Free Museums in Ridge

"The Tate Modern opened in 2000, so it is one of the newer free museums in London, but it has wasted no time in establishing a great name for itself. Situated inside an old power station on the South Bank, it is one of London’s most impressive museums. A towering monolith of art on the banks of the Thames."

"Explore Tate Modern’s world-famous collection of modern and contemporary art from Picasso to Warhol. 🧑‍🎨 Like London’s other national museums, entrance is free!"

"Nearly 6 million people visited the National Gallery in 2015 – and small wonder. Right in the heart of London, overlooking Trafalgar Square, room upon room contain masterworks by the likes of Cézanne, Monet, Gainsborough, Rubens, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Constable. It’s a quite extraordinary collection, and there’s so much to see, you might want to follow this guide to 30 must see paintings to guide you through."

"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.)"

"The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square is one of the most famous attractions in London. It houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dated from the mid-13th century to 1900. If you’re an art lover, it’s a must-visit."

"London’s West End is pretty good for celeb spotting, but the easiest place to do it is probably at the National Portrait Gallery. It’s home to kings, queens, cultural juggernauts and sporting heroes – all in portrait form, of course – with a collection spanning over five hundred years of painting history. You can find Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in the Tudor galleries, Mary Jane Seacole and the Bronte sisters in the Victorian galleries, right up to Amy Winehouse and the Queen in the contemporary galleries."

"National Portrait Gallery / Self-Portrait As A Soldier By Ludwig Kirchner. Before there were selfies, you basically had to hire someone to paint you in order for your face to be immortalised for all to see. Next door to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, the National Portrait Gallery houses a collection of portraits of historically famous British people."

"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."

"One of the branches of Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of Childhood was founded in 1872, but only in the 1920s began to concentrate primarily on children. With an enormous collection of childhood objects, the Museum successfully fulfils its mission of giving everyone the opportunity to explore the wonderful ways of the designated world. The unique exhibitions, galleries of toys (older and newer) and the entertainment programs prepared for children will definitely get them prancing around."

"Technically a part of the V&A, the Museum of Childhood has gained an excellent reputation as one of the best free things to do in London. With a collection of toys spanning centuries, the museum is the perfect day out for kids, while adults will also surely find something to wake their nostalgia. Museum of Childhood © Flickr Andrea Vail"

"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."

"If you’re a keen shopper, you will want to hit the shopping mecca that is Oxford Street. But also make sure you experience luxurious afternoon tea in London , take an offbeat food tour, sample street art, and hit a few alternative bars in town. Check out our Guide To London for loads of offbeat and fun ideas of things to do in London."

"It is home to Kirkaldy's giant testing machine that clocks in at more than 47 feet long, along with other smaller, modern pieces of equipment. The Kirkaldy Machine is kept in working condition at the museum. The museum is available to the public on the first Sunday of each month."

"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–"

"I love the striking red brick buildings of the British Library, home to the largest national library in the world. The British Library has so many books that no-one knows the exact number. The best guesses put it at between 150 and 200 million in the collections."

"The Heath Robinson Museum is a biographical museum dedicated to the life and art of its namesake. The museum displays memorabilia, artwork, and objects from the life of Heath Robinson, as well as hosts exhibitions and events that support Robinson's life mission and vision. Admission to the museum is free."

"Aldgate East’s next door neighbour may look traditional from the outside, but step inside and you’ll be blown away by this hub for talent, where ‘history has always been the future’. The gallery has premiered world-class artists, from modern masters Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko, to contemporaries such as Sophie Calle and Sarah Lucas."

"Founded in 1901 to bring art to the people of east London, it is now internationally acclaimed for its exhibitions, education and event programmes. In the past, the gallery premiered artists such as Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko."

"The Whitechapel Gallery is a touchstone for contemporary art internationally, plays a central role in London’s cultural landscape and is pivotal to the continued growth of the world’s most vibrant contemporary art quarter."

"A quick scan of Covent Garden‘s Top Secret Comedy Club line-up will leave you asking: who hasn’t performed at the venue?. Comedians like Eddie Izzard, Jack Whitehall and Michael McIntyre are among the famous faces to have taken to its stage over the years to practice new material before heading off on tour. Not much of a secret anymore, this comedy club is recognised as one of London’s favourites, with tickets for its intimate shows sold on a first-come, first-served basis."

"The Top Secret Comedy Club attracts the kind of crowd that makes people want to become comedians in the first place. The room is regularly packed to the rafters with a raucous group of joke-lovers… and it’s always a hell of a laugh being amongst them. Find out what’s lined up in the next few months here."

"Can you truly understand a culture without knowing what makes its people laugh?. The Museum of Comedy is on a mission to acquaint us all with the ingredients that, when combined, make up the British sense of humour, one Ronnie at a time. More reference library then proper museum, it's a repository of seemingly every book, DVD, VHS and LP that could possibly make you laugh - literally hours and hours of non-stop silliness."

"The Museum of Comedy in London is housed in the crypt of St George's Church. The space was initially converted to be an art gallery before the Museum of Comedy moved in. The museum's collection highlights British comedic history with posters, props, outfits, costumes, films, scripts, and photographs."

"Open for more than 14 years Under The Arches @ Heaven, the Covent Garden Comedy Club has a rich history and is renowned for being the breeding ground of future talent as well as featuring stars from television and radio. Lee Mack, Jimmy Carr and Alan Carr are among those to have starred on stage. Three comedians perform every night of the week from 8.00-10.00pm."

"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."

"Doing for French brasserie food what its stablemate Strada did for trattoria-style Italian cuisine, Côte mixes smart, glossy interiors with a menu of pure-bred bourgeois classics from moules marinière to steak frites. ‘Formule’ breakfasts, ‘plats rapides’ and a thoroughly Francophile drinks list complete the picture. Flagship site: 8 Wimbledon High Street, SW19 5DX"