Best Museums in Ham

"Housed in an industrial power station at the foot of the River Thames, the Tate Modern is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious contemporary and modern art museums. Exhibiting British and international works dating from 1900 to today, the Tate Modern displays contemporary masters like Rothko, Matisse, Picasso, and Dali, alongside modern mavericks like Yayoi Kusama, Tracey Emin, and Marina Abramovic. The cavernous and imposing Turbine Hall plays host to temporary exhibitions of considerable scale."

"Modern art finds its spiritual home at Tate Modern – the most popular art gallery in the world and the UK’s most-visited attraction. Unlike Tate Britain, which houses a permanent collection of historic British art, Tate Modern is all about the here and now. Everything you’ll find within the gallery is modern art, dating only as far back as 1900."

"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."

"A day is the perfect amount of time to see the highlights: Cardiff Castle, the National Museum, and Cardiff Bay. Learn about Welsh history, culture, and language on a walking tour or by talking to locals. Spend the evening in Cardiff."

"Tate Britain is part of the Tate organization that includes three other museums: Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool, and Tate St. Ives. Tate Britain, once known as the National Gallery of British Art and the Tate Gallery, contains a huge collection of British art dating back to Tudor times. Tate Britain is one of the biggest museums in the United Kingdom, attracting more than one million guests through its doors annually."

"From Pre-Raphaelite paintings to landscapes by Turner and Francis Bacon's distorted nudes, there's lots to look at in Tate Britain. The gallery is home to the largest collection of British art in the world. Eat at the gallery's restaurant and study the famous Rex Whistler mural between mouthfuls!"

"Tate Britain holds the most extensive collection of British art in the world from 1500 to the present day. Don’t miss this free museum in London. You can witness fantastic modern and contemporary art."

"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."

"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)."

"This gallery comprises a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people from throughout time. Think Shakespeare, Edward VI, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, to name a few."

"One of the best London attractions for kids is the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhoodin Bethnal Green. The museum is a part of the Victoria and Albert Museum in Knightsbridge and houses an impressive collection of toys and other childhood-related objects from the 1600s to the present day. The museum holds the largest collection of dolls in the UK with dolls representing people of different nationalities, a collection of Barbie dolls, the Kammer & Reinhardt dolls (popular life-like baby dolls) and the Tiny Tears dolls (from the USA) to name a few."

"Out in Bethnal Green, you’ll discover the free Museum of Childhood. Operated and curated by the V&A, it’s home to toys, dolls houses, and thousands of other interesting items, but a major refurbishment is aiming to turn it into a “world-leading museum of design and creativity for children and young people”."

"A treat for children of all ages, this East London outpost of the Victoria & Albert Museum—in an iron, glass, and brown-brick building…"

"Also known as the Temple of Mithras, this museum is centered around the remains of an ancient Roman temple in the City of London, left from the days of Roman rule, and is one of the lesser-known free museums in the capital. Named as one of the UK’s most significant archaeological sites, the museum showcases the ancient temple and a selection of interesting Roman artefacts found during excavations, including fragments of writing-tablets which feature the first known reference to London and the earliest hand-written document in Britain."

"One of London’s quirkier and lesser-known spots is literally a blend of old and new. The London Mithraeum is a museum centred around the ruins of a Roman Temple and is located, rather oddly, underneath the shiny glass Bloomberg Buildings in the middle of the city. A visit to the Mithraeum is not just looking at old artefacts, but a full on sensory experience."

"Year Built: c.240 CE Location: Modern-day Walbrook Purpose:  Temple/sanctuary Still Standing:  No – only partial ruins remain. photo source: Wikimedia Commons. The Temple of Mithras is one of the few remnants leftover from the Roman Empire’s time in the area and is one of the oldest buildings ever discovered in London."

"Consisting of low-slung red-brick terraces and fronted by a large plaza featuring an oversized statue of Sir Isaac Newton, Colin St John Wilson’s British Library building is an architectural wonder. Completed in 1997, it's home to some of the greatest treasures of the written word, including the Codex Sinaiticus (the first complete text of the New Testament), Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks and a copy of the Magna Carta (1215)."

"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."

"Dine on fine, seasonal British ingredients prepared with French influences at Marcus, acclaimed chef Marcus Wareing's flagship Michelin-starred restaurant in Belgravia. Lake District sirloin with bordelaise sauce, Cornish lobster with scorched yam or pan-roasted foie gras with cep and brioche: the menu is packed with bold and indulgent flavours."

"Located on Wilton Place, this Knightsbridge restaurant is a must for all food lovers. The perfect place for a special occasion, this Marcus Wareing-led spot serves up gorgeous plates like slow-cooked egg with courgette, truffle and girolles alongside desserts that combine coffee with mascarpone and bourbon."

"Our award winning chefs only blend the finest herbs & spices to produce delicate, authentic dishes. You can now relax at home and order your favourite dishes, freshly prepared and have them…"

"Restaurants Oyster bars South Kensington. After gazing at the fossilised fish and piscine rarities in the Natural History Museum, your kids can sample the real thing at this branch of the Wright Brothers’ seafood chain. Slurping fresh oysters straight from the shell is probably not a good idea for the little ones, although fail-safes such as smoked haddock croquettes or good old fish pie should keep them happy."

"Brunswick House in Vauxhall has recently launched Brunswick at Home where you can get their British food delivered to your door. Pick between the à la carte choices, or order a set menu dinner for two starting from £35. You can also order cocktails, beer, and keg wine pouches."

"The worlds of contemporary and traditional Britain come together at this top London restaurant, in Vauxhall. Brunswick House Cafe's regularly changing menu is inspired by local produce, and the furniture and interior design is all up for sale."

"Park Plaza County Hall enjoys a superb location on the South Bank, rubbing shoulders with many of London’s most famous attractions such as the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye. Named ‘Best Family Friendly Hotel’ at the HRS Hotel Excellence Awards 2011, the hotel specialises in treating children like VIPs through its Family Fun in the City package. Spacious family rooms include substantial closets and plenty of space to relax and unwind, while Studio Rooms and Penthouse Apartments afford an enhanced feeling of indulgence with defined sleeping and living areas."

"Until 2007, Londoners had no idea what an affordable spa was, until Spa London opened up its first spa-tique in Bethnal Green. Now there are several all over London, but the favourite must be in Swiss Cottage. Signature body treatments, facials and massages are up for grabs from as little as £30 — rare in this part of town."