Best Museums in Leyton

"Art-lovers can spend hours inside the Tate Modern and the National Portrait Gallery, while theater-goers will want to buy tickets for Shakespeare’s Globe or the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Walking through one of London’s numerous parks is also an option, and so is admiring the architecture of Tower Bridge, the Gherkin, or St. Paul’s Cathedral. In the evenings, have some fish and chips in a pub or enjoy London’s multicultural dining options. You will stay in the city until the morning of Day 3."

"The most-visited modern art gallery in the world, partly because it holds the national collection of British art from 1900 to the present day, as well as international modern and contemporary art, but mainly because the 6th floor members’ cafe has one of London’s best views. Which is like art in itself, man."

"The Tate Modern displays modern and contemporary art from 1900 to the present. It’s an absolute must-see in London, even if you're not an art lover. The newly opened Tanks and Switch House tower opens up the gallery for further exhibits and is well worth a visit on its architectural merit alone."

"With more than 2300 European masterpieces in its collection, this is one of the world's great galleries, with seminal works from the 13th to the mid-20th century, including masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian, Vincent van Gogh and Auguste Renoir. Many visitors flock to the eastern rooms on the main floor (1700–1930), where works by British artists such as Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable and JMW Turner, and Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces by Van Gogh, Renoir and Claude Monet await."

"PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The National Gallery is open every day from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. It closes at 9:00 pm on Fridays. It’s closed on 1 January and from 24 to 26 December."

"On the site of the former Millbank Penitentiary, the older and more venerable of the two Tate siblings opened in 1892 and celebrates British art from 1500 to the present, including pieces from William Blake, William Hogarth, Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable, as well as vibrant modern and contemporary pieces from Lucian Freud, Barbara Hepworth, Francis Bacon and Henry Moore. The stars of the show are, undoubtedly, the light-infused visions of JMW Turner in the Clore Gallery."

"The oldest of the country’s network of Tate galleries, and one of two in London, the Tate Britain is the home of British Art from 1500 to present day. Its miraculous dome and grand, porticoed entranceway set the scene for what is sure to be a splendid afternoon exploring British history through art. And you’ll often find this beautiful building boasting works of art inside and out – see its most recent transformation into a beautiful winter temple!"

"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!"

"Essential building works have closed the National Portrait Gallery until spring 2023, but before Google or Wikipedia, this is where the British came to put a face to the names of famous historical figures from the country's history. As such, the paintings are prized more for their subjects rather than their artists. Highlights include portraits of Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth II, the latter courtesy of pop art sensation Andy Warhol."

"London's National Portrait Gallery is a premiere art museum in the heart of the city. The National Portrait Gallery was the world's very first portrait gallery upon its 1856 opening. The gallery's collection focuses heavily on portraits of people who were important to Britain over the years; the gallery is less concerned with who produced the painting, but rather places its value on who the portrait is of."

"Tucked behind the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery is the biggest collection of portraits in the world. It’s not quite as vast as the National Gallery but it’s very much worth taking your time to see the collection. One interesting thing about this free London art museum is that the paintings are chosen for the significance of the subject, not the artist."

"In Bethnal Green, this offshoot of the popular V&A museum is dedicated to the childhood experience. Your inner child will love exploring the amazing collection of toys and games from antique dolls’ houses to 1970s action figures. Kids are sure to especially love the hands-on exhibits – little wonder it’s one of the best places to visit with kids in London."

"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”."

"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."

"This inventively redesigned museum vibrantly relates the history of the British Army, from the perspective of its servicemen and servicewomen. The museum reopened with a big bang in 2017, with five brand-new state-of-the-art galleries, including the Soldier Gallery, the Army Gallery, the Society Gallery (exploring society's relationship with the army), the Battle Gallery (the army at war) and the Insight Gallery (on the impact of the British Army through the world). Free talks, workshops and tours are also hosted: see the website for details."

"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"

"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."

"This really is one of the most unusual things to do in Hertfordshire. A completely unique sight, this Roman Theatre is a theatre with a stage, rather than the usual Amphitheatre which we may be used to seeing from Roman times. It was built in 140AD and is the only one of its type in the whole of the UK."

"Source: Photo by user Carole Raddato used under CC BY-SA 2.0. This stop is definitely worth a visit as this is the only Roman theater of its kind, in Britain. Once surrounded by shops and houses, the foundations of which you can still see here, this is not your usual Roman amphitheater."

"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."

"A refreshing newly opened modernistic gallery bursting with young artists interpretations and contemporary work. Having only just opened 9 years ago it is a must for those who like trendy, quirky, new art pieces as well as its cool location sitting in the heart of the Kings road, Chelsea. A constant array of different exhibitions have been and gone through the years at the gallery making it a definite frequent art gallery to visit to ensure you never miss a piece of artwork."

"The Saatchi Gallery, the Museum of Contemporary Art for London, gets over 1.5 million visitors every year, drawn to the former army barracks on the King’s Road, to see its mix of blockbuster exhibitions, new artists, and controversy-stirring displays. It’s a massive museum and its emphasis is on making art accessible and inspiring to the public. Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Road, SW3 4RY Free entrysaatchigallery.com"

"The Saatchi Gallery is a London museum for contemporary art. The museum's displays have gone through different eras and artists, to include Young British Artists and American-based contemporary artists. Saatchi Gallery has a tendency to showcase unknown artists, and has often been seen as a launching pad for many careers."

"It’s easy to spend your days walking around South Kensington’s alleyways but you will have a lot of London’s iconic sites at your doorstep too. This includes the V&A, Natural History Museum, The Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park!. What’s more, all the other London landmarks are just a hop, skip, and jump away. This makes it our top choice for a short summer getaway in London"

"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."

"Now there are quite a few good places to get yummy ice cream in London, but I personally love to go super local. Enter Hackney Gelato. They produce their ice cream in Hackney, East London and it’s all handmade using Italian techniques."

"Milk Train shot to fame when it pioneered cloud cones in London - you know the ones, where the ice cream is haloed with candyfloss. Mike and Kylie started out selling shaved Japanese ice and progressed on to these Insta feed delights - they're the millennial pink unicorns of London's ice-cream scene. Oh, and what no-one tells you is they're impossible to eat without getting sticky up to your elbows."

"A post shared by 🌺 •P I N K A• 🌺 (@pinka___) on Jun 5, 2019 at 4:32am PDT. Milk Train has taken soft-serve ice cream to a new level with its quirky cafe in Covent Garden. The showstopper in the shop’s creative portfolio is the dreamy candyfloss cone, which combines two of your favourite childhood treats – ice cream surrounded by a cloud of candyfloss."

"If you’re looking for cool dessert places in London, this is a great option. Milk Train Cafe’s soft serve ice cream comes on its very own cloud of candy floss!. Pick your flavour then add your toppings before being presented with an enormous sugar fix."

"Sheer yakh (which roughly translates to mean “frozen milk” in English) is a traditional Afghan dessert that’s not dissimilar from Indian kulfi. One of the best places to get your fill of sheer yakh in London is at Afghan Sheeryakh. All of the sheer yakh at this Hanwell dessert parlour is organic and hand-made – a fact that the owner and staff both pride themselves on for good reason."