Best Museums in Ruislip

"Another great one for name-dropping, but also for keeping your finger on the pulse. Tate Modern showcases work from 1900 onwards, which means modernist pioneers mix with work that’s happening right now. The addition of the Herzog de Meuron-designed building has made it both bigger and better, but the grand old Turbine Hall still has the power to strike awe into visitors, particularly when hosting one of its signature epic installations."

"Housed in the former Bankside Power Station, the vast collection includes works by Picasso, Warhol, Dalí, and Matisse. For a decidedly British take on modern art (1500 AD to the present day, that is), Tate Britain will be your cup of tea. Located up the Thames from Tate Modern (there’s a boat that ferries passengers between the two galleries every 40 minutes), Tate Britain is where you’ll find pieces by Turner, Hirst, and Bacon."

"Ever since the Tate Modern opened in 2000, it has quickly risen to be one of the famous places in London to visit. This art gallery generates an estimated 100 million euros annually. The Tate Modern was previously the Bankside Power Station, but it was converted into an art gallery in 1994 by Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron."

"Home to more than 2,000 paintings from the Middle Ages through to the 20th Century, the National Gallery is another museum that’s free to enter. The gallery is open daily between 11am and 6pm, and booking is required in order to limit numbers in the building. Booking can only be done online and in advance."

"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."

"The National Gallery is one of the most famous art museums in the world. Constructed in 1937, it attracts more than 4 million tourists yearly. Unlike many other museums, this one is free to enter, so you don't have to worry about paying an admission fee."

"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."

"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."

"National Portrait Gallery / Self-Portrait As A Soldier By Ludwig Kirchner. Before there were selfies, you basically had to hire someone to paint you in order for your face to be immortalised for all to see. Next door to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, the National Portrait Gallery houses a collection of portraits of historically famous British people."

"This excellent branch of the Victoria & Albert Museum displays one of the best collections of childhood-related objects in the world. Kids are fascinated by the immense number of dolls, dolls’ houses through the ages, vintage board games, construction toys (Lego, Meccano), battery-powered robots and favourite toys from the 20th century, decade by decade. Action figures, teddy bears, puppets, magic lanterns and MicroMachines are among the highlights here."

"Located in a beautiful redbrick building in Bethnal Green, this museum is the largest of its kind in the world. It’s not just for kids, though – it provides a delightful, nostalgic trip back to more innocent times, with a fascinating collection of toys and games from yesteryear. The current temporary exhibition is dedicated to board games and it’s an absolute treat."

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

"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."

"The Roman Theatre of Verulamium is an ancient excavated theatre built around 140 AD. It’s unique in that it’s not an amphitheatre, as was commonly built during Roman times. But rather, it resembles a design similar to a modern theatre, with a raised stage."

"170 million items and 330 miles of shelf space make this not only one of the best museums in London, but also one of the biggest. It also hosts regular, curated exhibitions based around its rare collections; including displays of the original manuscripts of Charles Dickens, Virginia Wolf, Jack Kerouac, Lewis Carroll and varying instalments of maps, sacred texts, newspaper and sound archives. Details: 96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB | Free entry, exhibitions from £14 | Find out more and book–"

"I love the striking red brick buildings of the British Library, home to the largest national library in the world. The British Library has so many books that no-one knows the exact number. The best guesses put it at between 150 and 200 million in the collections."

"Housed in the old Hampstead Central Library on Finchley Road, Camden Arts Centre began life as a local initiative, providing art classes for the community. Now, it is a powerhouse of contemporary art showing ambitious exhibitions by well-known British and international artists such as Kara Walker, Rose English, Ben Rivers and Jennifer Tee. The bookshop stocks a range of artist’s editions, and the garden is the perfect spot for a sunny afternoon."

"In 1965 a former library was converted into a gallery to promote contemporary art. The exhibitions feature emerging artists, international artists debuting in London, significant historic figures who have inspired contemporary practice, and group shows relevant to current debate. Arkwright Road, NW3 6DG Free entrycamdenartscentre.org"

"This sun-dappled Walthamstow cafe has always been a hit, but it’s gone up another gear with the arrival of former 40 Maltby Street chef Alex Vines, bringing in an elegant menu for the weekends. Slabs of chicken liver parfait bely a silken texture; skate flops lazily over asparagus; mussels take up a little tartlet with saffron and fennel. View this post on Instagram"

"Things have changed a lot since the eponymous Bill Collison opened his homespun grocer-cafe in Lewes, in 2001. Now, his baby is a nine-strong chain, which seeks to retain some of the original's allotment chic, while giving you the hard sell. Barely have you sat down (on a seat cushion fashioned from an old potato sack), than your waitress is pressing a menu into your hand, from which you can tick-purchase the cordials, oils and tinned olives stacked on the nearby shelves."

"Bill's Restaurant and Bar first opened in Lewes, East Sussex in 2001. Prior to that, Bill Collison ran a greengrocery store on the existing Lewes site for over 20 years, and he lives..."

"Secluded in one of the labyrinthine side streets behind Goodge Street tube station, this chic, cosy vegetarian café has tempting displays of colourful salads, hot dishes, cakes and pastries by the entrance; and a miniscule seating area at the back. Originally set up by a father and son duo, the venue shut down for a few months last year, and has recently reopened with a new owner. It’s notable for currently being the only vegetarian venue in London to showcase cooking with broadly Ottolenghi-esque Middle Eastern influences."

"Nice buns just don’t cut it for these guys; the carbs they’re cooking up are nothing short of fantastic. Each fluffy, steamed pocket holds a stack of ingredients that’s more enticing than a bacon sandwich on a hangover. Choose from charming little flavour grenades such as slow-roast pork belly, panko-crusted cod, Japanese-style chicken, the not-to-be-overlooked portobello mushrooms with toasted walnuts and miso glaze or aromatic tofu with black-bean mayo."