Best Museums in St Albans

"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%."

"The second most popular tourist attraction in the UK, Tate Modern, is a striking London structure. Originally a Power Station, Tate Modern opened in May 2000 as a home to international modern and contemporary art. Displays in Tate Modern cover themes such as Transformed Visions and Poetry and Dream, and give visitors the opportunity to see works of art such as Pablo Picasso's 'Weeping Woman,' 'Metamorphosis of Narcissus' by Salvador Dalí, and 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' by Dorothea Tanning."

"As entwined with the art world as paint, no list of London galleries would be complete without one incarnation of the Tate. Without a doubt the art giant of London, the Tate Modern is home to all things contemporary and unique and always worth a visit. “When my daughter Coco was born, we visited Tate Modern 11 times in her first 6 months!"

"It includes all the major attractions (e.g., Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and the National Gallery), but also includes several lesser known sites and encourages you to explore several of London’s diverse neighborhoods including Westminster, Greenwich, Kensington, and Camden. We suggest using this itinerary as a starting point for planning your 6 days in London, not as a definitive itinerary, and you can edit it to put together your own personal itinerary that reflects your own needs and interests."

"Ranking among the top art museums in the world, London's National Gallery represents an almost complete survey of European painting from 1260 until 1920. The museum's greatest strengths are in its collections of Dutch Masters and Italian Schools of the 15th and 16th centuries. Among its highlights are a cartoon (preliminary sketch) of the Madonna and Child by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo's The Entombment, Botticelli's Venus and Mars, van Gogh's Sunflowers, and The Water-Lily Pond by Monet."

"The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square is one of the most famous attractions in London. It houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dated from the mid-13th century to 1900. If you’re an art lover, it’s a must-visit."

"Home to over 11,000 portraits, this delightful art gallery focusses on famous British people through the ages and is located not too far from Trafalgar Square. A remarkable place to wander around, portraits, photos, sculptures and drawings of some of the country’s most influential and well-known figures gaze upon you as you make your way through the galleries. While its most famous portrait is undoubtedly the painting of William Shakespeare, more contemporary pieces do not look out of place alongside artworks that date back hundreds of years."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"While taking the kids to a museum housing toys they can’t touch may seem like a disaster, the V&A Museum of Childhood makes an extra effort to include interactive exhibits that will keep little hands busy. Adults can enjoy nostalgic displays of dolls’ houses and rag dolls dating back to the 1600s, while kids can try rocking horses and play with Lego. The museum also has free daily activities such as treasure hunts."

"The V&A Museum of Childhood, part of the Victoria & Albert Museum, is a London museum dedicated to housing collections by and for children. The museum's collection includes costumes, toys, and objects dedicated to celebrating childhood. In addition to its permanent collection, the V&A Museum of Childhood regularly hosts temporary exhibits."

"Children can handle real torture devices at the world’s most notorious medieval prison at this museum in Southwark, on the original site of The Clink Prison, which dates back to 1144. You’ll find out about a day in the life of a medieval prisoner and hear tales of some of the gruesome prisoners. If you’re feeling brave, it’s a great place to spot ghosts: the prison is reputed to be one of the UK’s most haunted locations and is renowned for its ghostly sightings…"

"A rather arresting spot amongst London museums, The Clink spent some 600 years as one of the city’s most feared prisons. Far from the charming spot it is today, Southwark used to be a lawless place; prostitutes, heretics, and drunkards all graced the cells of The Clink at one point or another."

"The Clink Prison Museum was a prison in England that started in the 12th century and operated through 1780. Today, it is the oldest surviving prison in the country. Notable prisoners of The Clink include Father John Gerard, Father John Jones, Farther George Blackwell, and Edward Knott."

"The Heath Robinson Museum is a biographical museum dedicated to the life and art of its namesake. The museum displays memorabilia, artwork, and objects from the life of Heath Robinson, as well as hosts exhibitions and events that support Robinson's life mission and vision. Admission to the museum is free."

"Longboys are all about gorgeous doughnuts, excellent coffee, and soft-serve ice cream delights, bringing their joy and passion for food to BOXPARK Wembley. Their doughnuts are made from a light brioche base and gourmet fillings that give them just enough sweetness and a complex flavour profile. These treats are next level decadent without the extra calories."

"Boasting an impressive selection of breads, rolls, pastries, cakes, and freshly made sandwiches, family-run Rinkoff Wholesale Bakery certainly knows its stuff. However, setting aside the traditional, its recent foray into the delicacy known as a ‘cronut,’ a cross between a croissant and a doughnut, has been met with enthusiasm. Titled the ‘crodough,’ Rinkoff’s take on this hybrid snack includes nine different flavours."

"Established in 1911, Rinkoff bakery is a family run business in the heart of Whitechapel. With over a hundred years of honing its baking skills, Rinkoff bakery is sure to sell you the perfect doughnut. Crodoughs, a gorgeous croissant-doughnut hybrid is Rinkoff’s most renowned menu item."

"Independently owned Hammerton Brewery run regular events from tastings and tours to brewery-based yoga sessions. Using the finest quality ingredients and modern brewing techniques, they are renowned for their unique sips."

"From stouts to the iconic Punk IPA, BrewDog is a church to all things hop-based. First founded in Scotland, it hasn't taken long for the craft beer temple to take over the world, with plenty of keg lines and guest ales on offer. Discover one of their London locations to see what all the fuss is about."

"Restaurants Italian Portobello Road. We guarantee your kids won’t feel embarrassed eating pizza with mum and dad at this ultra-hip, jam-packed eatery – there’s nothing like feeling part of the ‘in’ crowd, especially if you don’t have to be on your best behaviour. There are plenty of child-friendly flavours here, right down to the cinnamon doughnuts for afters."

"A post shared by Pizza East Portobello (@pizzaeastportobello). We'll always nod along happily to the prospect of eating pizza al fresco, but when those pizzas involve toppings like black truffle and veal meatball – as is the case at Pizza East Portobello – it turns to rabid excitement."

"Restaurants Chinese Bayswater. Bite-sized dim sum is brilliant for children, and Royal China’s distinctive black-and-gold restaurants are old hands at welcoming families – Chinese or otherwise. Challenge your offspring with chewy chicken’s feet, squid balls and glutinous rice or keep them sweet with delicious dumplings, char sui buns, crispy spring rolls and luscious custard tarts."

"The Royal China in Baker Street is the best Chinese restaurant in the country by a mile. Either that or it's the best Chinese restaurant in London by a country mile. Some might say that their branch in Queensway is the one to frequent, but then they would be sad losers with no taste or style."

"Restaurants Chinese Bayswater"

"‘Chay’ means ‘vegetarian’ in Vietnamese, but these guys actually give your street-food favourites a totally vegan twist – thanks to seitan, walnut and mushroom pâté, lemongrass soya, sriracha ‘mayo’, seaweed ‘crunch’ and other goodies. Here you’ll find plant-based versions of bánh mì, bibimbap, noodle salads, steamed bao buns (filled with kimchi, Korean fried tofu and even fake ‘char siu’) as well as excellent lunchtime bento boxes with a choice of bao and noodle salad. Don’t miss: Soya ‘chick’n’ noodle salad with vegan fish sauce (£7.50)"