North London is home to some of the city’s top sights. Millions of tourists flock to Camden each year for its famous markets — but the area is just as rich in museums, from world-class national collections like the British Museum and British Library to smaller, more unusual spots.
Further north, London turns suburban, with a scattering of hidden gems and historic houses such as Forty Hall Estate in Enfield and Bruce Castle in Haringey.
On this page you’ll find a complete guide to all 48 museums in North London.
On this page:
- My top picks – the best museums in North London
- Hidden gems and university collections
- Themed guides: by interest or visitor type
- An interactive tool to explore all 48 museums
Make sure to check out my full London museum guide, or read my guides to museums in South, Central , East and West London.
Best museums in North London – my top picks
There are nearly 50 museums in North London – it can be hard to know where to start. My top picks for four ‘must-see’ museums in North London are:
- The British Museum (Camden): It’s not possible to write any blog about museums in London without mentioning its most visited. The British Museum is one of the world’s greatest collections, covering every continent and aspect of human history. And it’s free to visit.
- The Wellcome Collection (Camden): A free to visit, interactive science museum, with a focus on health and often exploring how science intersects with art.
- The British Library (Camden): Too often forgotten is the British Library – which exhibits its ‘treasures’, including important documents and artefacts from British culture and history. Everything from the Magna Carta to handwritten Beatles lyrics. It’s free to visit, though temporary exhibitions are often costed.
- Royal Airforce Museum London (Barnet): Slightly further afield is the massive, immersive and hands on RAF Museum.
Hidden gem museums in North London
- The Cartoon Museum (Camden): A small museum celebrating British cartoons and comics.
- The Freemason’s Museum: Exactly what it says on the tin – a museum exploring the history of the mysterious Freemasons.
- Foundling Museum: A museum telling the story of the historic children’s home – a moving museum, often overlooked, which is a great way to learn a different side to London’s history.
- Whitewebbs Museum of Transport: An impressive array of historic vehicles and transport memorabilia.
But North London has so much more to offer beyond its most famous museums. There are plenty of hidden gem, unusual and interesting museums worth visiting. Some of my favourites include:
Which North London Museum should I visit…
🧒 Best North London Museums if you have kids
Visit the RAF Museum, the British Museum, Forty Hall Estate, the Cartoon Museum or Whitewebbs Museum of Transport.
🏛️ Best North London museums if you love history
North London has no shortage of history museums. The British Museum is the obvious choice, but don’t overlook the British Library.
North London also has a huge range of specialist history museums. The Order of St John Museum and the Royal College of Physicians Museum are great choices to learn about medical history; the Charles Dickens Museum and Keats House will give you an insight into those iconic Londoners, but also historic London.
The Wiener Holocaust Library is also a fascinating and important institution, the world’s oldest dedicated to the study of the Holocaust.
🔬 Science museums in North London
North London is the best region of the city if you’re interested in science. Yes, the biggest science museum – the Science Museum itself – is in West London.
But North London is home to the excellent, interactive Wellcome Collection, and nearby the Francis Crick Institute, which hosts cutting edge science exhibitions on the latest discoveries throughout the year.
There are also important science collections in North London. As well as the previously mentioned Royal College of Physicians Museum and the Grant Museum of Zoology, you can explore world leading collections on specific area of medicial history at the Museum of Anaesthesia and Heritage Centre and the The British Optical Association Museum.
🎨 Art galleries in North London
London’s heavy hitting art galleries are elsewhere, but North London has some excellent collections of modern art. Most notable are galleries in Camden, including the Camden Art Centre and the beautiful Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art.
🏗️ If you like architecture…
North London has some real architectural gems worth mentioning. The Sir John Soane museum, the former home of the famous architect, is the pick of the bunch.
But there are also the listed manor houses of Bruce Castle (16th century, in Haringey) and Forty Hall & Estate (17th century with older Tudor remains, Enfield). At the other end of the architectural spectrum, Camden is home to 2 Willow Road, a modernist masterpiece by Erno Goldfinger, which you can now visit as a museum.
These are just a small selection of the best museums in North London. Explore all museums in North London using the interactive tool below.
Interactive tool: explore all 48 museums in North London
How to use this guide: The cards below show an A-Z directory of all 48 museums in North 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.
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