Dreaming of London
 

I have been preparing for my trip to london for almost a year and still apprehensive that I will miss something or underestimate how much time I will spend at the museums. would it be unrealistic to go to the British Museum and the Natioanl Gallery in one day? what exhibits are a must? I went to Italy in 2000 and still wonder what I might have missed. Is the Dali museum a must see?

I think you'd be doing either a disservice by not spending a day in each but it's not always possible to allot that much time. The National Gallery has a world class art collection; the British Museum is a world class museum for anything historical. You probably want to familiarize yourself pre-departure with the buildings' collections and then focus on what you truly want to see. It may be on the surface, but at least you can say you did see both and you saw what you really really were interested in seeing, if only briefly. Go to their websites and find out.

Check out the National Gallery at http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/co...on/default.htm All the paintings in its collection are there.<BR><BR>or thebritishmuseum.ac.uk so you can start planning what interests you. <BR><BR>

London's museums are so varied and interesting that I think it is best if you can see a few different ones. The British Museum is open at least one evening a week, although they only have certain galleries open then. I found this helped us narrow our focus and enjoy what we were seeing, rather than trying to see the whole museum. The Victoria and Albert also has some evening hours.

No, the Dali Museum (while fun) is not a must-see on the level of the Brit Museum and National Gallery. Go instead to the Tate Modern (for the building if you don't like modern art), walk along the south bank of the Thames..if you like science, history or the decorative arts, the Natural History Museum, the V &amp;A Museum and the Science Museum are all extremely interesting and worthwhile and next to one another in South Kensington right by the tube stop. What do you like to do?<BR><BR>I'm an American based in London for three years now and just love this city...you can do anything!<BR><BR>Cate<BR>P.S. In my opinion, yes, you can do the Brit Museum and the National Gallery the same day...more than three hours at a time in a museum becomes overwhelming, I think. Do check out what the exhibits are before you come (www.timeout.com) and consider popping into the National Portrait Gallery (next door to the National Gallery)...underrated, I think.<BR><BR>Enjoy yourself!!

Hi Sandra<BR>I know what you're feeling, but take a deep breath. Unless you are going for two weeks or more you will not hit everything on your list or on anyone's list.<BR><BR>I am not the biggest fan of the Br Museum, but then I'm not so much a museum of natural history person as I am an art lover. The Br Museum has a guided &quot;highlights&quot; tour (about 90 minutes I think, check the website) and also a highlights audio tour that you can do on your own and skip what doesn't interest you. That's why the websites are so great for advance planning.<BR><BR>If you enjoy paintings, the National Gallery is one of the world's top art museums. It is not overly taxing (compared to for example the Louvre) because it is not that large. You can skim through it in two hours, or give it more time in 3-4 hours and see everything in detail.<BR><BR>I can't tell you if the Dali museum is a must see for you. For me it would be a must avoid.<BR><BR>It's hard to take the following advice when planning a first hectic and anxious visit I know, but take some time to just stroll some London streets and neighborhoods. For me after a while some museums start to blur together much as I like them, but an hour spent browsing or stumbling upon a house where your favorite author lived might be just as memorable.<BR><BR>I have a file on London; if you'd like to see it email me.

It is so easy for me to say and it will be so hard for you to do, but ENJOY your trip because, hopefully, you will return. Looking back on my own experiences I’m somewhat saddened by my first two visits to London in that I had such a stringent itinerary, I was so inflexible. Don’t make that mistake. If you have only half a day at the British Museum, so be it, if you’ve done your research you know the areas that will interest you most and head directly to them, the Elgin Marbles, whatever. Same with all the museums. Take enough time to stroll through the parks and the neighborhoods. Get the feel of the place and I can almost guarantee it will become a priority for you to go back. One of the great charms of London is that it is a very full plate and you can return time and time again and still not get your fill.

You will miss something unless you have a couple of weeks in London (I went back solo after 1 week earlier in the same year - I loved it that much). If you can connect with the 90 min. tour in the British museum it will give you a great overview. I loved the National Portrait Gallery but spending more than a couple of hours in a museum is a blur. Dali would only be a must see if you like his art - I don't. From the British Museum I walked to Sir John Sloane's museum which is fun for a quick tour - he collected everything! I can send you my first week in London if you e-mail me directly.

Skip the Dali ! (not a 'must see') ...and means 'll always have an excuse to go to Northern Spain to see the Dali Museum!<BR><BR>Point to note: The Dali museum is right by the London Eye...so if you were planning on visiting the Eye, you could pop in to the museum.

The nice thing about the National Gallery and the British Museum is that they are free. When I go, I go twice and don't see everything at once. That way it's not tiring at all.

DO NOT MISS THE FOOD HALLS AT HARRODS. Free and a true London experience.