Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in London Borough of Sutton

"The first time I visited the British Museum I ignorantly thought it would be a celebration of British culture. Instead, it’s a huge collection of historical artefacts from all over the world (I guess being a huge colonial power made everything part of British history?). Entrance to the British Museum and permanent exhibition is free, but there are occasional exhibitions that you can pay for if you want."

"One of the world’s best museums has a kid-friendly attitude and fun children’s audio tours. The Rosetta Stone, the Elgin (Parthenon) Marbles, and the Egyptian mummies are some of the jaw-dropping exhibits. To keep them even engaged, download activity trails to your smartphone or tablet, or print worksheets before you go."

"No visit to London would be complete without a trip to the British Museum. It’s home to over 8 million artefacts, including the Rosetta Stone and Parthenon Marbles. There are so many things to see in this museum that even a full day spent here will barely scratch the surface."

"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."

"Stop 2: Get Cultured At The Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) Take your fashionista to the V&A to marvel at all the incredible fashion through the decades for the second stop on your London itinerary. This large museum is a treasure trove for historians, designers, and connoisseurs alike and will educate even the most ignorant of tourists on the styles and traditions of the world’s multicultural past. Make sure to block out a decent amount of time as the V&A is a huge museum."

"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."

"Located in what was once Bankside Power Station on the south bank of the Thames, Tate Modern is one of the city's most loved attractions. You can enjoy the permanent collection, which includes works by Pollock, Warhol, Matisse and Picasso, for free. The upstairs cafe has wonderful Thames views, and the building itself is amazing."

"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."

"The National Gallery is the jewel in the crown of London’s Trafalgar Square. This impressive neoclassical building houses paintings from the mid-13th century to 1900. There’s art from all over Europe here, and every period from the Italian Renaissance to the Impressionist era is well represented."

"PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The National Gallery is open every day from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. It closes at 9:00 pm on Fridays. It’s closed on 1 January and from 24 to 26 December."

"This angle in Tate Britain is taken from a members lounge, but if you ask nicely they may let you up. Even if you don’t get to this exact angle this museum still has lots of other aesthetic architecture you could take photographs of. Best time for pics: DayCost: TicketedLocation: Tate Britain, Millbank, Westminster, London SW1P 4RG"

"Untitled One Hundred Spaces 1995, Resin Various dimensions ©Pinault Collection Rachel Whiteread, Photo ©Tate. Between 1897 and 1932 Tate Britain was known as the National Gallery of British Art and from 1932 to 2000 as the Tate Gallery. The art gallery is located on Millbank in the City of Westminster in London."

"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."

"However, today visitors can still see one remaining section of the palace complex, the Banqueting Hall (fee*) designed by famous architect Inigo Jones with a ceiling painted by Peter Paul Reubens. Today Whitehall is the center of the Government of the United Kingdom and you’ll pass a number of buildings home to various departments and ministries, including the Ministry of Defense and the Cabinet Office. Along this street you’ll also find The Household Calvary Museum (fee*), located in the 18th century stables of the Horse Guards, which gives information on the history of the Household Cavalry and displays a small collection of uniforms and weapons."

"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."

"Championing new ideas in contemporary art since 1970, the Serpentine Gallery has presented pioneering exhibitions for half a century from a wide range of emerging practitioners to the most internationally recognised artists of our time. Across two sites in London’s Kensington Gardens, this art museum presents a year-round, programme of exhibitions, architecture, education, live events and technological innovation, in the park and beyond. Which art museum will you visit next?"

"With its Serpentine Pavilion created by a different architect or designer each year, this is a gallery that has a tendency to extend its love for contemporary art outside its walls and into the surrounding park. The rolling exhibition programme always features a huge range of some of the most cutting edge names in contemporary art, showcasing work across all disciplines from video art to architecture. Kensington Gardens, Kensington, W2 3XA​, serpentinegalleries.org"

"Serpentine Pavilion 2017, Designed by Francis Kéré, Design Render, Exterior © Kéré Architecture. These two contemporary galleries are situated in the picturesque Kensington Gardens in Hyde Park. The Serpentine Gallery, opened in 1970, is in a former tea pavilion, and has shown work by such luminaries as Andy Warhol, Anish Kapoor, Wolfgang Tillmans, Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst."

"The Museum of Domestic Design and Architecture is a London museum that is home to an impressive collection of 19th and 20th century home decorative arts. The Arts Council England recognized the collection as providing outstanding international value. The MoDA also has the Sir James Maude Richards Library of architectural books on a long-term loan."

"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."

"Head to the Royal Academy of Arts to see the evolution of contemporary art unfold before your very eyes. It’s no accident that this is known as the spot for finding London’s hottest talents. The academy is led by its Royal Academicians, a group of peer-elected artists, the works of whom are displayed in their defiant exhibits."

"The Royal Academy of Arts is the first art institution in England. It was established in 1768 and since 1868 it has been based in Burlington House on Piccadilly. In 1998 it expanded to the Burlington Gardens building."

"A romantic evening doesn’t have to mean candle light, rose petals and feeding each other oysters – in London, anything goes. So, for couples who are a little bit cooler there’s Bob Bob Cité, the second venue from the creators of iconic Soho haunt Bob Bob Ricard. Hidden away on the second floor of the Leadenhall Building in Bank, this 21st century take on a traditional French brasserie will dazzle your senses."

"If you’re looking for cool restaurants in London, book a cosy booth at the futuristic Bob Bob Cité, a traditional brasserie with a 21st-century feel. Order some bubbly with a single touch of a button, and hey presto… If you can tear yourself away from the gaze of your date amid all the bubbles, select from modern takes on French classics."

"It was five years in the making and that really shows in this sequel to Bob Bob Ricard. Easily one of the most stunning rooms in town, this restaurant also features one of the best French chefs in town, Eric Chavot. The menu here is upscale French food, with dishes including Daube De Boeuf Provencal and Grilled Lobster Thermidor."

"The selection of savoury buckwheat galettes and sweet crêpes runs the gamut from no-frills (lemon-and-sugar, Nutella) to frilly in the extreme (Andouille sausage, sautéed potato and mustard; duck confit with blue cheese, truffle honey and caramelised onions). The servings are sizeable, with serious plate overhang, and everything’s under £10."

"The Belle Vue is a warm and welcoming pub in Clapham – and that's to vegetarians and vegans too. Head down for delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes found on both their small and big plates menu. And while you're there, why not enjoy live music or their tasty beers?"

"Taking the warm, friendly aspects of being a pub and mixing them with more modern touches, expect a menu packed to the brim with delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes, from their sharing plates menu to their varied big plates menu."

"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 even a slight 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."

"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."

"The Bentley Priory Museum was a home and park built in the 17-1800s in London. Initially it served as a medieval priory, wThose original remains don't exist any longer. In the late 1770s, a mansion was built near the original site."

"The Gunnersbury Park Museum is housed inside a larger tourist attraction: Gunnersbury Park itself. The large mansion on park grounds has become the Gunnersbury Park Museum, which has been open since 1929. The museum highlights local history, archaeology, and art."