Best Arts and Culture Places in Bovingdon

"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."

"From Egyptian mummies and pieces of the Parthenon to the game-changing Rosetta Stone and an enormous Easter Island figure, the British Museum in London's West End—covering a whopping 18.5 acres—is not just one of London’s best museums, but one of the world’s. Organized by geographic territories, modern-day Indiana Joneses could spend weeks exploring these halls, which date back to 1753. Preplan your visit by mapping out the highlights in advance."

"Founded in 1753, The British Museum is the largest museum in London and was the first national museum in the world to cover all fields of human knowledge. The impressive museum now has a collection of over eight million artefacts which span two million years of human history, art and culture. And if the museum’s substantial free collections aren’t enough to draw you in, then its architecture certainly will."

"For those who prefer more contemporary art to classical works, head to the Tate Modern on the south bank of the River Thames. Located inside of the former Bankside Power Station, the Tate Modern is Britain’s national gallery of international modern art, housing a huge collection of contemporary and modern artwork from 1900 to the present day, with artists including Picasso, DalÍ­, Pollock and Warhol. The Tate Modern is the most visited art museum in Britain and the second most visited museum in the UK after the British Museum."

"Tate Modern has been one of the top London attractions since its opening in 2000. It houses the Tate’s contemporary art collection in one of the most outstanding exhibition spaces in the world, the former Bankside Power Station. It’s also occasionally used as a concert venue, such as when German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk performed a series of shows there."

"The former Bankside Power Station was selected as the new gallery site in 1994. The original building, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, was constructed in two phases between 1947 and 1963. Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron were commissioned to convert the building into a gallery, making use of the power station’s iconic oil tanks."

"Home to more than 2,000 paintings from the Middle Ages through to the 20th Century, the National Gallery is another museum that’s free to enter. The gallery is open daily between 11am and 6pm, and booking is required in order to limit numbers in the building. Booking can only be done online and in advance."

"The National Gallery is my personal favourite gallery in the world. You’ll find some of Europe’s greatest masterpieces here, from Van Gogh, to Monet, to Rembrandt. I still remember being brought to tears by the doleful beauty of Turner’s Margate (?) from the Sea."

"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."

"The greatest stories from the greatest city are spread across nine permanent galleries, taking you on a huge journey from London before London, through Roman and Medieval London, to key historic moments such as The Great Fire, and the evolution of London as the People’s City and a World City. Keeping with the theme of London education, guest exhibitions include Beast of London, which explores the fascinating role animals have played in shaping the capital, and The Clash: London Calling, where over 150 items showcase the history of London’s most iconic band."

"Museum of London is one of the world's largest urban history museums and cares for over two million objects in its collection. The lower galleries are currently undergoing major redevelopment work which will see spectacular new galleries opening in spring 2010 telling the story of modern London from 1666 to the present day. The Museum also holds the largest archaeological archive in Europe of this wealth of information."

"An Alternative or additional stop in the area may be the Museum of London, which is a great free museum dedicated to the history of London."

"What makes the National Portrait Gallery so compelling is its familiarity; in many cases, you’ll have heard of the subject (royals, scientists, politicians, celebrities) or the artist (Andy Warhol, Annie Leibovitz, Lucian Freud) but not necessarily recognise the face. Highlights include the famous ‘Chandos portrait’, thought to be of William Shakespeare (room 4), the first artwork the gallery acquired (in 1856), and a touching sketch of novelist Jane Austen by her sister (room 18)."

"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."

"A pristine, open space, Cob is home to a cohort of up and coming influential artists. Provocative, distinctively and shockingly modern, Cob offers a diverse range of talent to peer at. Casper Sejersen’s photography exhibition is exemplar of Cob’s uniqueness."

"The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History is a small eclectic museum and bar in London. The museum was funded via Kickstarter campaign in 2015 and it is run by Viktor Wynd and apart of The Last Tuesday Society. The museum's strange collection includes a two-headed kitten, two-headed lambs, Fiji mermaids, and hariballs."

"This bizarre collection of curiosities offers everything from ‘the intriguing beauty of McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys, to old master etchings to prison inmates & mad women’s doodles, occultists paintings and pop art prints, the horrors and wonders of nature, two-headed kittens and living coral.’ Tickets are £10. More information here."

"It may look like a mild-mannered café from the outside, but the mask comes off when you step inside to discover a down-and-dirty hangout where you can groove and grind to anything from electro to disco and 90s R&B. Consistently packed with it-boys and -girls, the well-worn dance floor is a definite testament to their loyal following. Address: 117 Kingsland High Street, London E8 2PBContact: 020 7254 2273Website:dalstonsuperstore.com"

"The David GIll Gallery exhibits work by internationally renowned artists working in design and art, many of whom cross over between disciplines. Artist works include: Zaha Hadid, Fredrikson Stallard, Jorge Pardo, Michele Oka Doner, Barnaby Barford, Yves Klein, Mattia Bonetti, David Chipperfield, Campana Brothers, José Yaque, Garouste & Bonetti, Lena Peters & Sebastian ErraZuriz."

"If you’re a big fan of croissants, then the Pasty Parlour is a must for your Little Black Book. One of London’s best bakeries, everything is baked fresh on-site daily and their pastries are said to rival the originals from across the channel. 8 Piazza Walk, London E1 8FU; thepastryparlour.co.uk"

"A new vegan operation linked to outstanding Chinese restaurants Xi’an Impression and Xi’an Biang Biang Noodles, Tofu Vegan promises to do what so many restaurants couldn’t: succeed on Upper Street in Islington. Dongbei sweet potato noodles; hot and fragrant deep-fried asparagus; and Chongqing-style mock chicken feature, but the star is shimmering dòufu huā, a wibbly cloud of beige saturated with buzzy chilli oil and black beans."

"Mildreds is a certifiable veggie institution, serving meat-free dinners in Soho since 1988. Over the years it has increasingly catered for vegans too, and now diners can safely assume everything on the menu is vegan unless marked otherwise. Favourite dishes include the Sri Lankan sweet potato curry, the beetroot and white bean Polish burger and shimeji mushroom gyoza dumplings."

"Best for: Classic and traditional veg-based fare since the 80’s. First opening in 1988, way before veganism was en vogue, the Soho branch of iconic Mildred’s restaurant fast became one of London’s most-loved veggie and vegan hotspots. They’ve had 32 years of perfecting the dishes on offer and you can tell."