Exploring London’s Smaller Museums
London is famous for its grand museums, with the British Museum often taking center stage. But there’s so much more to explore beyond its walls.
If you’re looking to dive into the local culture and uncover some hidden gems, let’s explore some of London’s smaller, unique museums that offer fascinating exhibits you won’t find anywhere else.
Why Explore Smaller Museums?
Visiting smaller museums can be a special experience. These venues often provide a more personal and intimate setting, letting you connect with the exhibits on a deeper level. Plus, they offer unique and specialised collections that you simply won’t find in larger museums.
By exploring these hidden gems, you’re also supporting local and niche cultural institutions, which is always a good thing.
The Sir John Soane’s Museum
Location: Lincoln’s Inn Fields
If you’re a fan of architecture or just love quirky collections, the Sir John Soane’s Museum is a must-visit.
This museum was once the home of neo-classical architect Sir John Soane and houses an extensive art collection, architectural models, and various curiosities. The museum contains his collections and personal effects, acquired between the 1780s and his death in 1837.
One of the highlights is the Picture Room with its layers of paintings, including Hogarth’s series “A Rake’s Progress”. The picture room was designed as a solution to the problem of too many paintings and not enough walls to hang them on.
The Sir John Soane’s Museum provides a fascinating glimpse into the life and mind of one of Britain’s greatest architects.
You can learn more at the Sir John Soane’s Museum website.
There is a separate section of the website with information specifically about the museum’s various collections.
The Museum of London Docklands
Location: West India Quay, Canary Wharf
Step back in time and explore the history of London’s River Thames and Docklands at this fantastic museum.
Museum of London Docklands offers a comprehensive look at the area’s evolution.
Highlights include Sailortown, a recreated 19th-century district close to the docks around Wapping, Shadwell and Ratcliffe, that immerses you in the sights and sounds of the past.
There are exhibitions taking you from the days of the sugar trade and slavery to the dockland experiences in world war two London (the docks were the first target in the London Blitz).
The museum brings us right up to date with the closure of the docks from the 1960s through the regeneration of the area to the way we see it today.
Further details can be found on the Museum of London Docklands website.
The Cartoon Museum
Location: Wells Street, Fitzrovia
For a lighter, more whimsical museum experience, head over to the Cartoon Museum. It’s located in Wells Street, not far from Oxford Street, so you could fit a visit in around a shopping trip.
Dedicated to British cartoon and comic art, this museum features everything from 18th-century political satire to modern-day comic strips. They also run workshops to help young people explore their creativity.
The cartoon museum is a place where you can laugh and learn, with regularly changing exhibits and cartooning workshops that make it a hit for all ages. They say they want to create a world where everyone wants to pick up a pencil and draw something!
Learn more at the Cartoon Museum Website.
The Design Museum
Location: Kensington High Street
If contemporary design piques your interest, the Design Museum should be on your list.
The Design Museum will let you explore the present and future of design through its variety of exhibitions and displays on topics from architecture and fashion to graphics, product and industrial design.
The Designer Maker User permanent collection provides a fascinating look at the design process, featuring almost 1000 items of twentieth and twenty-first century design viewed from the points of view of the designer, manufacturer and user.
The Design Museum is located just off Kensington High Street. The nearest tube station is High Street Kensington.
Learn more at the Design Museum website.
The Wellcome Collection
Location: Euston Road
At the intersection of medicine, life, and art, you’ll find the Wellcome Collection. It’s a free museum exploring health and human experience, with a focus on the historical development of medicine worldwide
Their website lists collections, live programming, digital, broadcast and publishing. They aim to create opportunities for people to think deeply about the connections between science, medicine, life and art.
This museum houses Henry Wellcome’s vast collection of medical artifacts, contemporary artworks, and fascinating installations.
Don’t miss the Medicine Man gallery and the Reading Room, where you can dive deep into the beautiful, and sometimes bizarre, world of medical history.
There is also a bookshop and a cafe if you want to take a little break.
The nearest tube station is Euston Square, with Euston station across the road, not much further away.
The Wellcome Collection is just around the corner from the Grant Museum of Zoology (see below), so you might want to have a look in there too.
Learn more at the Wellcome Collection website.
The Grant Museum of Zoology
Location: University Street, University College London (UCL)
The Grant Museum of Zoology is a treasure trove of natural history, featuring around 68,000 specimens.
Robert Grant was the first Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy in England. During his time at UCL he started collecting specimens, dissection materials and lecture notes, which was the basis for the Museum’s current extensive collection.
Among the highlights are dodo bones, a quagga skeleton (the world’s rarest skeleton), a unique display of microscopic creatures, and models of extinct species.
It’s an incredible place to learn about the diversity of life on Earth and marvel at the wonders of nature.
The museum is on the corner of Gower Street and University Street, on the UCL campus.
The nearest tube station is Euston Square, with Warren Street and Goodge Street stations not far away.
Learn more at the Grant Museum of Zoology website.
The Hunterian Museum
Location: Royal College of Surgeons, Lincoln’s Inn Fields
For something a bit more unusual, visit the Hunterian Museum.
This museum focuses on the history of surgery and anatomical specimens collected by the 18th-century surgeon and anatomist John Hunter.
Highlights include rare anatomical preparations and historical surgical tools. Some of it is a bit macabre, but it’s all totally fascinating.
The Hunterian Museum is just on the other side of Lincoln’s Inn Fields from Sir John Soane’s Museum (please see earlier on this page), so you might like to visit both while you are in the area. Entry to both museums is currently free of charge (payment may be required for specific exhibitions).
The nearest tube station is Holborn.
You can learn more on the Hunterian Museum website.
Tips for Visiting Smaller Museums
- Check Opening Hours: Many smaller museums have limited opening hours or may require advance booking.
- Guided Tours: Consider taking a guided tour for a more in-depth experience.
- Engage with Staff: Museum staff and volunteers often have fascinating stories and insights to share.
- Special Events: Keep an eye out for special events, workshops, and temporary exhibitions.
Exploring London’s smaller museums offers a unique way to experience the city’s rich culture and history. They can provide a more intimate and personal experience, with specialised collections that you won’t find anywhere else.
So, next time you’re in London, step off the beaten path and discover these fantastic museums.
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Have you visited any of these museums? Share your experiences and recommendations in the comments below!
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