Free Museums in Brompton

"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."

"Art-lovers can spend hours inside the Tate Modern and the National Portrait Gallery, while theater-goers will want to buy tickets for Shakespeare’s Globe or the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Walking through one of London’s numerous parks is also an option, and so is admiring the architecture of Tower Bridge, the Gherkin, or St. Paul’s Cathedral. In the evenings, have some fish and chips in a pub or enjoy London’s multicultural dining options. You will stay in the city until the morning of Day 3."

"As entwined with the art world as paint, no list of London galleries would be complete without one incarnation of the Tate. Without a doubt the art giant of London, the Tate Modern is home to all things contemporary and unique and always worth a visit. “When my daughter Coco was born, we visited Tate Modern 11 times in her first 6 months!"

"From Michelangelo to Monet and Raphael to Rembrandt, almost all of the old European masters can be found on the walls of the National Gallery, overlooking London’s famous Trafalgar Square. Crowd favorites include Van Gogh’s "Sunflowers"; Botticelli’s "Venus and Mars;" and Monet’s "The Water-Lily Pond." (If you’re short on time, you can pre-plan your trip around the gallery’s 30 must-see paintings.)"

"One of London’s most iconic galleries takes centre stage in London’s most iconic square!. While The National Gallery houses one of the greatest collections of paintings in the world, this 200-year old building also stands as a work of art and piece of history itself."

"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–"

"Founded by sugar merchant Sir Henry Tate – who also founded the other Tate galleries – the Tate Britain is a wonderful museum to visit, with lots of fantastic British artwork on show. With a huge catalog of work from contemporary times all the way back to the 1500’s, the Tate Britain’s masterpieces include works by William Blake, Francis Bacon, and J.M.W. Turner, among others. Housed on the banks of the Thames, wandering around the exhibitions and galleries is a lovely way to spend the day."

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

"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)."

"If you’re wondering what to do in London, we suggest going to gaze at the most extensive collection of portraits in the world. With free access to over 200,000 portraits from the Tudors to the present day, you’ll see everyone from Shakespeare, Amy Winehouse to The Duchess of Cambridge, and Kate Middleton. Once you’re done working your way through the art, pop by one of the local cafés and grab a treat to eat on the steps of Trafalgar Square."

"Tucked behind the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery is the biggest collection of portraits in the world. It’s not quite as vast as the National Gallery but it’s very much worth taking your time to see the collection. One interesting thing about this free London art museum is that the paintings are chosen for the significance of the subject, not the artist."

"One of the best London attractions for kids is the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhoodin Bethnal Green. The museum is a part of the Victoria and Albert Museum in Knightsbridge and houses an impressive collection of toys and other childhood-related objects from the 1600s to the present day. The museum holds the largest collection of dolls in the UK with dolls representing people of different nationalities, a collection of Barbie dolls, the Kammer & Reinhardt dolls (popular life-like baby dolls) and the Tiny Tears dolls (from the USA) to name a few."

"Spanning the 1600s to the present day—toys, clothes and interactive displays are set within a 1872 hangar with marble floor and visible cast iron frame."

"A treat for children of all ages, this East London outpost of the Victoria & Albert Museum—in an iron, glass, and brown-brick building…"

"What we love about South London Gallery (SLG), a contemporary yet historic art space in Peckham, is that it endeavours to ‘bring art to the people of South London’. Not only does it do this by showing work from never-before-exhibited artists; it hosts educational and immersive art workshops for young people and adults too. Although the gallery is based in its original Peckham Road building, SLG has spread its wings into the old Peckham fire station, and Sceaux Gardens estate, a local artist-designed garden called Art Block for families to enjoy."

"With a reputation for its programme of contemporary art exhibitions, film and performance events, the South London Gallery is an internationally acclaimed contemporary art space. Over the past decade the South London Gallery has featured solo exhibitions by established international figures, as well as those by younger and mid-career artists."

"The South London Gallery, also known as SLG, was founded in 1891 as a public gallery of contemporary art in Camberwell, London. In 2010 6a Architects designed the SLG expansion to provide additional gallery spaces, a cafe, an educational space, and residences."

"In a nutshell: Classic building reborn as pub in Greenwich Where is it?. 23 Telegraph Avenue, London SE10 0TH Why should you care?. This Young's pub has taken over a historical building, which has been closed to the public for years."

"Sitting just off Columbia Road, Lily Vanilli has been reeling in the queues since it opened back in 2010. Its eponymous founder, Lily, uses seasonal, organic produce to create some of the most picture-perfect cakes we’ve ever seen. Flavours include chocolate pretzel, strawberry ripple and a particularly impressive tiered creation titled the Accidentally Wes Anderson Cake, inspired by the director’s aesthetically pleasing films."

"Restaurants Bakeries Bethnal Green. They say: ‘The bakery has a weekly-changing seasonal menu of cakes, pastries, fresh juice and our famous sausage rolls and brownies.’. The sweet stuff: The popular Columbia Road spot is offering cakes and brownies, baked by the titular Lily."

"Self-taught baker Lily Jones has been the go-to queen of unique and whacky baking for over a decade. Prior to opening her shop in Bethnal Green, Lily created wonderfully macabre sweets including zombies and bleeding hearts. Now her bakes feature fewer skulls but still pack a wacky punch thanks to her creative flavour combinations."