Best Museums in Putney Heath

"This contemporary art museum is very welcoming to kids, from the family visitor hosts during holidays and at weekends, as well as family maps, regular activities and events (although some are more suitable for older kids) and the Start Display focused on some of the most famous works, helping to get younger visitors thinking about art. There are also suggested games, along with activity packs, and you’re reminded it’s OK to make some noise!. Entry is free – adults have to pay for special exhibitions, but under-12s can enter free for those as well."

"One of London's most amazing attractions, this outstanding modern- and contemporary-art gallery is housed in the creatively revamped Bankside Power Station south of the Millennium Bridge. A spellbinding synthesis of modern art and capacious industrial brick design, Tate Modern has been extraordinarily successful in bringing challenging work to the masses, both through its free permanent collection and fee-paying big-name temporary exhibitions. The stunning Blavatnik Building opened in 2016, increasing the available exhibition space by 60%."

"Located in what was once Bankside Power Station on the south bank of the Thames, Tate Modern is one of the city's most loved attractions. You can enjoy the permanent collection, which includes works by Pollock, Warhol, Matisse and Picasso, for free. The 10th-floor viewing deck of the Blavatnik Building offers wonderful panoramic views over the Thames and beyond, and the building itself is amazing."

"1824: The première of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9; the Egyptians capture Crete; ‘New Holland’ becomes ‘Australia’; some government guys in Britain bought 38 paintings. Now: Beethoven’s no longer in the charts, Australia still has an identity crisis, and The National Gallery has over 2,300 works tracing the complete development of Western European painting from virtually every European school of art."

"If you only make time to visit a few museums during your London trip, The National Gallery should be at the top of your list. The gallery sits proudly overlooking Trafalgar Square and features an impressive collection with more than 2,300 pieces from the mid 1200s to 1900. It’s certainly one of the best free art museums in London, and a must see."

"The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square, Central London that houses paintings from the 13th to 20th century. The building was designed by William Wilkins between 1832 and 1838. In 1991 Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown designed the Sainsbury Wing, an extension to the west."

"Untitled One Hundred Spaces 1995, Resin Various dimensions ©Pinault Collection Rachel Whiteread, Photo ©Tate. Between 1897 and 1932 Tate Britain was known as the National Gallery of British Art and from 1932 to 2000 as the Tate Gallery. The art gallery is located on Millbank in the City of Westminster in London."

"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."

"PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The museum is open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Make sure to book a time-slot for your visit on the museum’s website. Admission to the general exhibit is free."

"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."

"The National Portrait Gallery presents a who’s who of British history. Located just behind the National Gallery, it houses a remarkable collection of paintings, sculptures, photographs, miniatures and works on paper, and takes visitors on a unique journey through British history featuring Tudor kings and queens all the way up to contemporary artists and actors. Some of the masters of portraiture on display include Hans Holbein, Sir Joshua Reynolds and Paula Rego."

"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."

"This museum is every child’s dream whether they’re into dolls’ houses, Star Wars figures, Lego or electric train sets. Here in Bethnal Green, you’ll find one of the world’s best collections of toys both old and new so you’ll see everything from robots and rocking horses to computer games, puppet theatres and chemistry sets. There are hundreds of toys on display but also plenty of toys to play with and things to do."

"Technically a part of the V&A, the Museum of Childhood has gained an excellent reputation as one of the best free things to do in London. With a collection of toys spanning centuries, the museum is the perfect day out for kids, while adults will also surely find something to wake their nostalgia. Museum of Childhood © Flickr Andrea Vail"

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"Restaurants Ice-cream parlours Camden Town. A Filipino take on an ice-cream parlour, Mamasons peddle the kind of ‘dirty’ stuff you’ll find on the streets of Manila. The signature flavour is ‘ube’ (made with a native purple yam), but also brace yourself for salty cheese-based ‘queso’, vegan-friendly kalamansi or goth-tastic ‘black buko’ (coconut combined with activated charcoal made from the coconut shell)."

"Inspired by the ice cream sold on the streets of Manila, Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream specialise in Filipino ice cream, halo halo shaved ice, and bilog. The blog – a fetching toasted pandesal ice cream sandwich that’s guaranteed to hit triple digit likes on your Instagram – is one of the best hot-meets-cold desserts you can get in the city and sells out unsurprisingly fast. As for the ice cream itself?"

"You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by MAMASONS DIRTY ICE CREAM (@mamasonsdirtyicecream)"

"Cuisine: IndianHalal Options: Chicken, Lamb, Beef and Kid Goat are HalalAddress: 8 Mount St, Mayfair, London, W1K 3NF Website: https://www.jamavarrestaurants.com//Nearest Tube Stop: Bond Street/Green Park"

"Restaurants Indian Mayfair"

"Indian , Curry"

"With its enviable location in the heart of London, situated on the borders of Knightsbridge and Belgravia and with panoramic views of Hyde Park, The Lanesborough has long been considered one of the world’s most luxurious hotels. Its elegant décor, exquisite cuisine, unsurpassed attention to detail and world-renowned service are second to none. The hotel’s restaurant, Céleste, is renowned for being among the best in the city and boasts a Michelin star."

"Awarded the No. 1 Hotel in London by the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards, the Lanesborough is part of the Oetker Collection. Found in the centre of Knightsbridge the hotel is comprised of 93 suites and bedrooms, an opulent spa, dynamic bars, a ‘Withdrawing’ room and its Michelin-starred restaurant, Céleste. Here you receive dedicated butler service 24/7 – no matter what grade of the room you choose."

"Minimalists, modernists, fanciers of all things sleek, shiny, geometrical and monochrome – this is not the place for you. The Lanesborough was always an unrepentant riot of Regency splendor. In 2015 it reopened more unrepentant, riotous and Regency-splendid than ever."