher Wren originally as a hospital for injured Seamen before becoming a naval college. It’s now most famous for the iconic Painted Hall, more than 3,700 square matres of Baroque art covering the walls and ceilings, depicting kings, queens, naval glory and mythological creaters. It’s often called Britain’s Sistine…
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Osterley Park and House
Read more: Osterley Park and HouseA grand Georgian country house remodelled by the famous 18th century architect Robert Adam. It’s set in a vast park and now run by the National Trust, featuring opulent neo-classical rooms, like the famous and stunning Entrance Hall and its luxurious state apartments. Throughout are paintings, sculptures and tapestries.
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Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
Read more: Pitzhanger Manor & GalleryThe country home of Sir John Soane (Ealing was countryside back then!), designed by him. Soane is one of Britain’s most influential architects. You can explore the manjor, recently restored to Soane’s original design. There is also a contemporary art gallery.
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Ragged School Museum
Read more: Ragged School MuseumLondon’s largest Victorian Ragged School, which served some of the poorest children in the East End. It aims to recreate what life was like for Victorian children (it has a reconstructed Victorian classroom, where they host ‘Victorian lessons’). Exhibits also showcase the history of the school, its founder (Dr Barnardo) and what life was like…
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Ranger’s House (Wernher Collection)
Read more: Ranger’s House (Wernher Collection)A bit of a hidden gem in Greenwich Park, Ranger’s House is an elegant Georgian villa (its exterior used in Bridgerton!) home to the private art collection of Sir Julius Wernher. It’s a treasure trove for art enthusiasts, home to nearly 700 works including paintings by the Old Masters and an eclectic mix of decorative…
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South London Botanical Institute
Read more: South London Botanical InstituteA small Victorian-era institute dedicated to botany, featuring a historic herbarium and peaceful botanic garden, with themed sections, including a collection of carniverous plants.
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Syon House and Park
Read more: Syon House and ParkA quite simply stunning Grade I listed stately home, former residence of the Duke of Northumberland. It has many layers of history, but its most famous for its interior, a masterpiece by Robert Adam with exquisite classical-style rooms. Surrounded by 200 acres of parkland and home to a famous Great Conservatory. Overall a relatively uncrowded…
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Thames River Police Museum
Read more: Thames River Police MuseumA small museum in the old carpenter’s workshop at Wapping Police Station about the Thames River Police, which was established in 1798 and claims to be the first police force set up in England. Displays historic uniforms and equipment, and information about the history of policing the Thames. Because it’s in a working police station,…
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The Cinema Museum
Read more: The Cinema MuseumA volunteer-run museum of cinema memorabilia housed in a former workhouse. Focused on cinema before the age of the multiplex, with a collection going back to the 1890s.
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The Fan Museum
Read more: The Fan MuseumThe first museum in the world dedicated to hand fans, located across two Grade II* Georgian buildings. Home to more than 6,000 fans displaying exquisite craftmanship and an astonishing range of artistry. The oldest dates to the 11th century. The collection will also be of interest to art lovers – it includes a fan with…
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The Queen’s House
Read more: The Queen’s HouseA former royal villa and one of Greenwich’s most beautiful buildings, now an art gallery. Designed by Inigo Jones, setting the blueprint for the rest of maritime Greenwich. Highlights include a painting by Gainsborough; a famous portrait of Queen Elizabeth I and the Tulip Stairs – its dizzying, elegant staircase, the first unsupported spiral stairs…
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The Royal Observatory
Read more: The Royal ObservatoryAn observatory in Greenwich Park which played a huge role in the history of astronomy and navigation. Also the birthplace of modern timekeeping, home to the Prime Meridian line (giving us Greenwich Mean Time). Excellent exhibitions about time and space; one of the UK’s largest telescopes; and a world-class modern planetarium.
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Tower Bridge Exhibition
Read more: Tower Bridge ExhibitionAn excellent way to experience one of London’s most famous landmarks, Tower Bridge. Inside are interactive exhibitions about its history; the Victorian Engine Rooms; glass floors, for a unique viewpoint above the River Thames; and excellent vistas of London’s skyline from the towers.
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Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives
Read more: Tower Hamlets Local History Library & ArchivesTower Hamlets’ local history archive, in Grade II listed former public library. Although most of the collection isn’t on show, they host exhibitions about local history which can be visited for free – check the website to see what’s on. For example, throughout 2025 and early 2026 it’s showing “Next Stop – 900 Years of…
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Tower of London
Read more: Tower of LondonLondon’s most famous fortress, the Tower of London has stood on the Thames for nearly 1,000 years, and was the site of many key historical moments, imprisonments and executions (and hauntings?). Today it’s one of the UK’s most visited historic sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Too many highlights to list here – but…
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University of Greenwich Galleries
Read more: University of Greenwich GalleriesGalleries within the University of Greenwich, including the Stephen Lawrence Gallery, showcasing temporary exhibitions, often focused on contemporary art or local heritage.
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Whitechapel Gallery
Read more: Whitechapel GalleryOne of London’s most important modern art galleries which, since it opened in 1901, has hosted some of the earliest London shows of artists like Pollock, Hockney, Rothko and Picasso. By showcasing emerging artists, it played a key role in the story of modern British art. Exhibitions change regularly, but if you’re into modern art,…
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Young V&A
Read more: Young V&AAn outpost of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) aimed specifically at children. It has three main galleries – Imagine, Play and Design – all designed for play and creativity, exploring design and imagination in a hands-on way. A great introduction to museums for kids! It also tends to host one paid temporary exhibition, exploring…
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