Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Royal Opera House

"The British Museum is one of the world’s largest and most important museums of human history and culture. The building’s courtyard features an impressive glass-and-steel roof, which manages to respect the classical architecture of the building but also provide a modern touch. Our photographer duo recommends to make sure to visit early in morning or in the late hours to avoid the crowds and harsh lighting."

"The British Museum, located in the Bloomsbury area is the first public institution national museum in the world. dedicated to human history, art and culture. Its permanent collection presents the evolution of global human culture throughout history."

"A look at the turbulent and exciting past six decades of American history through the eyes of artists, starting with the pop art explosion right through to the present day. Date: 9th March to 18th June"

"With more than 2.3 million objects, multiple visits (and some comfy shoes) are required to get a handle on the V&A’s enormous collection. Whatever your passion, you’ll find part of its history here, with displays dedicated to fashion, furniture, sculpture, ceramics, jewellery and performance to name but a few. It costs nothing to get in, and you’ll leave feeling inspired by the endless possibilities of human creativity."

"Named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the V&A wears the crown as the world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design. Its priceless collection includes sculptures, paintings, ceramics, fashion, drawings, and books from ancient times to present day. Like most of London’s museums, admission to the Victoria and Albert is free."

"The Victoria & Albert Museum is across the street from the Natural History and Science Museums in South Kensington. It’s one of the top museums in London, and one of the best museums in the world dedicated to the applied and decorative arts. The building housing this amazing collection is rather special too."

"In what was once the Bankside Power Station, the Tate Modern looms over the waterfront of the South Bank. Its permanent collections house a wealth of modern British art – see pieces from Damien Hirst and Jackson Pollock – and international artists including Henri Matisse and Auguste Rodin. The immense Turbine Hall is dominated by a changing display of site-specific installations: millions of handcrafted porcelain sunflower seeds filled the space in 2010-11, while Olafur Eliasson took over with The Weather Project in 2003 and a blinding sun installation."

"The second most popular tourist attraction in the UK, Tate Modern, is a striking London structure. Originally a Power Station, Tate Modern opened in May 2000 as a home to international modern and contemporary art. Displays in Tate Modern cover themes such as Transformed Visions and Poetry and Dream, and give visitors the opportunity to see works of art such as Pablo Picasso's 'Weeping Woman,' 'Metamorphosis of Narcissus' by Salvador Dalí, and 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' by Dorothea Tanning."

"This spectacular renovation of a mid-20th-century power station is one of the most-visited museums of modern art in the world. Its great…"

"Set in London’s busiest open space, Trafalgar Square, this is the grandmother of galleries with more than 2,300 paintings spanning the 13th to the 19th centuries: Heavyweights include Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Velazquez's Rokeby Venus, and Constable’s six-foot long The Hay Wain. It gets packed at weekends, but its so large that you can usually find a quiet corner. You can download an audio tour covering the museum's highlights, but you can also curate your own by selecting the paintings you want to see before you arrive."

"It includes all the major attractions (e.g., Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and the National Gallery), but also includes several lesser known sites and encourages you to explore several of London’s diverse neighborhoods including Westminster, Greenwich, Kensington, and Camden. We suggest using this itinerary as a starting point for planning your 6 days in London, not as a definitive itinerary, and you can edit it to put together your own personal itinerary that reflects your own needs and interests."

"Tate Britain, which opened its doors in 1897, has a quite incredible collection of art on display in its beautiful riverside building, including paintings by William Blake, John Constable, Whistler and Millais (his iconic painting of Ophelia). It also has the largest number of Turner paintings in the world. A truly wonderful location, and a really first class selection If you want to visit both Tates on the same day, you can take a boat ride from one museum to the other, a much recommended trip in itself."

"Sister gallery to the Tate Modern is the Tate Britain, a bastion of British art. Sporting old-world marble floors, spiral staircases, and Grecian columns, the Tate Britain is a veritable temple of British art from 1500 to today. Get swept away by the world’s largest collection of stormy and atmospheric Turner oil paintings and a considerable assemblage of the most ethereal and romantic Pre-Raphaelite portraits of mythical and literary characters."

"You can see artists from all around the world in London, but that doesn’t mean you should forget about us Brits. Tate Britain is similarly era-spanning to its younger sister gallery, but focuses on homegrown talent. This means you can see works by the likes of landscape master Turner, members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, 20th century painters Freud and Bacon, as well as Turner Prize winners and nominees."

"Designed in 1775 for government departments and royal societies – perhaps the world's first office block – Somerset House now contains galleries, restaurants and cafes that encircle a lovely open courtyard and extend to an elevated sun-trap terrace. The Embankment Galleries are devoted to temporary exhibitions (usually related to photography, design or fashion). In summer, the grand courtyard hosts open-air live performances, dancing fountains for kids to cool off in and the Film4 Summer Screen, plus an atmospheric ice-skating rink in winter."

"Every winter, skating at the ice rink in Somerset House is one of the most fun things to do in London. There are several other ice rinks around London (including at the Tower of London and Natural History Museum) but it’s pretty hard to top Somerset House. The courtyard is a great place to spend time in summer too, when th fountains in the courtyard are a great place to splash and cool off."

"Situated on the Southside of the Strand in central London, overlooking the RiverThames, SomersetHouse is a major art and cultural center in the heart of London. For photographers, this is the most amazing light scenario, with white faded walls and floors. It’s basically a huge outdoor studio, with beautiful light bouncing off everywhere."

"One of London's most beloved art collections, the Courtauld is to your right as you pass through the archway into the grounds of the…"

"Fronted by a pair of intimidating 15in naval guns and a piece of the Berlin Wall, this riveting museum is housed in what was the Bethlem Royal Hospital, a psychiatric hospital also known as Bedlam. Although the museum’s focus is on military action involving British or Commonwealth troops largely during the 20th century, it covers war in the wider sense. Must-see exhibits include the state-of-the-art First World War Galleries and Witnesses to War in the forecourt and atrium above."

"This historic warship, operated today by Imperial War Museums, will definitely be of interest to military buffs, or anyone with an interest in boats. Launched just before the outbreak of World War 2, this Royal Navy Light Cruiser saw action in both World War 2 and the Korean War, before being decommissioned in 1963."

"Despite its name, the cultural venue formerly known as the Imperial War Museum (one of five IWM branches around the country) does not…"

"Located in Greenwich, the Meantime Brewing Company has the mission of demonstrating the full flavour potential that beer has to offer. The commercial brewing house was founded by world-class brewer Alastair Hook, who in 1999 started to invest in it from his flat. The first brew package was made in April 2000, and the first beer brand was called Union, a Vienna-style dark lager."

"According to founder Alistair Hook, “Great beer is at the heart of everything we do.” and we believe them. Having been born in 1999, well before craft beer became trendy, they’ve spent 20 years perfecting their beers and that has most definitely been time well spent. Have we saved the best brewery until last?"

"The Meantime Brewery Company is one that knows how to keep time. With patiently brewed beers in the heart of the Greenwich Meridian, the Meantime Brewery has its own tasting rooms, serving beer from where the action really happens."

"From stouts to the iconic Punk IPA, BrewDog is a church to all things hop-based. First founded in Scotland, it hasn't taken long for the craft beer temple to take over the world, with plenty of keg lines and guest ales on offer. Discover one of their London locations to see what all the fuss is about."

"From humble beginnings of brewing on an industrial estate to serving up award-winning beers from their two taprooms in Walthamstow (not to mention plenty of other places across the city too) Wild Card was a hobby that got way out of hand, but we’re so glad that it did. Their wide range of beers include a 5.8% Cashmere IPA that’s double dry hopped, a Lime Berliner Weisse that’s got a hefty squeeze of citrus, and a pale ale that makes for easy drinking. They’ve also got low-and-no options but we only want the hard stuff."

"Perhaps the most famous casino in London if for no other reason than its location smack bang in the middle of Leicester Square, it covers two floors and promises Las Vegas style play. There are a heap of electronic gaming machines, which incorporate electronic poker and automatic roulette as well as plenty of slots. It’s the table games that catch the eye most obviously when you walk in, though, with the likes of punto banco, pai gow and three-card poker on offer alongside more traditional offerings."