London - Inner Museums
• A WorldWeb.com Travel Guide to Museums in London - Inner, England.
A fascinating look at early medical operations, amputations and non-septic surgery was carried out here for the benefit of not only the patients, but the medical students watching on from the stalls surrounding the table. The museum has some stomach-churning artefacts that were used in the procedures.
The London Dungeon depicts many atrocities and infamous events from European history, with more than 40 exhibits from the Great Fire to Jack the Ripper, and the largest maze of mirrors in the world. The live action experiences and terrifying boat ride are not for the faint-hearted.
Visit the full-scale replica of The Golden Hinde, the 16th-century Galleon ship sailed around the world by Sir Francis Drake from 1577 and 1580. Located on the south bank of the Thames, the museum is open to the public seven days a week and can be hired for private events.
According to the popular stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson lived at 221b Baker Street from 1881 to 1904. Today, this house, built in 1815, is a museum dedicated to Sherlock Holmes and the interior has been left exactly as described in his stories.
The Transport Museum allows visitors to experience London’s transportation past while exploring hands on exhibits including preserved trolley cars and carriages. There is also an interactive simulation that allows visitors to drive a virtual Tube train. An onsite gift shop sells a wide variety of transport related merchandise from reproductions of old train posters to Tube-line boxer shorts.
The Florence Nightingale Museum celebrates the life and accomplishments of "The Lady of the Lamp". Nightingale, a pioneer of modern nursing, is known for aiding British soldiers during the Crimean War and for founding the Nightingale Training School for nurses at St. Thomas' Hospital. The museum is located at the hospital and features a variety of objects, relics and souvenirs of Nightingale's life.
The Science Museum is a huge exhibition of notable, and some not so notable, advances in science, medicine and technology from Britain and around the world. Naturally there are a great many interactive displays and IMAX films - the museum's website has online exhibitions.
Waterloo Barracks was completed in 1845, on the site of the Grand Storehouse (a shop and museum) which burnt down in 1841. Waterloo is best known as the home of the Crown Jewels, but also houses administration offices.
There has been an armoury within the Tower since the White Tower was completed, amd today the Royal Armouries contains an extensive collection of weapons and intstuments of interrogation (and torture) from throughout England's long and violent history. The armoury was opened to the public in 1660.
The National Army Museum has exhibitions relating to human conflict and Britain's role in various wars through history. Notable displays include a large piece of the Berlin Wall, the skeleton of Napoleon's horse and Florence Nightingale's jewellery.
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum is London's third most popular attraction. It dates back two and a half centuries, when Madame Tussaud used to make wax models of the heads of people killed during the French Revolution. Several stars and famous figures are now a part of the museum. Package tickets can be bought including admission to the London Planetarium.
The embodiment of the British Bulldog spirit that helped keep the Nazis at bay during the Second World War, Churchill was a charismatic and sometimes controversial leader. The museum within the Cabinet War Rooms records his life and achievements, the preserved War Rooms themselves provide an interesting look at how the fight against the Nazis was planned.
The Museum of London is the only museum to tell the story of London from pre-historic times to the present day. Find out what Romans ate for dinner, experience the Great Fire of London, go window-shopping in the Victorian walkway and be amazed by the magnificent Lord Mayor’s coach.
A collection of archives, photographs and displays that illustrate the creation of the British Red Cross in 1863 and its work in troubled areas up to the present day.
A huge collection of some 80,000 objects recovered from various archaelogical digs in Egypt and Sudan, the Petrie Museum has examples of tools, utensils, ceramics and even written texts from as far back as 5000 BC. There are also important pieces of Roman and Islamic history on display.
Featuring a collection of art, antiquities and more. In total, the items in the museum date back over two million years. Founded in 1753, the collections in the museum draws many visitors and has made it one of the most visited public buildings in London.
This museum in east London charts the changes in British interior design from the year 1600 to the present day. A number of rooms are presented as they would have been in their respective eras, there are also period gardens.
The Natural History Museum dedicates its exhibits to the history and evolution of natural phenomenon. The building has two entrances; one on Cromwell Road and one on Exhibition Road in London's South Kensington. Some of the exhibits include dinosaurs, primates, minerals and the origin of species.
London's Victoria & Albert Museum, a huge museum of the decorative arts, is the world's largest museum of its kind. It is home to 145 galleries, including national collections of sculpture, furniture, fashion and photographs.
A challenging and thought provoking collection of the horrors of living and fighting in warzones. The focus is on modern warfare, particularly the two World Wars, explored through static displays and real life simulations of wartime conditions. The award-winning Holocaust exhibition should not be missed.
A huge exhibition of flying machines from the RAF's history, the museum also has exhibits telling the stories of famous squadrons such as the Dambusters and recounting the RAF's finest hour, the Battle of Britain.
A chance to see the courts and trophies of this famous Grand Slam event up close, the recently re-modelled Lawn Tennis Museum is heavy on interactive exhibits. Guided tours of behind the scenes areas such as the TV studios are available for groups.
Accessible by appointment only, guided tours reveal the history of firefighting in London. The museum displays and artifacts charting the development of the Brigade from the Great Fire in 1666 to the present day.
The Tower Bridge Exhibition lets visitors explore one of the world's most iconic bridges. Built to span the Thames in 1894 in the midst of the grand Victorian age, the Tower Bridge now features an exhibition that includes a history lesson, a tour of the Victorian Engine Rooms and incredible views and photo opportunities from the upper walkways.
The White Tower, the oldest and largest of the buildings in the Tower of London complex, dates back to the time of William the Conqueror, who ordered the Tower in built in 1078. The Tower is now primarily a tourist attraction but remains an official residence of the Royal family.
Once the most important transport routes in London, the capital's canal network is now largely disused. This museum explores the lives of people who worked on and around the canals and the progression from horse drawn barges to motorised propulsion.
The Museum of Childhood explores the evolution of childhood over the past few hundred years. There is also a toy museum and an interactive exhibition on play.
The Design Museum looks at modern design from the 20th and 21st centuries. Exhibitions are always changing but usually focus on the evolution and inspiration for creative ideas.
Dedicated to sharing the story of Britain's marine history, The National Maritime Museum features an extensive collection of boats, charts, uniforms and marine art. Many interactive displays and exhibits are scattered throughout the museum's three levels. The National Maritime Museum also includes galleries and a gift shop.
Thespians and those interested in the dramatic arts can immerse themselves in the history of London's West End theatres here. In addition to the static exhibitions, there are acting workships and a chance to try hands on skills like puppetry.
The Museum in Docklands unlocks the history of London’s river, port and people in a nineteenth century warehouse at West India Quay. Discover the alleyways of nineteenth century Sailortown, the ‘Mudlarks’ interactive gallery for children and a wealth of objects from whalebones to Second World War gas masks.
The Bank of England Museum has a host of artefacts from its history on display. Visitors can see old bank notes, coins, mechanical calculators and unusual items like pikes and muskets that were used to defend the Bank. There are several interactive exhibitions and a once in a lifetime chance to handle a real gold bullion.
Located on the site of the notorious Clink Prison, this museum gives visitors a glimpse into the treacherous conditions endured by those imprisoned here. Established in 1151 as a place to detain heretics, the medieval jail eventually housed a variety of law-breakers before burning down in 1780. The museum is open from 10am to 6pm Monday through Friday, and from 10am to 9pm on weekends.
