Free Museums in The Six Bells

"If modern culture is more your style, we highly recommend a visit to the Tate Modern. From William Blake to Andy Warhol, you’ll find some of the most revered pieces of modern art housed in this red-brick temple of Brutalist architecture. The interior is almost as striking as the art it houses, with the mesmerisingly modern turbine room welcoming you to an afternoon of cultural exploration."

"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!"

"Over on the South Bank, Tate Modern is not only one of the best museums in London, but also one of the most visited museums in the world. Tate Modern focuses on international modern and contemporary art. It also houses the national collection of British art from 1900 to the present day."

"Housing masterpieces by painters including van Gogh, Renoir, da Vinci and Michelangelo, the National Gallery is home to one of the world’s most impressive art collections, and sees over six million visitors every year. Avoid the hordes by visiting on weekday mornings or Friday evenings. Whatever time you go, the permanent collections are always free."

"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"

"Housing a collection of over 2,000 Western European paintings from the middle ages to the 20th century, the National Gallery is a must-see for art lovers."

"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!)."

"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."

"Located in an adjoining building to the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery houses a collection of historic portraits of important and famous British people. Nearest tube station: Charing Cross."

"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."

"The Museum of Childhood is a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum which specialises in objected designed by and for children such as toys, clothes and more. Nearest tube station: Bethnal Green."

"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 Jack the Ripper Museum is devoted to one of London's most notorious and terrorizing serial killers. The museum recreates the setting in which the unsolved Jack the Ripper murders took place in 1888. The collection has original objects related to the crimes."

"For over 300 years, Burgh House has been one of London’s most iconic residences. It was originally built as a lavish home and lived in by characters including Elsie Bambridge, the daughter of Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling. Today, Burgh House is open to the public and houses the Hampstead Museum, a small but thorough local history museum."

"The Burgh House & Hampstead Museum is a London historic house and museum. Burgh House was first built in 1704. Famous inhabitants include Dr. George Williamson, Captain Constantine Evelyn Benson, the daughter of author Rudyard Kipling, and, in the late 1800s, the Royal East Middlesex Militia, who used it as their headquarters."

"It is believed that the first St Magnus The Martyr Church in London was built in 1128-33. Several wooden London Bridges were constructed during the early years of the building, but they never seemed to last. Finally, in 1209, the Old Medieval London Bridge opened."

"This church near London Bridge on the north side was founded around 1067 and stood at the foot of the old London Bridge. (In the churchyard lie some of the old stones from the bridge. ). As such, it was an important meeting place in medieval times."

"This church used to stand at one end of the legendary London Bridge and has a stone from it outside, plus a model of it inside the door 2"

"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."

"As part of one of the biggest arts centre’s in Europe, the Barbican’s art gallery is known for pushing the boundaries with brilliant shows. As well as this kudos, it has a reputation for bringing artists and subjects on the outskirts of modern art history to a wider audience through incisive exhibitions. Recent shows have included retrospectives on Dorothea Lange, Lee Krasner, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and an exploration of artistic couples."

"The Barbican is Europe’s largest performing arts centre, located right in the City of London. Its Brutalist styled architecture offers lots of opportunities to take some unique photos, like the one below by Chris Martin Scholl. Make sure to plan enough time to explore all the hidden corners of this fascinating landmark."

"From acclaimed architects to Turner prize-winning artists, as well as stars of design and photography, the Barbican Art Gallery presents major exhibitions by leading international figures. You should also check out the Barbican's Curve, home to an exciting series of new art commissions created for the space."

"Stefan Kalmár, the Director of the ICA London states: The Institute of Contemporary Arts in London has been the model for most ICAs that exist in the world today. Since its founding in 1946, the ICA contextualises contemporary culture within the socio-political conditions of the times. The ICA was created as an institute (not a museum), for the contemporary (not just modern) and for all the arts (not just art)."

"The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an art gallery near London's Trafalgar Square. In addition to exhibits on contemporary art, the ICA includes two cinemas, a bookshop, a theatre, and a bar. Established in 1947, ICA creators wanted to create a place for artists and other creative and science folk to debate ideas without being constricted by the rules and traditions of the Royal Academy."