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!
An 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…
The 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…
The 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…
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 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…
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…
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 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.
The British Army’s national museum, with a collection of over a million items going back 600 years. Explores how the British Army originated (from the Civil War to today); the lives of soldiers; the British Army’s global role (remember this is the official Army museum – don’t expect a fully rounded debate on the role…
London’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…
The RAF’s flagship London museum, with six aircraft hangers looking at the RAF’s history, present and future. Plenty of interactive exhibitions and aircrafts.
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.
