Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Kimpton

"When the British Museum was opened in 1759 it was the first free to enter national museum to be open to the public anywhere in the world. The first exhibits consisted of the collection of physician and naturalist Sir Hans Sloane – ancient coins and medals, books and natural remains. Over the centuries it has become home to the most significant finds made by British explorers, like the Rosetta Stone from Ancient Egypt and the Parthenon sculpture from the Acropolis in Athens."

"You could retrace much of human history at the British Museum, which holds a massive eight million objects from around the world. There are sections dedicated to ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt and the Middle East, as well as North America and medieval Europe. Some of the main featured pieces include the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin Marbles, which once adorned the Parthenon in Athens, one of many pieces whose ownership now comes up for debate."

"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."

"As entwined with the art world as paint, no list of London galleries would be complete without one incarnation of the Tate. Without a doubt the art giant of London, the Tate Modern is home to all things contemporary and unique and always worth a visit. “When my daughter Coco was born, we visited Tate Modern 11 times in her first 6 months!"

"The Tate Modern is London’s centre for modern and contemporary art. It showcases world-class paintings, photographs and performance art – and it offers stunning views of the River Thames. You can experience all of this completely free."

"PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The museum is open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Time slots must be booked in advance on the museum’s website here. Admission to the general exhibit is free."

"At almost 200 years old, not only does the UK’s most-visited gallery hold one of the most valuable European art collections in the world, The National Gallery also holds a position as one of London’s most treasured pieces of architecture. Priceless artworks, like ‘Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers’ by Van Gogh and ‘Virgin of the Rocks’ by di Vinci, are surrounded by impressive marble pillars, golf-leaf arches, frescoed ceilings, and Victorian glass roofing. With over 2,300 paintings dating from the 13th to the 19th century, it is an eden for history buffs and art enthusiasts alike."

"The National Gallery is the first place to go if you want to see work by some of the most famous artists from history. Nearly seven hundred years of work from the world’s greatest artists can be found here, including Leonardo, Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Vermeer, Rubens – seriously we could go on for a while. A wander from the The Wilton Diptych in the 14th century galleries to Pablo Picasso’s early works is both an intensely pleasant afternoon and a pretty consummate art history lesson."

"Ranking among the top art museums in the world, London's National Gallery represents an almost complete survey of European painting from 1260 until 1920. The museum's greatest strengths are in its collections of Dutch Masters and Italian Schools of the 15th and 16th centuries. Among its highlights are a cartoon (preliminary sketch) of the Madonna and Child by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo's The Entombment, Botticelli's Venus and Mars, van Gogh's Sunflowers, and The Water-Lily Pond by Monet."

"Before Google or Wikipedia, the British came here to put a face to the names of famous historical figures from the country's history. As such, the paintings are prized more for their subjects rather than their artists. Highlights include portraits of Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth II, the latter courtesy of pop art sensation Andy Warhol."

"If you’re wondering what to do in London, we suggest going to gaze at the most extensive collection of portraits in the world. With free access to over 200,000 portraits from the Tudors to the present day, you’ll see everyone from Shakespeare, Amy Winehouse to The Duchess of Cambridge, and Kate Middleton. Once you’re done working your way through the art, pop by one of the local cafés and grab a treat to eat on the steps of Trafalgar Square."

"Not to be confused with the preceding listing, this gallery does what it says on the tin: housing a huge collection of portraits that depict important and famous British people from throughout history. It was the first portrait gallery in the whole world when it opened in 1856, so this place really is the OG. The gallery is set to close for three years, so if you want to see it before 2023, you better get there sharp-ish."

"Not so much a gallery as an art-filled time portal, this considerable collection of 18th and 19th century fine art and design at Hertford House is the work of Sir Richard Wallace and his ancestors. Paintings in the collection include works by Rembrandt, Fragonard, Rubens, Canaletto, Velazquez and the wonderful Laughing Cavalier by Franz Hals. Hertford House, Manchester Square, Mayfair, W1U 3BN, wallacecollection.org"

"Wallace collection displays magnificent artworks in the historic London town. It has some of the most amazing old paintings, decorative arts, and world-class armouries. This stunning London museum is free and also has a glazed courtyard restaurant."

"Art fans were a very happy bunch when the Hayward Gallery reopened its doors in early 2018 after two years off, and were even happier when things kicked off with an exhibition by large scale photographer Andreas Gursky. The Brutalist building focuses largely on contemporary art with the occasional nod to its modernist roots, and its exhibition programme is diverse as group shows on gender identity and retrospectives on major artists like Bridget Riley. Southbank Centre, 337-338 Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX, southbankcentre.co.uk"

"Housed within the brutalist Southbank Centre, the Hayward Gallery is one of London's leading contemporary art galleries. Be captivated by boundary-pushing and thought-provoking shows from some of the world's most adventurous artists, as part of the year-long programme of exhibitions."

"Hayward Gallery is a world-renowned contemporary art gallery and a landmark of Brutalist architecture. Since its inaugural exhibition in 1968, the gallery has presented the work of many of the world’s most influential and inventive artists."

"Unique in being one of the remaining independent and privately funded institutions of the arts in London, The Royal Academy of Arts has garnered a reputation as the venue for some of the most interesting art exhibitions that the country has ever seen. “The breadth of their show programme is so impressive, you can almost guarantee that at all times there will be a show on you have to see,” says Matthew. “We framed the Hockney exhibition there a few years ago,” recalls Matthew, who had a great deal of input into the frames used for some of Hockney’s vibrant and dreamlike landscapes inspired by the Yorkshire countryside."

"Best museum in London for: seeing Britain’s art greats in one place. Founded by artists and architects in the 1760s, the Royal Academy has been in its current home at Burlington House for more than 150 years and has recently expanded to include the former Museum of Mankind on Burlington Gardens. Highlights of the permanent collection span more than two centuries, from William Turner to Tracey Emin."

"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…"

"A firm favourite of art students and the avant-garde cognoscenti, this ground-breaking gallery doesn't have a permanent collection but is devoted to hosting edgy exhibitions of contemporary art. It made its name by staging exhibitions by both established and emerging artists, including the first UK shows by Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Frida Kahlo. The gallery’s ambitiously themed shows change every couple of months (check online) and there’s also often live music, talks and films on Thursday evenings."

"Whitechapel Gallery is known for hosting groundbreaking thematic exhibitions and retrospectives of formidable artists such as Eduardo Paolozzi and Sarah Lucas. Originally launched to bring art and culture to the Whitechapel community, it continues to present an engaging exhibition and education programme, including the annual Whitechapel Open, which champions new artists. Over the years this space has helped introduce Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Frida Kahlo to a London audience."

"Whitechapel Gallery is an art gallery in Whitechapel on the northside of Whitechapel High Street. Designed by Charles Harrison Townsend it opened its doors in 1901 as the first public gallery in London."

"Located within the heart of the city, surrounded by buzzy shops, cobbled streets and just a short walk from the Cathedral, the St Albans Museum & Gallery is the city’s arts and cultural hub, presenting an eclectic array of traditional and contemporary artworks spanning the past 2,000 years. Explore the exhibitions, discover the historic building’s history and delight in tea and scones in the Courtroom café. stalbansmuseums.org.uk"

"St Albans Museum + Gallery details the history of the city from the Roman period to modern times. Through the many artefacts and exhibitions, a story is weaved together that traces the timeline of St Albans. It’s housed inside the old Town Hall building."

"A big Kidadler favourite, Aldenham Country Park is one of North West London’s hidden gems and is set to reopen from June 20th!. Head over to the farm any day of the week from 9am to 6pm where you’ll find plenty of furry farmyard animals including rabbits, ferrets and guinea pigs. Aldenham are taking lots of measures to keep their farm attractions safe which you can find details of on their website."

"Take a day trip to Winchester, where you can visit Winchester Cathedral (the site of Jane Austen’s grave) and Winchester Castle. You can also tour the City Mill or one of the numerous museums and science centres. Return to London for the night."

"The gable and rose window is all that’s left of the medieval palace of the powerful Bishop of Winchester who once ruled south of the river 1"