Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Lower Gustard Wood

"The domed glass-and-steel ceiling at the British Museum – the world’s first national museum opened to the public – lets light into the atrium-like Great Court below, bouncing off the blinding-white, sweeping staircases and marble walls. It’s one of the capital’s prettiest spaces, but beyond the impressive lobby, it has sprawling galleries dedicated to the Egyptians, the Greeks and the Romans. Artefacts including the Rosetta Stone, Pantheon Marbles (once a part of the original structure in Athens) and more than 120 mummies draw millions of visitors every year."

"The gargantuan British Museum houses treasures such as the Rosetta Stone and the Egyptian mummies, and is a great rainy day activity in London. However, when the sun shines, the photo opportunities are even better. Best shot: Queen Elizabeth II Great Court, the covered atrium designed by Foster and Partners."

"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!"

"Day 1: Arrive in London, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, the London EyeDay 2: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, Covent GardenDay 3: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sky GardenDay 4: National Gallery, Greenwich, Prime Meridian, Up at the O2Day 5: British Museum, Portobello Road Market, Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrod’s"

"The Tate Modern opened in 2000, so it is one of the newer free museums in London, but it has wasted no time in establishing a great name for itself. Situated inside an old power station on the South Bank, it is one of London’s most impressive museums. A towering monolith of art on the banks of the Thames."

"Housing masterpieces by painters including van Gogh, Renoir, da Vinci and Michelangelo, the National Gallery is home to one of the world’s most impressive art collections, and sees over six million visitors every year. Avoid the hordes by visiting on weekday mornings or Friday evenings. Whatever time you go, the permanent collections are always free."

"A day is the perfect amount of time to see the highlights: Cardiff Castle, the National Museum, and Cardiff Bay. Learn about Welsh history, culture, and language on a walking tour or by talking to locals. Spend the evening in Cardiff."

"A post shared by National Portrait Gallery (@nationalportraitgallery). In art, there’s nothing more intimate than a portrait, and at this landmark London art gallery, you can get intimate with some very famous faces. From Queen Elizabeth I to Queen Elizabeth II, The National Portrait Gallery displays portraits of the United Kingdom’s most important monarchs."

"Located in an adjoining building to the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery houses a collection of historic portraits of important and famous British people. Nearest tube station: Charing Cross."

"Where else but the National Portrait Gallery can you find oils of the Brontë sisters and William Shakespeare alongside black and white photographs of the Spice Girls and a mixed media portrait of J.K."

"Set in a beautiful mansion where the wealthy Seymour family once lived, the Wallace Collection is lovely to walk around and the artworks on display are simply divine. The ensemble of lavish rooms, rich paintings, and stately statues are breathtaking, and you really do feel like you have stepped back in time. Also including fantastic pieces of china, furniture, armor, and ivory, the Wallace Collection is wonderfully presented and conveniently located in the center of London."

"One of London's best small galleries, hidden away just north of Oxford Street, the Wallace Collection is an enthralling glimpse into 18th-century aristocratic life, set up in a lavishly restored Italianate mansion stuffed with 17th and 18th century art."

"PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The museum is open daily from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Admission is free but you must book your visit in advance here. NEAREST METRO STATION: Bond Street"

"The Hackney Museum is a local London history museum located in Hackney. Its collection of more than 8,000 different objects is dedicated to exploring the history of Hackney with a special emphasis on immigration, ranging from Anglo-Saxon settlers to early Victorian times and more recent refugees and migrants."

"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…"

"18.2_Installation view of Lee Bul, Willing To Be Vulnerable – Metalized Balloon, 2015-2016 at Hayward Gallery_Lee Bul 2018_Photo by Linda Nylind. The Hayward Gallery is located in the Southbank Centre in central London and belongs to the group of arts venues on the South Bank of the River Thames. The building is another example of brutalist architecture."

"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."

"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"

"One of the best things to do in St. Albans is strolling around the narrow streets of the old town. Just admire the stunning old buildings and imagine how it would be like to live in one of them 😉. St Albans old town really is worth visiting as it’s one of the best places to see in St Albans!"

"While taking the kids to a museum housing toys they can’t touch may seem like a disaster, the V&A Museum of Childhood makes an extra effort to include interactive exhibits that will keep little hands busy. Adults can enjoy nostalgic displays of dolls’ houses and rag dolls dating back to the 1600s, while kids can try rocking horses and play with Lego. The museum also has free daily activities such as treasure hunts."

"Technically a part of the V&A, the Museum of Childhood has gained an excellent reputation as one of the best free things to do in London. With a collection of toys spanning centuries, the museum is the perfect day out for kids, while adults will also surely find something to wake their nostalgia. Museum of Childhood © Flickr Andrea Vail"

"The Museum of Childhood is a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum which specialises in objected designed by and for children such as toys, clothes and more. Nearest tube station: Bethnal Green."

"The British Library is the largest national library in the world, with an estimated 200+ million items in its collection. As well as its many books, the library holds historic manuscripts, maps, stamps, photographs and even music from every age of written civilisation. Visit the ‘Treasures of the British Library Gallery‘ to see some of its most significant items, including the Magna Carta, original writings from both Charles Dickens and Shakespeare, Michelangelo’s anatomical illustrations, one of the earliest Qur’ans and a copy of the world’s oldest dated complete printed book, the Diamond Sutra."

"The British Library is the United Kingdom's national library. It contains an estimated 200 million different works from around the world. Some of the library's collection dates back to 2000 BC."

"Step into London Chinatown restaurant Plum Valley and you'll find a calm escape from city life, with a peaceful setting inspired by a Chinese garden. The menu here is a Chinese, Japanese and Thai fusion. Come for a dim sum feast and try pork buns, spring rolls and wasabi prawn dumplings."

"That fine-dining feel doesn’t come by very often – if at all – in Chinatown. However, if high-end is your vibe, Plum Valley is where you’ll find the Gerrard Street version. Slick, contemporary decor has a touch of the Hakkasans to it, all sultry wooden screens and low lighting."

"Nice buns just don’t cut it for these guys; the carbs they’re cooking up are nothing short of fantastic. Each fluffy, steamed pocket holds a stack of ingredients that’s more enticing than a bacon sandwich on a hangover. Choose from charming little flavour grenades such as slow-roast pork belly, panko-crusted cod, Japanese-style chicken, the not-to-be-overlooked portobello mushrooms with toasted walnuts and miso glaze or aromatic tofu with black-bean mayo."

"The freshly baked bread and pastries from this iconic Dalston bakery are the sort of goods that’ll warm you up from the inside out. You can practically taste the love that’s been put into every razor-sharp baguette and rugged loaf. As for the Dusty Knuckle’s goal to train young offenders into responsible professionals so that they can live with dignity, earn a legitimate income, and contribute to society?"

"The popular Dalston bakery is expanding, opening a new shop on Green Lanes in North London. A baker by day, serving some epic sandwiches, pastries and more, the venue will also work as a pizza restaurant three nights a week. And if previous form is anything to go by, expect to queue for seats at what looks to be a popular place to bag a bite to eat."

"Sandwiches , Bakery/Cafe"

"West Hampstead’s Intermission Coffee is on a mission to change the coffee industry for good via its commitment to sustainable coffee. The team has made every effort to verify that everybody along their coffee supply chain is treated and paid fairly for their time and that not one ounce of their coffee causes unnecessary or undue harm to the planet. It’s a pretty noble aim and the cute little cups that the various excellent piccolos, macchiatos, and cappuccinos come served in certainly helps to sell the cause."

"This cute spot in West Hampstead has come on in big strides, first since opening and second since starting to roast its own coffee — a transition that countless have attempted and many have failed. It’s also willing to keep what made it such a strong starter going, by bringing in exciting, conscientiously brewed guest coffees from U.K. and European roasters doing interesting things, rather than relying on the older guard, and also making oat milk free."