Best History Museum in Horton Kirby

"One of the biggest, busiest and most popular museums in the United Kingdom, the British Museum is astounding to visit and is home to one of the largest collections in the world. With huge galleries that house artifacts from around the globe, one could spend months in the museum and still not see everything. There are over eight million items on show; visitors will pass sarcophaguses and statues, ancient texts, art and armor, as well as jewelry, coins and more on their voyage of discovery around the museum."

"The British Museum is a treasure trove of artifacts from around the world. Among its treasures, you’ve got bits of the Greek Acropolis, the Rosetta Stone, a burial helmet from Sutton Hoo and an Easter Island statute. There is so much to see among the permanent collections but there are also excellent temporary exhibits."

"One of the world's great repositories of human civilization, the British Museum is the premier visitor attraction in the whole of the…"

"Standing proudly next to the Westminster Houses of Parliament, the home of British politics, is the beautiful and hugely significant Westminster Abbey. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site back in 1987, this church is one of the most important in the UK and dates back to around 800AD. Westminster Abbey is steeped in history and has been the scene of royalty since William the Conqueror in the 1000s."

"The Westminster Abbey Museum, or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries, sits 52 feet above the abbey floor in the 13th century triforium. Guests will take in incredible views of the abbey as they climb the Weston Tower to the museum. The secret space that houses the galleries was hidden for more than 700 years."

"Set aside two hours to romp through 450,000 years of London history at this entertaining and educational museum, one of the capital's finest. Exhibiting everything from a mammoth's jaw found in Ilford to Oliver Cromwell's death mask via the desperate scrawls of convicts on a cell from Wellclose Prison, interactive displays and reconstructed scenes transport visitors from Roman Londinium and Saxon Ludenwic right up to the 21st-century metropolis. Free themed tours offered daily; times displayed by the entrance."

"The Museum of London has free interactive galleries exploring the history of London from when the Romans lived there. Toddlers can navigate their way around the museum using the Under 5s Explorer Backpacks filled with games, toys and puzzles to use in the galleries. The museum also has free monthly Baby and Toddler sessions with fun, stimulating activities for them to play and learn."

"Off the radar to most visitors, yet one of the city's great attractions, the Museum of London provides a walk through London's various incarnations – from the geological history of the Thames Valley to the Anglo-Saxon inhabitants to modern-day bankers."

"The Ragged School Museum in London opened in 1990 at the former Dr Barnardo's Copperfield Road Ragged School. The school opened in 1877 to provide the children in the area with a basic education, making it the biggest school of its kind for the period. By 1908, the government had taken over public education and the school was closed."

"Barnet Museum in London focuses on the history of Barnet with a special emphasis on the Battle of Barnet, the Barnet Fair, and the Barnet Market. With a library and reference collection on site, the Barnet Museum is one of the most comprehensive resources on the Battle of Barnet. The museum first opened its doors in 1938, and it remains in its original Georgian building."

"The museum tells the stories of the different industries that used the River Wandle. Such as Young’s Brewery, William Morris and Liberty’s."

"Ham House is a dreamy place to go if you want to escape the inner city for a while. Explore magical gardens and immerse yourself in the 17th Century. COVID-19 UPDATE: The gardens at Ham House have reopened to the public, but you’ll need to book your visit in advance."

"Ham House is located in an idyllic spot on the River Thames in Ham (in South West London). The house was built in 1610 and is owned by the National Trust. The beautiful gardens have recently been restored to their former plan from the 1600s."

"It was built in 1610 and is lavishly decorated with many unique treasures hiding inside its walls. It epitomises the absolute height of luxury in this era. There are also formal gardens and an on-site café."

"Cycle from Clapham to Crystal Palace- nothing like being a tourist in your own city💓💓 • • • #crystalpalace #dinosaur #dinosaurs #london #england #lockdown #staycation #bikerides #tourists #cycles #southlondon #selondon #cycle #home #park #crystalpalacepark #hills #family #familytravel #familiestravel2_ #londoncycling #journeynotdestination #familybikeride #travel. A post shared by Family Travel (@familiestravel2_) on May 24, 2020 at 2:35pm PDT. Channel your inner T-Rex in the dinosaur park, get lost in one of the UK's largest mazes, or simply explore the many ponds, playgrounds and green spaces Crystal Palace Park has to offer its visitors."

"They’re not the most anatomically accurate dinosaur sculptures ever made, but from 1854 they are the world’s first – and youngsters go crazy for them. They, like the fiendish maze (considerably less fiendish in winter when the hedges are bare), were among the many attractions of the cutting-edge Victorian pleasure grounds created to surround the Crystal Palace, relocated from Hyde Park (no.22) to the top of Sydenham Hill. Not all have survived; the palace itself burnt down in 1936 – but the simple pleasures that remain, combined with many later additions (including an urban farm and skatepark), make for a charming and idiosyncratic park."

"Last but certainly not least is the reptile ruling Crystal Palace Park. A real adventure in South East London, with a lovely cafe, multiple paths to follow and some massive stone lizards, making this park a little more exciting than your average hang out!. Now why not check out"

"Smaller than the other green open spaces in the heart of London, St. James’s Park is surrounded by other important tourist spots:. Originally purchased by Henry III, the park was completely transformed by James I, who wanted it full of exotic animals and birds. Since then, the aspect of St. James’s Park suffered further modifications, but it continues to be a significant part of London’s identity."

"St James’s Park is the park you’ll walk through between Horse Guards’ Parade and Buckingham Palace. It has a lake, plenty of ducks and swans and a really nice kids’ playground just steps from Buckingham Palace. This would be a good place to take a kid friendly breather before or after the changing of the guard."

"This Stoke Newington spot has held a Green Flag award since 2006, and is deservedly popular. It's very child friendly, with a decent play area and even a small zoo (and, like Richmond park, boasts deer also). In a pre-lockdown world, the park often hosted events, from twilight walks in search of bats to football festivals to sessions discovering the edible fruit and flowers which grow in the grounds."

"It’s got tennis courts and bowling green for when you’re feeling particularly energetic, but the park itself is big enough to get a good stroll in. You can see the whole thing by walking the perimeter, looping in the Grade-II listed Clissold House and the lakes on the way. If that doesn’t earn you a picnic after, nothing does."

"Clissold Park is a great park to come and enjoy some nature in London. Easy to get to from Stoke Newington you can enjoy peaceful waters and cute, inquisitive deer within minutes of leaving central London."

"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."

"Another of London’s brutalist structures, the Barbican Centre hosts regular film screenings, art exhibitions and other events. It is surrounded by the Barbican Housing Estate, making it tricky to navigate round its multiple entrances but giving it a unique architectural feel."

"This showroom in Walthamstow is the late neon artist Chris Bracey's personal collection of work. Walk around the small space taking in the vibrant displays of neon signs. It really does contain all sorts of goodies, from Soho club signs to ones that have featured in Hollywood films - there's even a cute little cafe for taking a pit stop."

"God’s Own Junkyard is an art store that’s anything but ordinary. It’s packed full of bright neon signs and displays, including plenty of vintage items. It’s all very vibrant and fun to see, and it makes for very unique and eclectic Instagram photos."

"If you like your photographs packed with famous faces, then Proud Galleries has a veritable galaxy of stars on display at any given time. Rock stars, fashion models and the Swinging Sixties make a regular appearance at Proud’s exhibitions, with a month long 2017 exhibition dedicated to the life and times of much-missed music superstar Prince. This year will see the lens focus on the contemporary fine art paintings by British artist Mark Thompson."

"Alex Proud launched Proud Galleries in 1998, a hotbed of pop culture photography and an edgy hipster’s wet dream. The gallery is an independent warehouse, intimate and vibrant. Wooden beams hang over chic leather sofas, giving the place a rawness."

"He was the 5th century Bishop of Arras who converted Clovis. “Foster” is an English bastardisation of his name. This was Wren’s cheapest church, as he was able to re-use some of the earlier walls."

"St Etheldreda’s Church is the oldest church in London, and one of only two in the city which have survived since the reign of Edward I. The exact date in which the building was constructed is unknown but is expected to be between 1250 and 1290. Dedicated to the Anglo-Saxon saint Etheldreda who founded the monastery at Ely back in 673 the church was purchased by the Catholic Church in 1874 and opened in 1878. As such it’s now one of the oldest operational churches in England owned by the Catholic Church."

"St Ethelreda Ely is a fragment of a medieval ecclesiastical palace belonging to the Bishop of Ely. It used to be the chapel and dates from 1293. The crypt incorporates older walls that may have been part of the Roman basilica."