{"id":34735,"date":"2022-07-29T12:42:54","date_gmt":"2022-07-29T12:42:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/?p=34735"},"modified":"2025-02-26T17:05:23","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T16:05:23","slug":"guide-londons-museums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/things-to-do\/guide-londons-museums\/","title":{"rendered":"Your guide to London’s museums"},"content":{"rendered":"

London is famous for its culture in the arts and sciences \ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f<\/h2>\n

As well as being a focal point of British war history, the capital is packed with countless exciting museums. So to make things easier for you, we’ve created a guide to the best London museums packed with fascinating history and hidden stories.<\/h4>\n

So what are you waiting for? Step into a world of knowledge and intrigue!<\/h4>\n
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Natural History Museum<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"NaturalEntry: FREE, pre-booking advised
\nOpening times: 10am – 5:50pm daily<\/h5>\n

This free museum is arguably one of the most famous in Britain. With sections dedicated to creatures from all over the world, there are plenty of exhibits and facts to keep the little ones entertained. Including their iconic Blue Whale skeleton inside the museum entrance and the animatronic dinosaur recreation exhibit, this museum should definitely be on your bucket list!<\/h4>\n

Uncover stories about the Natural History Museum\u2019s variety of collections, scientists and researchers. Educate yourself on the mystery and origin of life on Earth, from the smallest insects to the largest mammals.<\/h4>\n

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Victoria and Albert Museum<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Entry: FREE, no pre-booking needed
\nOpening times: 10am – 5:45pm daily excluding Fridays, 10am – 10pm<\/h5>\n

Step inside the world\u2019s leading museum of art, design and performance. Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has a permanent collection of over 4 million items that spans 5000 years and every continent. It holds items such as costumes, ceramics, prints, photographs and drawings. It also houses the world\u2019s largest collection of post-classical sculptures.<\/h4>\n

Plus, be sure to check out Victoria and Albert Museum\u2019s ever-evolving exhibitions, from Digital Art Season to exhibits of the biggest icons in fashion, that take a deep dive into rich cultural pieces.<\/h4>\n

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Imperial War Museum<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Entry: FREE, pre-booking advised
\nOpening times: 10am – 6pm daily<\/h5>\n

The Imperial War Museum is the world\u2019s leading museum of war, and the London site is just one of three. Founded whilst the First World War was at its peak, it gives voice to the extraordinary experiences of ordinary people who fought for their country over 100 years ago. With five different exhibition displays, including poppies, an art gallery and the artefact gallery, this museum will enrich and entertain the kids at the same time.<\/h4>\n

Make sure to fill up at lunch in their cafe and end the day with a souvenir from the trusty gift shop.<\/h4>\n

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The Science Museum<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Science<\/h5>\n
Entry: FREE, pre-booking required
\nOpening times: 10am – 6pm daily<\/h5>\n

The London Science Museum tells stories of extraordinary human achievements and advancements throughout history and offers a variety of interactive immersive galleries to explore. The museum holds a real treasure trove of items including a working version of the first computer \u2013 Charles Babbage\u2019s Difference Engine. It is also renowned for its historic collections, awe-inspiring galleries and inspirational exhibitions. Why not visit their Wonderlab, an immersive exhibit that is sure to reawaken your curiosity as you discover the incredible ways science and maths shape our world.<\/h4>\n

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The British Museum<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Entry: FREE, pre-booking required
\nOpening times: 10am – 5pm daily excluding Fridays, 10am – 8:30pm<\/h5>\n

Founded in 1753, the British Museum is the world\u2019s oldest national public museum holding a permanent collection of over eight million works, so it\u2019s no suprise why so many people visit every year. Not only does it boast historical pieces from every country and culture around the world, but many sections have been revamped with a heavy emphasis on interactivity.<\/h4>\n

So there\u2019ll be no sighs of boredom as you learn about the greats of African sculptures or out-of-this-world Aztec jewellery. There\u2019s also an ever-changing programme of events and exhibitions so you\u2019ll want to come back again and again.<\/h4>\n

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Churchill War Rooms<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Entry: from \u00a332.00 for adults and \u00a316.00 for kids, pre-booking required
\nOpening times: 9:30am – 6pm daily<\/h5>\n

This top-secret passageway running below Westminster was used in Britain\u2019s war plan to house war personnel safely away from the London bombings. The labyrinth of rooms and tunnels make up what we know today as the Cabinet War rooms and Churchill Museum. Famous for showcasing replica artefacts that would\u2019ve been used by Winston Churchill himself, this IWS museum is an enlightening visual experience for the little ones.<\/h4>\n

Take an hour or so to traverse the site and experience how it would have been to live in these conditions back then.<\/h4>\n

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Cutty Sark<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Entry: \u00a316 for adults, \u00a38 for children
\nOpening times: 10am – 5pm daily excluding Wednesdays, 10am – 3:30pm<\/h5>\n

Once the fastest-moving ship of its time, the famous Cutty Sark is now home to an interactive exhibit all about the adventures of the crew. After being built in 1869, the clipper visited nearly every major port in the world and gained fame for its record-breaking passages. Take a tour around the exhibitions inside detailing the ship\u2019s journeys and the world\u2019s largest Merchant Navy figurehead collection.<\/h4>\n

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National Maritime Museum<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Entry: FREE, pre-booking required
\nOpening times: 10am – 5pm daily excluding Wednesdays, 10am – 3:30pm<\/h5>\n

The National Maritime Museum is situated in the impressive buildings of the former Royal Naval School, part of Maritime Greenwich which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The Museum comprises of three sites: the Maritime Galleries, the Royal Observatory and the Queen\u2019s House. Together these constitute one museum working to illustrate to everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people.<\/h4>\n

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Royal Air Force Museum<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Entry: FREE, pre-booking advised
\nOpening times: 10am – 5pm daily<\/h5>\n

Prepare for take-off at this exclusive RAF museum located in North London! Trace the history of aviation and the famous RAF fighter jets through the museum, with a variety of exhibitions. From interactive games and information tasks to genuine aircraft that were used in battle, you’ll be sure to learn something new after visiting this extraordinary museum.<\/h4>\n

As well as their inside exhibitions, they also have an airfield for guests to enjoy after a walk around the museum, including a playground, picnic areas and beanbags to relax on.<\/h4>\n

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Search deals<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"London is famous for its culture in the arts and sciences \ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f As well as being a focal point of British war history, the capital is packed with countless exciting museums. So to make things easier for you, we’ve created a guide to the best London museums packed with fascinating history and hidden stories. So […]","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":34736,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1185,1211,1361],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kids-attractions","category-london","category-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34735","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34735"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34735\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34736"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelodge.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}