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!
-
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.
-
Apsley House
Read more: Apsley HouseOnce home to the Duke of Wellington, famous for his victories over Napoleon. A stunning stately home, which is also home to an extraordinary collection of art, including work by Goya and Velázquez.
-
Banqueting House
Read more: Banqueting HouseThe only surviving building of Whitehall Palace, designed by iconic architect Inigo Jones. Famous for its epic painted ceiling and as the site of Charles I’s execution in 1649. TEMPORARILY CLOSED UNTIL LATE 2025 – CHECK WEBSITE
-
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.
-
Buckingham Palace
Read more: Buckingham PalaceThe royal family’s official London residence – millions of tourists peer through its gates every year, watch the famous Changing of the Guard, and wonder what’s behind its huge, majestic facade. Its opulent, magnificent state rooms open to the public every Summer, and are open to some small group tours year round. Highlights include the…
-
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.
-
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.
-
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 much of his childhood in here. After the Civil War it fell out of favour and much of it was abandoned. The Great Hall where Henry VIII once ate and dance beacme a farm barn.…
-
Fulham Palace
Read more: Fulham PalaceFor over 1,300 years, this was the home of the Bishops of London. Now you can explore its history through its preserved rooms and museum, as well as explore its 13 acres of gardens with exotic plants. Other highlights are its Tudor Hall and its archaeological finds (the site is still being excavated, with findings…
-
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.
-
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…
-
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…
-
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.
-
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, a Baroque masterpiece by Sir James Thornhill. More than 3,700 square metres of Baroque art cover the walls and ceilings, depicting kings, queens, naval glory and…
-
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.
-
Rainham Hall
Read more: Rainham HallA beautifully preserved Georgian house with rotating exhibitions on the house’s history and a tranquil garden. Recently reopened following a £2.5m conservation project.
-
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…
-
Roca London Gallery
Read more: Roca London GalleryA gallery designed by Zaha Hadid Architects with cutting edge exhibitions on architecture and design. Within a showroom for Roca, who make bathrooms.
-
Somerset House
Read more: Somerset HouseA huge, neo-classical building on the River Thames, which hosts exhibitions – often contemporary art, but also exhibitions about photography and design. Also worth visiting if you’re in the area for the stunning courtyard and fountain.
-
Spencer House
Read more: Spencer HouseA rare 18th-century noble townhouse, describing itself as one of the finest buildings ever built in London, and home to extremely opulent, well-looked after state rooms. Visited by guided tour, providing an insight into the lives of Britain’s aristocracy.
-
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…
-
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…
-
Wellington Arch
Read more: Wellington ArchThe iconic triumphal arch at Hyde Park Corner. Inside is a small museum about the arch’s history and World War One, and at the top you’re rewarded with views over the park.
-
Westminster Abbey and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries
Read more: Westminster 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…
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.