Best Museums in Wandsworth Common

"4,700,000 visitors went to Tate Modern in 2015, an enormous gallery on the edge of the River Thames in a converted power station. The awe-inspiring Turbine Hall (which has hosted works by Anish Kapoor, Rachel Whiteread and Ai Weiwei) leads to mutiple floor of contemporary art, with eight areas divided into different themes. As well as the art, there are events and screenings, a fantastic bookshop, and a restaurant and cafe, the latter with a fabulous balcony view over the city."

"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."

"Day 1: Arrive in London, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, the London EyeDay 2: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, Covent GardenDay 3: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sky GardenDay 4: National Gallery, Greenwich, Prime Meridian, Up at the O2Day 5: British Museum, Portobello Road Market, Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrod’s"

"Nearly 6 million people visited the National Gallery in 2015 – and small wonder. Right in the heart of London, overlooking Trafalgar Square, room upon room contain masterworks by the likes of Cézanne, Monet, Gainsborough, Rubens, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Constable. It’s a quite extraordinary collection, and there’s so much to see, you might want to follow this guide to 30 must see paintings to guide you through."

"Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Turner, Renoir and Van Gogh—a roll call of Western European masters await you at London’s National Gallery. Boasting more than 2,000 paintings from the 13th to the 19th century, the overwhelming collection is yours to discover free of charge. And if you’re hungry for more art, stop by the National Portrait Gallery next door."

"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 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!"

"Sister gallery to the Tate Modern is the Tate Britain, a bastion of British art. Sporting old-world marble floors, spiral staircases, and Grecian columns, the Tate Britain is a veritable temple of British art from 1500 to today. Get swept away by the world’s largest collection of stormy and atmospheric Turner oil paintings and a considerable assemblage of the most ethereal and romantic Pre-Raphaelite portraits of mythical and literary characters."

"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!"

"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."

"The gallery houses pictures of the major (and not-so major) figures of the nation’s history from King Henry VIII to David Beckham. It makes a great introduction to British history for both kids and adults. Kid-friendly audio tours are available."

"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."

":  A fun blast from the past, this museum will take you back to your childhood with it’s collection of children’s toys, clothes and games. Be warned though, don’t fall into the trap that many others have and assume it on the same site as the original V&A, otherwise you will have a very long trip across London!. The Museum of Childhood is one of the most popular on our list, receiving almost 500,000 visitors a year."

"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."

"The British Library is the largest national library in the world, with an estimated 200+ million items in its collection. As well as its many books, the library holds historic manuscripts, maps, stamps, photographs and even music from every age of written civilisation. Visit the ‘Treasures of the British Library Gallery‘ to see some of its most significant items, including the Magna Carta, original writings from both Charles Dickens and Shakespeare, Michelangelo’s anatomical illustrations, one of the earliest Qur’ans and a copy of the world’s oldest dated complete printed book, the Diamond Sutra."

"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–"

"In case you didn’t know, the British Library is MASSIVE – in fact, it’s the second largest library in the world. If you’re a book lover, this is the perfect place for you to take some photos. However, photos of books can be taken anywhere (i.e., in some of London’s beautiful bookshops)."

"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."

"The 2,020-hectare Windsor Great Park was enclosed in the 13th century, having previously been part of a large Norman hunting forest. It includes a Deer Park, woods, formal avenues, gardens and wild grasslands. The park is open to the public and welcomes millions of visitors every year who come to enjoy the open space."

"Only 10 minutes drive from Windsor, discover the award-winning Savill Building with the largest gridshell roof structure in the UK. This unique building is the magnificent entrance to the The Savill Garden, offering excellent gift shopping, plant sales and beautiful terraced restaurant."

"Some of the most amazing desserts in London can be found in the most unassuming bakeries in Chinatown. So, take a stroll through Chinatown (located north of Leicester Square) and search out some of the famous Chinese bakeries serving up incredible bread and cakes and pastries. You won’t be disappointed!"

"I absolutely love eating, drinking and shopping in Chinatown – and the photography is totally awesome too. Chinatown is one of London’s most bustling and dynamic areas. Of particular interest are the statues and decorations, including fierce stone lions and beautiful red lanterns."

"Choose from dozens of Chinese restaurants in London's Chinatown for an affordable lunch option. Try the Golden Dragon for cheap dim sum starting at £3 to £4 per dish, or Old Tree Daiwan Bee for Taiwanese street food such as Taiwanese braised pork rice for £3.50."

"St Botolph was a Saxon saint who built a large monastery near to modern-day Boston (a corruption of Botolph’s town) in Lincolnshire in 654. He was the English patron saint of travellers and has three surviving churches in the City dedicated to him. They are all situated next to old city gates, presumably so that those about to set off could dedicate so"

"Stefan Kalmár, the Director of the ICA London states: The Institute of Contemporary Arts in London has been the model for most ICAs that exist in the world today. Since its founding in 1946, the ICA contextualises contemporary culture within the socio-political conditions of the times. The ICA was created as an institute (not a museum), for the contemporary (not just modern) and for all the arts (not just art)."

"The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an art gallery near London's Trafalgar Square. In addition to exhibits on contemporary art, the ICA includes two cinemas, a bookshop, a theatre, and a bar. Established in 1947, ICA creators wanted to create a place for artists and other creative and science folk to debate ideas without being constricted by the rules and traditions of the Royal Academy."

"Because it’s filled with everything you know about, but probably don’t really know about. Like exhibitions on space exploration with the Apollo 10 command module; a flight simulator; a three-metre-high, 600kg Spacelab 2 X-ray telescope; an immersive VR descent from space with astronaut Tim Peake; and displays on developments in contemporary psychological science, medicine, climate and 3D printing. And an IMAX theatre."

"There’s something here for absolutely everyone with seven floors of exhibits, including the Apollo 10 command module and a flight simulator. The in-house cinema shows scientific films in 3D, where visitors can explore the depths of the ocean and never-ending outer space."