The UK is home to some of the finest museums and galleries in the world, but with so many to choose from, some of them tend to get forgotten. Here’s our guide to some of the best off-radar galleries in the UK.
Sitting in an unassuming spot directly next door to Aldgate East Tube station, this beautiful gallery is well-loved by London’s arts crowd and has been playing host to the best in contemporary art since 1901. Its white walls have held works by Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Mark Rothko and David Hockney. Admission is free and you can check their website for the latest exhibitions. The gallery also holds plenty of events and activities for all ages, including artist-led workshops and week-long collaborative projects for teenagers during school holidays. Our Travelodge at Tower Bridge is an easy walk away.
Fans of crafts and unusual items will fall in love with this little gem just outside Brighton’s city centre. It’s an eccentric mix of toys, cinema and local history. Children will be amazed by the Wizard’s Attic toy collection with a wide display of toys from modern day and Victorian times. There’s also a brightly painted tearoom for parents in need of a light lunch or quick snack.
Step back in time to the 19th century with a visit to this beautiful Buckinghamshire manor house and gardens built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild more than a century ago. The Rothschilds were one of the richest and most influential families in Europe at that time, and the extravagant beauty shines through in the glorious architecture, art collections and furniture of this stunning house. The gardens include a working aviary (home for birds) and a woodland playground for families. There’s also a shop full of vintage toys and handmade fudge(!). Stay at our Travelodge Aylesbury for a comfortable room close by.
Visit Liverpool’s historical museum to find out more about the lives and struggles of enslaved people. The museum sits in the Liverpool docks and its main focus is on the millions involved in the transatlantic slave trade. It also examines the ongoing fight for freedom and equality, and the contemporary impact of slavery. This is a must-visit for older children interested in British, West Indian and African history.
Sitting in an unlikely location in the middle of a group of residential flats in Rotherhithe, East London, this museum celebrates the site where the world’s first underwater tunnel was built. The tunnel, known as the Thames Tunnel, became the inspiration and starting point for today’s Tube network. The museum hosts artworks and artefacts that tell the story of the tunnel and the inspiration behind it. Creator Marc Brunel was first inspired to start creating the tunnel after watching a woodworm at work.
