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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Benjamin Franklin House
Read more: Benjamin Franklin HouseThe world’s only remaining home of Benjamin Franklin, telling the story of his life in London, his scientific work, and his diplomacy leading up to the American Revolution. It offers a variety of experiences depending on the day you visit. On Wednesday-Thursday you can visit on a self guided tour, exploring the rooms and exhibition…
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Bow Street Museum of Crime and Justice
Read more: Bow Street Museum of Crime and JusticeAn award-winning museum in a former Police Station and Magistrates’ Court, once home to London’s first official law enforcement service, the Bow Street Patrols and Runners. Its original cells and corridors now house galleries that chart the evolution of policing, the lives of those who served here, and the stories of famous cases, prisoners, and…
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Churchill War Rooms
Read more: Churchill War RoomsThe secret underground headquarters where Winston Churchill and his ministers planned Britain’s strategy in the Second World War. Now open to visitors, with many rooms – including the iconic ‘Map Room’, where many of the key decisions in the war were made – left as they were on the day the war ended. Other highlights…
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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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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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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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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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Household Cavalry Museum
Read more: Household Cavalry MuseumA living museum at the heart of Horse Guards, telling the story of the history, traditions and day to day life of the Household Cavalry – the personal troops of the Monarch. Exhibits uniforms, armour, ceremonial equipment and a behinds the scenes view of its working stables, all located in the historic Horse Guards parade…
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Houses of Parliament
Read more: Houses of ParliamentArguably London’s most famous building – home to the iconic Big Ben, as well as the heart of British political life. Guided tours show you around the historic building, including the House of Commons and House of Lords. You can also book self guided tours when Parliament isn’t in session. They also offer Big Ben…
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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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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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Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum
Read more: Polish Institute and Sikorski MuseumA museum dedicated to Poland’s experience in the Second World War, especially the story of the Polish Armed Forces in exile and the government-in-exile in London. Founded in 1945 to preserve archives, artefacts, and personal testimonies, it became a vital centre during the Cold War for keeping this history alive when it was suppressed in…
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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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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 Guards Museum
Read more: The Guards MuseumTells the story of the five regiments of Foot Guards who guard the Royal Palaces (the ones with the big fluffy hats). The museum’s display follows these regiments’ histories from the English Civil War to modern conflicts.
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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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Twinings Museum (Tea)
Read more: Twinings Museum (Tea)A small museum inside Twinings’ flagship store on the Strand, which is the oldest dry tea and coffee shop. It’s mostly a shop, but features a small exhibit on tea and the history of Twinings.
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Wesminster Abbey and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries
Read more: Wesminster Abbey and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee GalleriesOne of the key locations in British history, Westminster Abbey is a large Anglican church complex that has hosted the coronations of 40 English and British monarchs since 1066. Thousands of people are buried here, including former kings and queens, as well as prominent figures such as Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, and several…
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