Free Museums in Paynes Hall

"Tate Modern’s collection of international modern and contemporary art attracts millions of visitors every year eager to discover art movements and artistic practices documented by the permanent collection. This collection includes Pablo Picasso’s vividly powerful Weeping Woman, Salvador Dalí’s brilliantly surreal Lobster Telephone and Mark Rothko’s Seagram murals presented in a specially lit room. Since opening, the expansive Turbine Hall has showcased some major artist commissions, including Olafur Eliasson’s mesmerising The Weather Project and Ai Weiwei’s epic Sunflower Seeds."

"Now you can cross the Millennium Bridge, a popular pedestrian bridge, to reach the Tate Modern, the largest international modern art gallery in the UK. The museum’s location is unusual as it is based in a former power station building. The museum displays both a permanent collection as well as several temporary exhibitions throughout the year."

"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!"

"The National Gallery is one of the UK’s most important art museums which contains over 2,300 works dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. With many famous works by artists including Michelangelo, Velázquez, Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh and others housed inside a Grade I listed Neoclassical building on the northern edge of Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is certainly one of the most impressive free galleries London has to offer. Nearest tube station: Charing Cross."

"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."

"Anyone with even a passing interest in art will want to put this near the top of their to-do lists while visiting London, for it is truly…"

"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."

"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)."

"Located in a beautiful redbrick building in Bethnal Green, this museum is the largest of its kind in the world. It’s not just for kids, though – it provides a delightful, nostalgic trip back to more innocent times, with a fascinating collection of toys and games from yesteryear. The current temporary exhibition is dedicated to board games and it’s an absolute treat."

"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…"

"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 British Library is the largest national library in the world, with an estimated 200+ million items in its collection. As well as its many books, the library holds historic manuscripts, maps, stamps, photographs and even music from every age of written civilisation. Visit the ‘Treasures of the British Library Gallery‘ to see some of its most significant items, including the Magna Carta, original writings from both Charles Dickens and Shakespeare, Michelangelo’s anatomical illustrations, one of the earliest Qur’ans and a copy of the world’s oldest dated complete printed book, the Diamond Sutra."

"170 million items and 330 miles of shelf space make this not only one of the best museums in London, but also one of the biggest. It also hosts regular, curated exhibitions based around its rare collections; including displays of the original manuscripts of Charles Dickens, Virginia Wolf, Jack Kerouac, Lewis Carroll and varying instalments of maps, sacred texts, newspaper and sound archives. Details: 96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB | Free entry, exhibitions from £14 | Find out more and book–"

"Visiting the British Library is one of our favourite things to do around London. This landmark of London is next door to St Pancras station. It’s been there barely twenty years, but I can’t imagine London without it."

"This neo-Gothic house built in the late 1890s for William Waldorf Astor, of hotel fame and once the richest man in America, showcases art from UK museum collections outside the capital. Visit as much to see the opulent house (it's astonishing) as the collections on display, but note it's only open for a few months each year for the Winter Exhibition Programme (see the website). Check out the bronze putti (cherubs) chatting on old telephones on the steps!"

"A post shared by Ulrike Storch (@ulrikestorch) on May 15, 2020 at 12:29am PDT. Nibble on pan-Asian cuisine in the futuristic dining room at Circus, created by British designer Tom Dixon. Glamorous eating and drinking is not all that occurs at this Covent Garden restaurant, as dinner is combined with various surprise cabaret and circus acts who parade across the tables."

"It’s also worth taking the time to check out the Georgian architecture, including the Royal Crescent and the Circus. From Bath, head into the Cotswolds, where I’d recommend you spend the night. Find yourself a cosy little B&B in the countryside – somewhere you’d likely struggle to get to with public transport – and really take advantage of having your own wheels!"

"Restaurants Covent Garden. The clue’s in the name: performers attempt to distract you from your dinner with feats of bravado or boldness ranging from fire-eating to burlesque – sometimes both at the same time. Between acts, you can return your attention to the kitchen’s pan-Asian dishes."

"Offering chic interiors that mix rustic features with contemporary styling, Horvada is one of the prettiest restaurants in London. Interiors aside, they've got some gorgeous plates of food to boot, and a selection of cocktails that were made for the gram."

"St Albans’ Clock Tower is a 15th-century belfry that was constructed from 1403 to 1412. It’s England’s only remaining medieval town belfry and is located in St Albans’ town centre. For a very small fee, you can climb the 93-step narrow spiral staircase to the viewing area at the top."

"Not every historic remain in St Albans is Roman or linked to St Albans Abbey!. A short distance north of the Cathedral on the edge of the market place stands the iconic Clock Tower, built around 1405. It is the only free-standing medieval town belfry in England."

"You’ll probably smell David Carter’s barbecue joint well before you see it; while the signage is discreet, the tang of smoke meets you halfway up the street. Behind two heavy, metal-riveted doors, it’s a temple to certain ideas of masculinity and to meat—all concrete walls, steel paneling, and rough-planked tables and banquettes (subtext: real men don’t need cushions). The meat comes in many forms here: 15-hour smoked brisket, superb pastrami, and generous portions of ribs."

"Taking industrial-chic to a new level, this dark and dingy Shoreditch restaurant is a no-frills affair. The food however, is very much on the indulgent side with the menu consisting of barbecue sharing plates (be prepared for your clothes to stink of smoke). Must-orders include the crispy fried pig’s tails and the brisket bun with pickled red chilli, while the sticky toffee pudding topped with smoky burnt butter ice cream provides an appropriately decadent finish."

"Being outside Smokestak in Shoreditch is already a delightful experience as the smell of the burning wood and charcoals that fire the barbecues is simply irresistible. Couple that with their covered, heated when needed terrace area and there's no reason not to book in with another household immediately, especially if you're in the market for sensational wood-fired cooking."