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Museums in London: Tickets and Tours

Museums in London: Tickets and Tours

While London is synonymous with double-decker buses and red phone booths, its museums are world-class, and attract millions of visitors to this vibrant city every year. From spectacularly realistic waxworks to wartime history and dinosaur exhibitions, there are museums in London to suit every traveler.

Whether you’re a history connoisseur, an art enthusiast or a maritime fanatic, you’ll find plenty of attractions to pique your interest.

British Museum

First opened in 1759, the British Museum is one of the oldest in the world and showcases a sensational display of more than 9,000 artifacts from around the world.

Among the many treasures that litter the rooms of this exhibition are the Rosetta Stone, which provides the key to reading ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, as well as several ornate sculptures that once embellished the Parthenon, and the brass Ife Head, which originated in Nigeria.

Madame Tussauds

If you’re looking to give your social media pages an upgrade, snap a selection of fan photos with your favorite celebrities at Madame Tussauds and make your loved ones green with envy. While these figures are in fact, made of wax, the finished result is almost identical to the person it represents.

From musical geniuses, such as David Bowie, to Marvel characters, royalty and everything in between, this attraction continues the legacy that Anna Maria Tussaud started over 200 years ago.

Churchill War’s Room

History aficionados can see inside the mind of the famous prime minister who led Britain through WWII by paying a visit to Churchill War’s Room. The war cabinet met at this destination no fewer than 115 times during the 6 years that the war raged through Europe and made some of their most important decisions that helped to defeat the Nazi party here.

The site is home to one of the last remaining Enigma coding machines, used to decipher commands from the enemy.

Originally built to house less than 40 paintings, the National Gallery has grown exponentially since it opened in 1824 and now features over 2,300 artworks. As you stroll its opulent rooms, you’ll see masterpieces by some of the most celebrated painters in the world, including Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh and Sandro Botticelli.

On top of its myriad of paintings, the gallery also showcases a range of sculptures, including one of the first American president, George Washington.

Royal Observatory Greenwich

The Royal Observatory Greenwich is famed as the location of the Prime Meridian, as well as Greenwich Mean Time against which clocks across the world are set.

This site was set up by the esteemed architect, Christopher Wren, in the 17th century when sailors began their quest of mapping out the world and needed to measure longitude. Today, it serves as a tourist attraction and also enables visitors to explore the night skies in all their glory at its planetarium.

Those who wish to brush shoulders with British royalty should pay a visit to the Queens Gallery, which is situated within Buckingham Palace and displays a grand variety of original paintings, and one-of-a-kind furniture pieces.

Constructed in 1962, the gallery went through a major transformation 40 years later during the Golden Jubilee in 2002 when it was opened to the public by Queen Elizabeth II. Rembrandt and Van Dyck are among the artists who have had their works adorned on the walls of the gallery.

London Transport Museum

Discover how people have been moving throughout the city for over 200 years at the London Transport Museum where you’ll find more than 500,000 artifacts related to trains, trams and buses.

Alongside exploring historic motors and double-deckers, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in several interactive exhibits, and learn how the public transportation sector aided the city’s residents during both World Wars.

Natural History Museum

Founded by the man who invented the word “dinosaur”, the Natural History Museum invites visitors to discover over 147 million years of life on Earth.

From original works by Charles Darwin, who is considered the “Father of Evolution” to ammonites that have survived over 65 million years, the gallery encourages curiosity and shows just how diverse this planet is.

Tate Modern

Those who prefer pop art and abstract prints to oil paintings of landscapes, and royalties should step foot inside the Tate Modern, which displays the development of the arts over the last century.

While you can marvel at any of the almost 13,000 compositions in the gallery, some of the most remarkable works include Andy Warhol’s silkscreen “Marilyn Diptych” and Mark Rothko’s “Seagrass Murals.”

Victoria and Albert Museum

Another destination for art lovers, the Victoria and Albert Museum houses a wide range of objects, including furniture, textiles, ceramics, and jewelry. Named after Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, the museum allows visitors to step back in time with over 4 million objects from a number of countries, some of which date back 5,000 years.

A nostalgic collection for many, the Victoria and Albert Museum is home to a sizable collection of artwork from the Beatrix Potter book series.

Museum of Brands

The Museum of Brands was created to educate the general public on advertising and brand design, and how it has changed over time, influencing our every purchase. Find the original packaging of your favorite product here, from Cadbury’s chocolate wrappers to Kellogg’s cereal boxes, household goods and toys, in the attraction’s “Time Tunnel,” which provides a slice of nostalgia for all.

National Maritime Museum

Greenwich has been known as the epicenter of British maritime history since the 19th century when it established a college to train naval officers. Today, you can take a break from wandering the famed market or relaxing in Greenwich Park to visit the National Maritime Museum, where you’ll find over 11,000 prints related to the subject.

As well as a vibrant collection of artworks, you’ll also be able to discover a historic Fijian canoe, educate yourself on indigenous Arctic tribes and be dazzled by award-winning space photography.