West London is home to some of the capital’s most famous museums. Kensington alone contains a world-class cluster of institutions — the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and V&A each drawing millions of visitors each year.
But there’s far more to West London than the “big three”. Head west from South Kensington and you’ll find stately homes, fascinating transport collections, aviation museums, and small local gems.
On this page:
- My top picks – the best museums in West London
- Hidden gems and community museums
- Themed guides: by interest or visitor type
- An interactive tool to explore all museums in West London
Make sure to check out my full London museum guide, or read my guides to museums in North, South, East, and Central London.
Best museums in West London – my top picks
- The big three on Exhibition Road (South Kensington) – The Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Each of these three museums are world class institutions – the Natural History Museum and Science Museum are perfect for kids and families, while the V&A is probably London’s most varied. All three are worthy of several hours exploring. - Design Museum (Kensington and Chelsea) – One of my favourite museums in London, covering all aspects of design. Hosts excellent temporary exhibitions, too.
- Kew Gardens (Richmond) – While technically a botanic garden, Kew’s many glasshouses, historic buildings and galleries make it a must-visit cultural site. So much to see and do – read my full guide here.
- Saatchi Gallery (Kensington and Chelsea) – One of London’s main modern art exhibitions, known for major, cutting-edge exhibitions with huge installations
Hidden gem museums in West London
- Leighton House (Kensington & Chelsea) – The opulent former home of Victorian artist Frederic Leighton. Its Arab Hall, covered in Islamic tiles and golden mosaics, is one of London’s most breathtaking interiors. You can read more about Leighton House here.
- London Museum of Water and Steam (Hounslow) – An interactive museum all about London’s water supply.
- Battle of Britain Bunker (Hillingdon) – The underground command centre from which RAF Fighter Command directed the Battle of Britain in 1940. It’s now an excellent museum with interactive displays and guided tours of the original bunker.
- Musical Museum (Hounslow) – Probably the most unique museum in West London, all about self-playing musical instruments.
Which West London Museum should I visit…
🧒 Best West London Museums if you have kids
The Science Museum and Natural History Museum are unbeatable for family visits, and among the best museums in all of London for kids.
The Design Museum and London Water and Steam Museum are both highly interactive and good for kids.
Gunnersbury Park Museum is another gem, a massive museum which acts as the local museum for the boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow.
🏛️ Best West London museums if you love history
West London is rich in royal history, and has also long been one of the most desirable places to live in the country. There are plenty of huge stately homes to explore here.
Most famous is Kensington Palace, where Queen Victoria grew up. But there’s also Fulham Palace (Hammersmith and Fulham), the former home of the Bishops of London.
Further afield are manor houses like Boston Manor House and Chiswick House and Gardens, worth visiting for their beauty but also shining a light on how people used to live (or at least how the very wealthy used to live!)
For more traditional history museums, head to Gunnersbury Park or the National Army Museum.
There are also two excellent museums about the Second World War – the Battle of Britain Bunker and the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, which tells the story of Poland’s contribution to the Second World War.
🔬 Science museums in West London
West London is home to two of London’s best science museums. The Science Museum (every aspect of science, pretty much) and the Natural History Museum (the natural world, including animals and dinosaurs, both in South Kensington. You could spend days exploring just these two.
The London Water and Steam Museum is also excellent for engineering enthusiasts, found in the former Kew Bridge Waterworks and telling the story of the city’s water supply.
🎨 Art galleries and museums in West London
There are a small handful of excellent art galleries in West London. The most obvious is the V&A, not strictly an art gallery but a huge museum exploring art, design, fashion and culture.
The Saatchi Gallery is one of London’s best modern art galleries (its temporary exhibitions are always blockbuster, but can be a bit expensive!). In Ealing you’ll find the Pitzhanger Manor House and Gallery, the former home of Sir John Soane which is also home to a contemporary art gallery.
There’s also the Leighton House Museum, the home of Victorian artist Lord Leighton which showcases some of his paintings and studio (though the highlight is its sumptuous Arab Hall).
For art and design lovers there are also a couple of manor houses worth visiting. The first is the utterly stunning Syon House, with its sumptuous interiors designed by Robert Adam. The second is Osterley Park and House, also designed by Robert Adam. While not strictly art galleries, their interiors are nothing short of masterpieces.
🏗️ If you like architecture or heritage homes
West London is home to some of the most beautiful buildings in the country. Leighton House is a must visit for the Arab Hall, made up of a collection of Middle Eastern tiles. Then there’s the pair of Robert Adam masterpieces of interior design (Osterley House and Syon House); the Georgian Chiswick House; Headstone Manor; and the royal Kensington Palace
And if all those historic homes don’t get you going, then there’s Neasden Temple in Brent. One of London’s most remarkable buildings, it’s one of the largest Hindu temples outside of India, built entirely using traditional methods.
These are just a small selection of the best museums in West London. Explore all museums in North London using the interactive tool below.
Interactive tool: explore Every museum in West London
How to use this guide: The cards below show an A-Z directory of all museums in West 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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