London is home to many museums that art students love to explore. You can discover these art galleries and museums for free and enrich yourself with knowledge about the stunning history of England. In this article, we have provided you with a detailed insight into the top 12 best museums in London that you must explore if you want to see the top cultural places of the UK.
It is not easy to decide which museum is the best in London. We have cherry-picked the places that relate to the different facets of everyday life. Whether you are an art enthusiast, a curious traveller, a history buff, or more, there is something for you in this article.
Whether you are teaming up with your friends are going there alone, the museums in London are considered great places to spend time and explore different aspects of art & history. Here are the top twelve best museums in London that you should go to enjoy your leisure to the fullest.
A List of 12 Best Museums in London
1. British Museum
Brief Introduction:
As you may already know, the British Museum is one of the first-ever national museums to be opened to the public, and given its unparalleled fantastic heritage, it is not surprising that it attracts a large number of international tourists and art lovers. The museum was first opened in 1759. You start exploring it, and you will come across popular artefacts ranging from Easter Island to the Rosetta Stone. It is one of the best museums in London, and it is home to world-famous sculptures, artworks, and treasures.
Why Visit This Museum?
The museum is free to the public, but they charge if you go there for temporary exhibitions. The main galleries are, however, free to visit. You can see almost 50,000 objects in the museum that are displayed to the public. However, the entire collection is 8 million strong. If you run out of time to write your academic papers when visiting this museum, know that you can always buy an assignment from professional writers in the UK.
2. The V&A
Brief Introduction:
The V&N Museum is an excellent hub of decorative design, art, textiles, and fashion. It has a collection of 2.3 million objects, including over 300,000 items displayed in the place. The museum is so big that you can spend many days walking around and exploring it. The best thing about this art museum, as seen from the perspective of an art student, is that it has a large collection of free exhibits for visitors.
Why Visit This Museum?
If you have been asked to craft detailed academic papers on any theme related to this museum, you can take theme tours to learn well about the place. You can check globally famous artefacts such as kimonos from the 17th century, portrait miniatures of the 19th century and more types of ancient furniture in this place. It is ideal to visit for art students and history lovers in the UK.
3. Natural History Museum
Brief Introduction:
The Natural History Museum is home to over 80 million animals, plants, rocks, fossils, and mineral specimens. It is one of the fabulous museums in London that provides tourists with detailed insight into the world of living organisms, whether living or dead. You will be able to see a diverse number of skeletons in the museum and access as many graphic images of the animals as you may desire.
Why Visit This Museum?
The Natural History Museum is free to visit by art and science lovers. However, for the temporary exhibits, they do charge the visitors and tourists. There, you can come face to face with the man and dinosaur skeletons, crystals, earthquake simulators, and much more. It is considered one of the world-famous research institutes.
4. National Gallery
Brief Introduction:
National Gallery is a first-class artistic institution which is the absolute favourite of art students in London. It is home to above 2 thousand works from world-famous artists, such as Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Picasso, Matisse, Turner, Cezanne, and Leonardo Da Vinci along with many others. It is a treat for art lovers to visit this art museum and feel the vibe related to the ancient artwork and the artists.
Why Visit This Museum?
The National Gallery is free to visit by the students and other tourists; however, the administration may have some charges for the temporary exhibits. It has a lot of world-famous and highly acclaimed art pieces from renowned old artists. Also, you may want to try your hand at sketching in the art galleries so this museum is a must-visit place.
5. National Portrait Gallery
Brief Introduction:
As evidenced by the name, the National Portrait Gallery is one of the top museums in London, and it has a huge collection of portraiture around the globe. It has almost everything from oil paintings to royal artworks, caricatures of political figures and the current photographs of different football stars. You can also see pictures related to different celebs, artists, musicians and many more. According to an estimate, the National Portrait Gallery is said to have a collection of 2,20,000 works which date from the 8th century to this date.
Why Visit This Museum?
The National Portrait Gallery is free to visit and has a brand-new wing after the renovation which attracts a lot of clients. You can enjoy your time there and also drink from the cocktail bar which serves amazing drinks to the people who visit the museum. It is actually one of the most famous art galleries in England, so we are sure that your visit will be worth it.
6. Design Museum
Brief Introduction:
The Design Museum is one of the best museums in London, and it is related to art and design, as you may predict from the name itself. The museum is devoted to the illustration of modern designs in all their forms. They often hold temporary exhibitions, bookable displays and different kinds of pop-ups. If you want to go there for some sort of relaxation while spending time with artwork, rest assured that you will surely enjoy your trip as an art student.
Why Visit This Museum?
For the permanent exhibits, the Design Museum is free to visit; however, they may charge some pounds if you want to go see the temporary exhibits. Also, it is adjacent to a garden where you can take a short walk for recreation and rest and then try out the nearby Italian restaurants for some food.
7. Horniman Museum
Brief Introduction:
Horniman Museum can be rightfully called an anthropological place, and it has extensive grounds to offer excellent views of London. It has an aquarium plus the Victorian conservatory as well. Also, you will be able to see a permanent gallery in the Horniman Museum, which is dedicated to the Brazilian, Afro-Caribbean, and African collections of art. You can also see a sum total of 1600 musical instruments in this museum in London.
Why Visit This Museum?
As an art student, you will find a number of activities there for the visitors, especially the weekend workshops and the nature trail. Also, it is considered a rite of passage for the families inhabiting the south side of London. The Horniman Museum is located in a beautiful setting and is free for everyone to visit.
8. Science Museum
Brief Introduction:
Well, you do not have to be a chemistry or biology nerd to visit the incredible Science Museum in London and have an incredibly good time there. Founded in 1857, it has seven floors and contains beautiful exhibits on different domains. You will be able to come across insane inventions and old shiny machines that were used throughout different time periods in history. It also includes an artificial arm from the 16th century and the cross-sectional part of a Jumbo Jet Boeing 747.
Why Visit This Museum?
If you want to discover the best ‘Information Era’ exhibition, you should visit the Science Museum. Also, you can play some vintage, retro video games at the Power Up arcade setting that is present there for the visitors. This museum is a must-visit place for anyone who is interested in the sciences the least bit – it has many interesting things for everyone.
9. Museum of the Home
Brief Introduction:
Located in a set of alms-houses belonging to the 18th century, the Museum of the Home offers clients a view of the physical history of English interior art. You can see a sequence of general middle-class rooms that reflect London from the 1600s. It is also one of the art museums in London that has been open for over a century. The museum is located in Hoxton, and everyone can visit it. They accept donations from visitors.
Why Choose This Museum?
If you want to roam around the walls of old Victorian parlours and drawing rooms and watch the era of old London homes, you should totally go and visit this museum. Museum of the Home provides visitors with a view of the domestic history of the land and has a plethora of intriguing details for the curious eyes. If you have to write an academic paper on the history of homes in England and need external assistance, you can buy assignment online from experienced writers.
10. Imperial War Museum
Brief Introduction:
Imperial War Museum is one of the free museums in London which reflects on the experiences of people from the 1st World War to the current era. It is just away from Waterloo for a walk of a few minutes and has a lot of permanent galleries, war exhibits, recent conflict depictions, the portrayal of terrorist attacks and so many temporary displays. If you are into reading the war history, this museum should be a go-to place for you.
Why Visit This Museum?
Imperial War Museum should be on your wish list as an art student because it provides extensive collections of battle exhibits. This museum provides detailed insight into the troubling and emotionally moving events of the Holocaust. However, it is not recommended for students under 14 years of age.
11. London Transport Museum
Brief Introduction:
You will be amazed by the wonders that are evident in the sight of vintage route buses, maps, tube trains, early uniforms and transport signs. In the London Transport Museum, you can see a beautiful and captivating array of posters, photographs, and artworks that show visitors the London of the 1860s. You will gradually move from the history of transport to the current-day locomotives in England. It is one of the famous museums in London, UK, which you should explore, particularly, if you have got an assignment to do on the history of transport.
Why Visit This Museum?
As an art student, you should totally go and visit this museum when you want to know in depth the history of London transport. Apart from being able to watch the world-class exhibited items, you can enjoy the opportunity to make multiple visits for a whole year on one ticket only. What can be better than that? Also, the museum is free to visit.
12. National Maritime Museum
Brief Introduction:
For all the students who are interested in learning more about the sailors and their legacy, the National Maritime Museum is no less than a treasure. It is more like an ode to different nautical objects and things. The museum is a part of the Royal Museums in Greenwich, and it is further known for featuring the Royal Observatory and the Cutty Sark ship. National Maritime Museum has a large storage of military and maritime elements.
Why Visit This Museum?
If you want to be wowed by almost 2.5 million historical items, such as the uniform of Admiral Nelson from the War of Trafalgar. As evident by the name, you will find items and pieces related to the history of maritime affairs. This museum is a must-visit for art students who are interested in reading sailing history and more. National Maritime Museum is also free to visit.
Conclusion:
All the 12 museums that we have mentioned in this article are located in the heart of London and are super popular among tourists. Art students looking for the best museums in London, England must visit these and enjoy their time in them. There is so much to learn about history and you can possibly contribute to your history lessons better if you pick the habit of exploring museums and art galleries on your own.
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