Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Ponders End

"You could spend several lifetimes in the British Museum, Britain’s largest museum, without running out of artifacts to ponder. The collection is one of the largest in the world, arranged by location (Ancient Egypt, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Greece and Rome), and the list of big hitters includes the Rosetta Stone and other finds from Ancient Egypt, Asia and the Middle East. Come early on a weekday for a less crowded experience, pick one gallery and stick to it (or go for a guided “Highlights” tour), and plan to hit one of the day’s free 30-minute taster talks."

"The British Museum is the world’s oldest public national museum, dating back to 1753. It is also home to the largest covered public square in Europe; the Great Court. This two-acre space is enclosed by a spectacular roof of glass and steel and comprised of 3312 panes of glass."

"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"

"In the trinity of London museums, up next comes the Victoria & Albert Museum. Also located in South Kensington, just across the street from the Natural History and Science Museums, you will find the V&A. This museum couldn’t be more different from the first two on this list."

"Harrods, the world famous shopping experience, is a brief walk from the V&A museum. You could also really go museum crazy, and drop in at either the Natural History Museum or Science Museum, both of which are free."

"One of London's most amazing attractions, this outstanding modern- and contemporary-art gallery is housed in the creatively revamped Bankside Power Station south of the Millennium Bridge. A spellbinding synthesis of modern art and capacious industrial brick design, Tate Modern has been extraordinarily successful in bringing challenging work to the masses, both through its free permanent collection and fee-paying big-name temporary exhibitions. The stunning Blavatnik Building opened in 2016, increasing the available exhibition space by 60%."

"4,700,000 visitors went to Tate Modern in 2015, an enormous gallery on the edge of the River Thames in a converted power station. The awe-inspiring Turbine Hall (which has hosted works by Anish Kapoor, Rachel Whiteread and Ai Weiwei) leads to mutiple floor of contemporary art, with eight areas divided into different themes. As well as the art, there are events and screenings, a fantastic bookshop, and a restaurant and cafe, the latter with a fabulous balcony view over the city."

"Along the south bank (always worth a wander), you can stop in at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern Art Gallery, and even quickly cross the Millennium bridge for a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Globe and St. Paul’s Cathedral are both included on the London Pass, whilst the Tate Modern is free to enter."

"Trafalgar Square is home to the National Gallery, an art museum that opened in 1824 and currently has over 2,000 paintings hanging on the walls. The National Gallery was visited by 5.2 million people in 2017, taking in paintings from well-known artists including Cezanne, Michelangelo and Van Gogh. Housing priceless works such as these, it is one of the busiest museums in the world, alongside the Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art."

"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"

"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 temple to the work of British artists over the past 500 years, with a vast collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, two rooms of Henry Moore sculptures, a free picture library filled with rare and fragile sketches from major artists, and a restaurant with a mural by Rex Whistler. Late at Tate Britain: On the first Friday of every month, Tate Collective Producers curate an evening exploring a different abstract theme, with a little help from DJs, activists, artists and more. Details: Millbank, SW1P 4RG | Free entry | Find out more and book–"

"From Pre-Raphaelite paintings to landscapes by Turner and Francis Bacon's distorted nudes, there's lots to look at in Tate Britain. The gallery is home to the largest collection of British art in the world. Eat at the gallery's restaurant and study the famous Rex Whistler mural between mouthfuls!"

"While the Tate Modern focuses on more recent art, Tate Britain is all about the past with a big collection of historical British art."

"The Horniman Museum in Forest Hill (South London) is similar to the Natural History Museum but on a much smaller scale, with collections spanning natural history and anthropology. The museum is particularly known for its elaborate taxidermy exhibition as well as the large 16 acres of gardens with a conservatory, nature trail, animal enclosure, butterfly house and sound garden with giant musical instruments you can play. With its smaller size and fun interactive exhibitions, Horniman is one of the best free museums in London for kids."

"This South London treasure has been open since 1890, when tea trader and compulsive collector, Frederick John Horniman, decided to share his wealth of extraordinary items that he had gathered on his travels. The collection includes insects, rare animals, masks, carved dolls, Egyptian mummies, tribal clothing, musical instruments, and even the skeleton of an alleged merman (a male mermaid). But the star of the show is a walrus with a rather comical backstory."

"The Horniman Museum is one of London’s most child friendly museums set in 16 acres of landscaped gardens. It’s close to Forest Hill overground station. From central London the journey time is 30-40 minutes."

"The Saatchi Gallery is a London museum for contemporary art. The museum's displays have gone through different eras and artists, to include Young British Artists and American-based contemporary artists. Saatchi Gallery has a tendency to showcase unknown artists, and has often been seen as a launching pad for many careers."

"The Bankside Gallery in London was opened in 1980 by Her Majesty, the Queen. The public gallery, located near the Thames, houses the Royal Watercolour Society and Royal Society of Painter Printmakers. The gallery displays rotating exhibits focused on modern watercolours and prints."

"The reign of the gourmet burger is over – the benevolent rule of the expertly crafted dirty burger is here. Nowhere in London is it done with such all-American flair than at Five Guys. Fifties diner vibes are pleasingly utilitarian, as straightforward as what happens back in the open kitchen: never-frozen patties are fried before your very eyes, chips are hand-cut daily and every burger is made to precise order, with as many or as little toppings as you like."

"Jerry Murrell and his sons (none of them named Moe) are the Five Guys behind this US burger chain, which is proving a hit this side of the pond. Expect garish red colours, noisy queues, Coke from a freestyle machine and endless pick-your-own toppings. It’s all very down-home Yankee."

"Eggslut opened their first London restaurant in Notting Hill and it was a huge hit. This sees them expanding to Fitzrovia where they'll be serving up more of their eggy buns to Londoners."

"By day, Tea Darling, way out west in the wilds of Acton Town (actually a London suburb easily reached on the Piccadilly and the District Line), is a really old fashioned tea shop with vintage china and a good assortment of home made cakes and tea sandwiches, including gluten free and vegan variations. On selected evenings (check their website) they host jazz and comedy nights when you can stick to tea or coffee with cake or bring your own bottle (£5 corkage fee). If you arrive in your best 40s or 50s vintage outfit, all the better."

"This dog-friendly east London café is certainly one to add to your London vegan food roster. Not only is there a full vegan English breakfast, complete with crispy hash browns, roasted plum tomatoes and grilled sourdough dripping in creamy vegan butter, they also serve seriously generous portions, leaving even the hungriest of customers full. There’s far more than fry ups on offer, though: the spicy coconut ramen is a delightful winter warmer, served with silky tofu, shiitake mushrooms and thick udon noodles deliciously slurped up when drizzled in hot chilli oil."

"Katsute 100 is no doubt my favourite Japanese cafe in London. Their range of matcha desserts and tea selections are all absolute winners, consistently delivering top-notch quality. In addition, they feature some lovely interior, creating a really great atmosphere to enjoy your matcha goodies."