London Museums
 

This is to all who can help me pick out what Museums were the most interesting in London. I'll be in London in Mid January and I need to know what Museums are "must sees"!?<BR><BR>Thanks to all who reply!<BR><BR>Mike

What do you like? Painting, furniture, sculpt, etc? Narrow it down a bit mate. M.

Tate<BR>Wallace Collection<BR>Then the Tate Modern and the V&A then the British.

Mike, you really must help us narrow it down. What does "most interesting" mean to you?<BR><BR>You could spend a week seeing just art museums, or just historical stuff. Do you like modern art, or more traditional? Are you particularly interested in a certain period of art and/or history? It's so individual -- "InThisOrder" listed the Tates among his (her? sorry) top 3, but they wouldn't be on my "most interesting" list at all.

I forgot one-the National Gallery..<BR>oh! and the Portrait Gallery~ I guess that most of the museums that I have been to in London, I like...I am open to all kinds of art and enjoy all museums..of course some more than others..Seeing the Tate,the Wallace Collection and then the V&A or the British, would be good overall museum coverage---modern,controversial to old to special collections-Joann, which ones would you choose?

For history - the British Museum, Imperial War Museum, Museum of London<BR><BR>For science/nature - the Science Museum, Natural History Museum<BR><BR>For film lovers - Museum of the Moving Image<BR><BR>For Art/Design (not galleries) - V&A, the Design Museum<BR><BR>Art galleries - Tate Britain, Tate Modern, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, and many more<BR><BR>As the others have said, if you have any particular interest, let us know as there are many many more museums in London.<BR><BR>One thing to note about London museums is to check their websites for latest admission info. Several have recently dropped admission charges, so your guide books will be out of date. These definitely include the Science Museum, Natural History Museum and the V&A. The British Museum and all the art galleries listed above are also free, and have always been. Some special exhibitions will still have entrance fees.

Mike<BR>A good general guidebook is what you need, to survey the "important" museums and to give you more info so that you can decide what your priorities are.<BR>Elsewhere on this Fodor's website, under "Destinations" you can also find some information, as well as on many other<BR>websites like timeout.com<BR>I have a file on London; if you'd like to see it, email me.<BR>My own favorites to visit are the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the Courtauld, Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms, etc.<BR>

The Museum of the Moving Image is, alas, closed until 2006. They're building a larger building and will be moving the collection.

Isn't there also a John Soames museum? I think we went there on one of our first trips to London...

I am highly interested in getting a historical perspective of London through museums. <BR>I thank you for your replys!

To get a historical perspective, I would recommend the Imperial War Museum and their smaller off-site exhibition: The Cabinet War Rooms. The first is much more interesting than the name suggests. It covers the 20th Century very well from a British perspective and has interesting temporary exhibitions and interactive exhibits. It's modern and glossy and the best history museum I've been to anywhere. Cabinet War Rooms are the actual underground rooms where Churchill "ran" the British campaign in WWII.

Speaking of the Cabinet War Rooms, there was a great article in the Sunday, December 16th New York Times which covered this particular museum/site. I've been to London many times and have yet to go but found the article so interesting that I've added it to the top of my must-see list when I next return.

The Cabinet War Rooms and the Sir John Soane's Museum are two of my personal favorites. <BR><BR>Since one is the actual wartime offices and the other is Soane's actual (extremely eccentric) home, they don't feel so much like museums but rather as real experiences.<BR><BR>They also are both of manageable size, unlike the British Museum or the V&A, either of which could swallow you up for a week.<BR><BR>http://www.soane.org/

Aha! If it's a "historical perspective of London through museums" that you want, then you'll also want to visit the Museum of London (which incorporates a bit of the original Roman wall around the City) and the London Transport Museum. The National Portrait Gallery, arranged chronologically, also presents a surprising amount of history in its interpretations. Oh, and the British Library, espeically the treasures room. And of course the re-created Globe theater. Have fun!<BR><BR>http://www.museum-london.org.uk/<BR>http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/<BR><BR>For homey interiors, check out the Geffrye.<BR><BR>http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/<BR>

My vote for the must see: <BR><BR>Imperial war museum- don;t be put of by the name, one of my favorite paintings -" Gassed" is there . Combine it with cabinet war rooms and my husband loves the national Army Museum<BR><BR>Museum of London- totally fascinating history of the city- check out the panoraminc painting of London that was found in a barn in NY<BR><BR>British Museum- what more can you say!<BR><BR>V and A for specialized interests- amazing silver collection, fashion, Islamic galleries<BR><BR>Somerset House- The Gilbert collection of silver is unbelievable and the CG fantastic, they often have special exhibitions that are wonderful.<BR><BR>My all time small favorite - The Wallace Collection<BR>We love the Sir J Soanes museum, but many find it too quirky for their tastes<BR><BR>I prefer the Tate to the Tate Modern, but again it all depends on your interests.<BR><BR>You could spend weeks just doing museums. Took us years to get around them all since we never go without going to IWM and V&A. And there are more we've still to see. so choose what holds you interest the most and go for the others another time.

Like Jody and Elaine, I recommend the Somerset House. The Courtauld Gallery has a marvelous and very manageable collection of Impressionist works, plus a small, but excellent Renaissance collection. I did not tour the silver collection because of time restraints, but it looked interesting. I loved the V & A, but I strongly recommend choosing one or two particular areas of interest, since it's impossible to see everything. Just be sure to check out the Dale Chihuly blown glass chandelier in the lobby. Finally, while not really a museum, one can hardly miss a visit to Westminster Abbey.

KT - thanks for pulling me up on MOMI. Shows how much I know about my home city!