Best History Museum in Walton-on-Thames

"The domed glass-and-steel ceiling at the British Museum – the world’s first national museum opened to the public – lets light into the atrium-like Great Court below, bouncing off the blinding-white, sweeping staircases and marble walls. It’s one of the capital’s prettiest spaces, but beyond the impressive lobby, it has sprawling galleries dedicated to the Egyptians, the Greeks and the Romans. Artefacts including the Rosetta Stone, Pantheon Marbles (once a part of the original structure in Athens) and more than 120 mummies draw millions of visitors every year."

"As its name suggests, The National Gallery is a government-sponsored museum that ranks, after The Louvre, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the British Museum, as the 4th most visited museum in the world. The National Gallery is particularly known for its encyclopedic art collection, with works from artists including da Vinci, van Gogh, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, El Greco, Rembrandt, Goya, Delacroix, Cézanne, Monet, and Renoir."

"Another location with a long association with British royalty, Westminster Abbey stands on a site that's been associated with Christianity since the early 7th century. Officially known as the Collegiate Church of St. Peter in Westminster, Westminster Abbey was founded by Edward the Confessor in 1065 as his place of interment. From his burial in 1066 until that of George II almost 700 years later, most sovereigns were not only crowned here but were buried here, too."

"London’s most famous and beautiful church is a definite must-see in the city. Rebuilt in the 13th century (but with a history that goes back even further), it is now on the UNESCO World Heritage List. To visit as a tourist you’ll need to buy a ticket either online or at the abbey, but you can enter free as a worshipper."

"Formerly called the Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster, Westminster Abbey is visited by more than one million people a year and it’s easy to see why. A marvellous gothic abbey, construction began on the present church under Henry III, who selected the site to be the place of his burial."

"The Museum of London is located in the City, close to the Barbican Centre and a short walk away from St. Paul’s Cathedral. This museum is one of many free museums in London and documents the history of London, from prehistoric to modern times, offering the largest urban history collection in the world with more than six million objects. Visiting the Museum of London with kids makes for a fascinating morning or afternoon out learning about the history of London."

"Experience science and technology advancements in the famous Science Museum. Being the most visited science and technology museum in Europe, it houses some of the world’s famous objects like Stephens rocket and Apollo 10 command capsule. You cannot miss the splendid space travel and experience what it’s like to fly with the Red Arrows."

"The Museum of London is the world's largest urban museum, packed with historic objects and exhibitions telling the story of London's past. Discover prehistoric London, the city under Roman rule, and the grandeur of medieval London. Don't miss the permanent galleries, spanning before London was built to the present day world city."

"With three floors and 11 galleries dedicated to the history of our town, Reading Museum is still the grand dame of this list. The top floor features exhibits on Natural History, Roman life (complete with a model Silchester village and togas for dressing up), and a beautiful gallery of vintage Huntley & Palmers biscuit tins. On the ground floor you can discover Reading’s more recent industrial heritage."

"About: The Museum of Reading contains a number of galleries describing the history of Reading and its major industries. A gallery of artefacts discovered during the excavations of Calleva Atrebatum, a copy of the Bayeux Tapestry and an art collection are amongst some of the museum's highlights. Address: Blagrave Street, Reading, RG1 1QH"

"The Cinema Museum in London was founded in the 1980s by Ronald Grant and Martin Humphries. Grant and Humphries filled the museum with objects from their private collection of cinema memorabilia. The museum is housed in the workhouse where Charlie Chaplin lived during his childhood."

"London’s Cinema Museum is devoted to keeping alive the spirit of cinema from the days before the multiplex. Admission is only via joining one of their regular guided tours, which costs £10."

"Housed in the only surviving Crystal Palace Company building, is the story and memorabilia of The Crystal Palace exhibition centre."

"The Davies Alpine House is a somewhat different greenhouse, it is quite long (16m) and high (10m) and was designed to provide ideal conditions, fresh with natural wind for the best conditions the mountain plants. The collection features a wide range of campanulas, dianthus, small ferns, helichrysum, small lavenders, primulas, saxifrage, thymus, tulips and verbascums along with lesser known species."

"Many of the plants at Kew couldn't survive in Britain's grey, damp climate. The Davies Alpine House supports those that thrive in dry, cool, windy conditions of mountainous areas such as succulents and campanulas,"

"Lose yourself amongst the stone pines, olive trees, and cypresses of this typical Mediterranean landscape. The King William's Temple stands in the middle of the garden, lending a sense of grandeur to the vibrant landscape."

"Established in the second half of the seventeenth century by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, the Chelsea Physic Garden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in England. Included among the London Museums of Health and Medicine, this botanical garden has some unique features attracting tourists interested in botany. Noteworthy mentions are Britain’s largest fruiting olive tree and the world’s most northern grapefruit that grows outdoors."

"Alternatives: There are many other things to see in the area (mostly in Chelsea), including the Chelsea Physic Garden (fee*), Leighton House Museum (fee), Design Museum, Portobello Road Market, Chelsea Football Club Stadium Tour & Museum (fee*), and the recently renovated National Army Museum. London Itinerary Day 6 – Greenwich or Free Day"

"Toddlers can let their imaginations run wild at the UK’s first Story Centre. A day pass includes entry to the Story World and Story Garden where you see tales like The Gruffalo brought to life by Story Builders. There are also storytelling sessions and family exhibitions which you can book onto."

"The House of Dreams Museum is the vision of London art director Steven Wright, who has lived in the East Dulwich home since 1982. He began to turn it into a museum in the late 90s. It serves as a shrine to his dead parents and partner."

"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."

"Rich Mix allows creativity in all its magnificent forms – live music, theatre, poetry, film, art, design and drawing, so it’s a little distinct from the other places on the list, but the charity behind the cross-media arts centre, The Rich Mix Cultural Foundation, has a pretty inspiring goal. And that’s to offer the public space to discover more about the creative offerings of people from various migrant populations. Since taking over the former clothing factory on Bethnal Green Road, Rich Mix has put on many free exhibitions, screenings and concerts."

"This fantastic creative space in the East End, on the site of what used to be in a leather factory, has regular exhibitions featuring emerging and established artists. 39-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA Free entryrichmix.org.uk"