So I have made a list of the works of art I want to see in London, and perhaps an aquarium as well.

But what about science museums? Are there any very good science or history related museums in London? Do they have a version similar to the Museum of Natural History in New York? How about anatomy--are there any museums focused on medical history in London?

thanks in advance!!

The Natural History Museum is in a huge building on Cromwell Rd near South Kensington area. The science museum is right around the corner and the Victoria & Albert museum is a short walk up Cromwell Rd from the Natural History museum.
To me the Science Museum and the History Museum were more geared to children but I love the V & A.

You might also be interested in the Museum of the City of London. It traces the history of the site from prehistoric times, including pre-Roman civilizations and Roman ruins - up to the present day.

Apart from the Science and Natural History Museums in South Kensington (which are the primary national institutions), there are lots of smaller specialist institutions.

See
www.24hourmuseum.org.uk
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

Military history - Imperial War Museum, Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum, National Maritime Museum (Greenwich).

Astronomy/navigation - Royal Observatory (Greenwich).

Tube and bus - London Transport Museum.

The London Transport Museum at Covent Garden is closed until spring 2007.

The Natural History Museum is also worth visiting just to appreciate the building itself - let alone the exhibits - it's probably my most favourite building in London.

Thanks everyone for all of your help!!

Here's a photo of the inside of the Natural History Museum (which, I agree, had a lot of child-oriented displays, but was still fascinating to adults)

http://www.greendragonartist.com/Sal...geRadiance.htm

My husband and I were impressed with the Museum of Nat'l History, which says a lot considering that we've been to the NYC Nat'l History Museum at least 10 times each over the years. Churchill's Cabinet War Room, the Imperial War Museum and, of course, our Beefeater tour at the Tower of London were also very interesting and worthwhile visits. Another one we really enjoyed that I don't see on this post yet...the Museum of the Moving Image (if you're any kind of movie buff or just enjoy the nostalgia, you should check this one out)~

Enjoy!

Christina

Apart from the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, London is surprisingly weak on major science museums.

It's got a remarkable range of medical museums (oddly, none specifically dedicated to anatomy, but almost all obsessed with medical history): see www.medicalmuseums.org/museums/map.htm. Most people rate the Old Operating Theatre highest

There's also an interesting range of second-division scientific museums, though some are seriously out of the way and best left for a very, very wet Sunday afternoon: www.ecsite-uk.net/centres/?m=10&p=d.

As well as these, the Enlightenment gallery at the British Museum is a wonderful simulation of how people in the 18th century tried to make sense of the world, and is almost like walking through an 18th century scientific lecture.

Britain's best science history museum is the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford - an hour's train ride from the Penicillin Museum next to Paddington Station.

Just to pick up 1travelbug/s point, the Museum of the Moving Image closed six ago, and there's no word on a posible replacement (not that it was much to do with the science involved).

six years, I meant to say.

Patrick, such a shame about the Moving Image Museum...we thought it was very well done and interesting (8 years ago...)~

Christina

I have to admit to being a great fan of the Science Museum in South Kensington. I first went there as a child, and always seem to find something new to amaze.

I understand the point about it possibly being "child orientated" but I love that. To me, science should be presented this way, as fun. Many of the exhibits have buttons to push, levers to pull,games to play, and things to discover. I leave with a silly grin on my face, and my enthusiasm intact despite working in a laboratory for a living.