Best Arts and Culture Places in Banyards

"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 first thing you need to know about the British Museum is that it is the largest museum in England and also the oldest public museum in the world. It was established in 1753 with its first collection being that of the Irish Scientist Sir Hans Sloane. The Museum was opened to the public in 1759."

"Not just one of the best museums in London but also the world’s largest collection of decorative arts and design, the V&A is comprised of more than 150 separate galleries over seven floors of furniture, ceramics, sculpture, paintings, posters, jewellery, metalwork, glass, textiles, dress, architecture and photography spanning several centuries. Plus it’s home to the beautiful William Morris tearoom and a water-filled courtyard; both excellent spots for a scone break."

"Known to all as the V&A, this huge museum is devoted to the applied arts of all disciplines, all periods, and all nationalities."

"London’s best contemporary art gallery has plenty of interactive activities for kids. It’s inside the former Bankside Power Station and younger kids can run around the vast Turbine Hall. Kids aged 3 and older can sketch their own masterpieces at the Bloomberg digital drawing bar and then have their art projected onto the gallery’s walls."

"Part of the Tate group with three other museums, including Tate Britain, Tate Modern's collection showcases the national British art collection from 1900 through today. It also displays international art from the same time period. Tate Modern is among the biggest contemporary art museums in the world."

"The Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located on the south bank of the River Thames. They have a permanent free exhibition, as well as seasonal ones that you will have to pay for if you want to see them. Personally I found the permanent free exhibition more than enough to occupy a full afternoon."

"With more than 2300 European masterpieces in its collection, this is one of the world's great galleries, with seminal works from the 13th to the mid-20th century, including masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian, Vincent van Gogh and Auguste Renoir. Many visitors flock to the eastern rooms on the main floor (1700–1930), where works by British artists such as Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable and JMW Turner, and Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces by Van Gogh, Renoir and Claude Monet await."

"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."

"With so many free entry museums in London featuring collections sourced from around the world, the Museum of London takes a completely different tack – showcasing the history of my weird and wonderful city. The museum traces the history of London from prehistoric times through to modern times, with an emphasis on the characters that have called the city home. It’s a fascinating look at the events and people who have made the great city what it is today."

"More than a millennium of the capital’s history is on display at the Museum of London, from prehistoric Londinium to the present-day metropolis. Watch films on the gruesome moments, including the Black Death, and step inside a recreation of Victorian London; learn about the suffragettes; and relive the civil- and gay-rights movements. Visit the Docklands outpost on the Isle of Dogs to learn about the history of the Thames."

"This museum tells the story of London from the Roman times right through to the present day with interactive and educational displays."

"With all there is to see at Kew Gardens, you might easily miss the attractive red brick building housing the Marianne North Gallery. But don’t hesitate to take a look inside — the exquisite interior, which incorporates different kinds of wood and stenciled floor tile, is home to more than 800 works of botanical art. Marianne North was a wealthy, single Victorian woman who traveled the world solo in pursuit of interesting plants to paint."

"Another attraction in Kew Gardens, this gallery is dedicated to the work of Marianne North, a Victorian artist who specialised in botanical paintings. The walls of the gallery are covered in her stunning and colourful designs, which show off her incredible natural talent."

"Home to over 11,000 portraits, this delightful art gallery focusses on famous British people through the ages and is located not too far from Trafalgar Square. A remarkable place to wander around, portraits, photos, sculptures and drawings of some of the country’s most influential and well-known figures gaze upon you as you make your way through the galleries. While its most famous portrait is undoubtedly the painting of William Shakespeare, more contemporary pieces do not look out of place alongside artworks that date back hundreds of years."

"Around the square you’ll also find two of London’s top art museums, the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. Both are highly recommended for art lovers and include works by some of the world’s most famous artists from Turner to Monet. Also nearby (hidden underground in St. Martin-in-the-Fields!) you can visit the London Brass Rubbing Centre (fee*) to learn about and create a brass rubbing to take home. A great activity for families (we had fun too!)."

"Just behind the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery is another of the best museums in London. Not only was it the world’s first portrait gallery, but it also holds the most extensive collection of portraits globally. As the name implies, the National Portrait Gallery is home to a collection of portraits of historically important and renowned British people."

"If you like your photographs packed with famous faces, then Proud Galleries has a veritable galaxy of stars on display at any given time. Rock stars, fashion models and the Swinging Sixties make a regular appearance at Proud’s exhibitions, with a month long 2017 exhibition dedicated to the life and times of much-missed music superstar Prince. This year will see the lens focus on the contemporary fine art paintings by British artist Mark Thompson."

"Alex Proud launched Proud Galleries in 1998, a hotbed of pop culture photography and an edgy hipster’s wet dream. The gallery is an independent warehouse, intimate and vibrant. Wooden beams hang over chic leather sofas, giving the place a rawness."

"One minute the sea will be there, then at low tide it’s literally completely disappeared. (Hence why the pier needed to be so long back in the day!). The largest beach which is closest to everything is Jubilee Beach."

"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."

"Every winter, skating at the ice rink in Somerset House is one of the most fun things to do in London. There are several other ice rinks around London (including at the Tower of London and Natural History Museum) but it’s pretty hard to top Somerset House. The courtyard is a great place to spend time in summer too, when th fountains in the courtyard are a great place to splash and cool off."

"Take a river boat to Embankment Pier to admire Somerset House on the Thames. The Neoclassical building houses a working arts centre with fascinating exhibitions and events."

"In recent years this huge complex—the work of Sir William Chambers (1723–96), and built during the reign of George III to house offices…"

"They've always got their awesome blueberry and whipped mascarpone on the menu. These spongey bad boys are spot-on for breakfast, nothing like tucking into some pancakes surrounded by palms. 65A Brushfield St, London E1 6AA"