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!
A sewage station might not be your average day out – but the Crossness is a masterpiece of Victorian engineering, credited with playing a crucial role in saving London from the Great Stink in 1858 and subsequent cholera epidemics. Architecturally it’s massive in scale and stunning, giving it the nickname ‘the Cathedral of Sewage’. Only…
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.
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 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.
An excellent museum about the history of transport in London, going from Victorian times when the city was filled with horses and carriages, to the transport of the future. Features historic buses, Underground train carriages and exhibitions about the development of the Tube network and the art and design behind its iconic brand. Highly interactive.
The 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.…
A small museum in a Grade II listed engine hall, featuring a restored Victorian steam-powered beam engine. It offers live demonstrations of the steam engine on certain days.
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.
One 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.
Housed in a Grade II listed Victorian sewage pumping station, this volunteer-run museum celebrates Walthamstow’s transport and industrial heritage. Its extensive firefighting collection was built up by former firefighter Frank Mycock and includes everything from a Victorian horse-drawn fire engine to modern equipment. The museum is also home to a pair of working Marshall steam…
A small, community museum focusing on the industrial heritage of the River Wandle, including Young’s Brewery; William Morris’ printworks; lavender, snuff and dye industries.
A transport museum housed in a Victorian pumping station. Home to an impressive collection of historic vehicles (vintage cars, fire engines, tractors, motorbies), a model railway, and transport memorabilia. Perfect for transport geeks.
A tiny museum inside an 1817 windmill on Wimbledon Common. As well as exploring the windmill itself, there are exhibits explaining the evolution of windmills. Also home to models of windmills, ranging from ancient windmills to the various types used in Britain.
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