Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Deptford Creek

"Home to ancient cultural treasure and amazing artifacts from around the world, London’s finest museum is free to visit (although certain special exhibitions are paid). Far from a hushed old-fashioned museum experience, as soon as you walk in you’ll be awed by the great glass-roofed ceiling and caught up in the buzz of students and tourists enjoying the exhibits. There are daily free activities for kids, too, including crafts, activity trails and digital workshops – perfect for homework projects."

"From ancient Assyrian reliefs to columns from the Temple of Artemis – a trip around the British Museum is an experience that transcends time and space. The objects here are some of the world’s most prized artifacts, all carefully displayed in one of the most beautiful museum building in Europe."

"Despite the name, this sprawling building in London’s academic Bloomsbury district is only fleetingly concerned with British history. Instead, it aims to represent the entire sweep of human endeavour, from pre-historic man through Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Absolutely marble-ous!"

"Arguably the world's best decorative arts museum, the V&A, as it's generally known, has been open since 1852 and contains an incredible 4.5 million items. The first floor focuses on Asian (Japanese swords, ancient Chinese ceramics) and some European art, including plaster casts made from Michelangelo's David (note the fig leaf created in the 19th century to protect the sensibilities of Victorian visitors). The Ardabil Carpet in the Middle East-focused Jameel Gallery is the world's oldest, dating from Iran in the 1500s."

"Documenting 5,000 years of art and design, the free Victoria & Albert Museum is the third in the South Kensington museum trilogy. Known to most simply as the V&A, head here for amazing outfits, glittering jewellery, intricate mosaics and ancient sculptures in their constantly changing collection (their new Raphael Court, pictured above, is a gorgeous new addition). 2021 sees the arrival of an unmissable Alice in Wonderland exhibition."

"Another gem by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, Bankside B power station was a beacon of modernity when it was constructed in the 1940s as the first oil-fired power station in Britain. The imposing chimney, its defining feature, was restricted to a height of 99m (325ft) so as not to outdo its illustrious neighbour opposite, St Paul’s. After shutting in the 1980s, the power station was resurrected by the relatively unknown Herzog & de Meuron, who won a competition to transform its crumbling shell into the new Tate Modern, which opened in May 2000."

"Now you can cross the Millennium Bridge, a popular pedestrian bridge, to reach the Tate Modern, the largest international modern art gallery in the UK. The museum’s location is unusual as it is based in a former power station building. The museum displays both a permanent collection as well as several temporary exhibitions throughout the year."

"London's museum of modern art is located directly at the bank of river Thames. It offers besides several abstract masterpieces also the possibility to enjoy a great view over the city and there is no entrance fee. Find out which artworks you can admire here and where you have to look for the fantastic view ...Images, Info & Tips"

"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’s worth battling past the floating Yodas to get to the crown jewel of Trafalgar Square; the National Gallery. The formidable building sits resplendently behind the Fourth Plinth - always a talking point for art lovers - and contains some of the most famous paintings in the world. Here you’ll find works by Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Turner, Botticelli and Van Gogh - and you won’t be charged a penny to enjoy them."

"This classical gallery was opened in 1897 and is home to iconic British art from the 16th century to the present day, including works by the Pre-Raphaelites, J. M. W. Turner, Henry Moore and William Blake. The Tate Boat runs between the Tate Modern and the Tate Britain every 40 minutes, taking you through the heart of the city. Get a spot on the outdoor deck for the best views of both sides of the river."

"Over in Westminster, Tate Britain focuses on British art from 1500 to the present day. It has everything from historic portraits to impressive sculptures on display. Tate Britain is a great place to get a feel for the UK’s domestic art scene and how it’s evolved over time."

"Tate Britain holds the most extensive collection of British art in the world from 1500 to the present day. Don’t miss this free museum in London. You can witness fantastic modern and contemporary art."

"Probably London's most child-friendly museum, offering fascinating exhibits and exciting activities from all over the world. Galleries include musical instruments, natural history and African art & culture, plus an aquarium and extensive gardens. Highlights are the wonderful 'hands on base' where children can touch and handle items from cultures around the world, and a music room where everyone can experiment with playing a wide variety of specially commissioned instruments."

"Victorian tea merchant Frederick John Horniman opened his house to visitors and it has been open ever since. His collection of objects has grown tenfold, now with internationally significant displays of natural history, anthropology and ethnomusicology. Unusually with such a museum, you can touch and try on some of these artefacts."

"Founded in 1901 by Frederick John Horniman, a tea merchant who wanted a space to display his private collection of natural history, the Horniman Museum is a nature lover’s dream. See African art or visit the tiny aquarium. We especially like the conservatory, set in a grand Victorian glasshouse with views over the rolling gardens."

"Kings College London only recently opened this permanent site for the Science Gallery, a dedicated space for showing contemporary artwork that explores scientific questions. Its inaugural exhibition is all about addiction, called Hooked, and previous shows in its travelling days have investigated blood, food and orifices. Think of it as looking at science through the eyes of an artist."

"Science Gallery London is an art-science-and-health inspired gallery in London. The free museum has been open since 2018 in London Bridge after a series of pop-up exhibits across London. The gallery aims to bring together scientists, artists, and communities with three themed seasons every year."

"Situated in the fancy Broadgate Circle near Liverpool Street, Yauatcha City is a huge restaurant with a stunning outdoor seating area adorned with cherry blossom - a perfect date spot. If you fancy taking your other half, a great friend or a family member out for lunch, their Yum Cha set menu gives you a LOT for the price and takes away the stress of ordering - just pick a veggie or a meat option, your cocktail and wine/tea of choice and they'll take care of the rest. The set menu offer runs on the weekend and there are three different price points: £58 per person for half a bottle of Henriot Champagne and the rest of the menu, £49 for the same but with a bottle of wine (you can choose red or white) instead of the champagne, and £47 for a selection of teas as the drink."

"This high-end dim sum paradise has the best location within Broadgate Circle. It wraps around about a third of the public space, with large terraces on both sides. Sit out here on a hot summer’s day, nibbling on delicately crafted dumplings and meat filled bao buns."

"People flock to Yauatch for the brand’s precision-made dim sum (buttery venison puffs are a must). There is also a short menu of more substantial Chinese classics like stir-fried beef rib-eye with black bean sauce."

"Popular with Shepherd’s Bush locals and anyone looking to get a taste of the Fertile Crescent, Damascene Bakery is perennially busy. Its wood-fired oven is always rammed with golden discs of manakish and cheese-filled Viking longboats of Syrian-style fatayer. Damascene’s specials menu is hard to ignore with toppings like basturma (aka pastrami) and cheese sitting pretty alongside sweeter options such as crème fraîche and honey."

"Occupying disused bare-brick railway arches in Waterloo underground station, The Vaults is a striking space for alternative arts and immersive theatre. As well as jazz sets, indie plays, and alien-themed musicals, you can discover a continual rotation of art in its tunnels. This unique contemporary art gallery is said to feature artists who ‘have a natural affinity for the unusual, the daring, and the unknown’, and that is easy to see."

"The Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability is housed in the building that Victorian doctor Dr John Langdon Down lived and worked in. In this building, Dr Down researched and took new approaches to caring for people with learning disabilities. The museum today highlights exhibits about the work of Dr John as well as Normansfield Theatre and the Royal Earlswood Asylum."

"Established in 1971 at the site of the eponymous legendary pub, the Orange Tree is known for discovering (and re-discovering) writers and promoting their work. Such artists include Martin Crimp, James Saunders, Vaclav Havel, Fay Weldon and Torben Betts. Voted London’s Most Welcoming Theatre in 2016."