Which of These Museums Do you Like?
 

We are returning to London this summer and would like to see some additional museums. During our first trip over we had visited the British Museum, the V&A, Museum of London, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, IWM London, Churchill Cabinet War Rooms, John Soane Museum, and the Courtauld Gallery and a glimpse of the Turbine Hall of the Tate Modern but did not have time to explore it.

Of course I would love to revisit all of the above but we were thinking of spending this time exploring those we missed the first time.

From the below list, which did you enjoy most and how would you rank them in order of enjoyment?

National Martime Museum
Royal Observatory
Natural History Museum
Science Museum
Wallace Collection
Bank of England Museum
British Library
Tate Britain
Tate Modern--the Matisse Exhibit is currently on and we did not get to explore the museum last time.

I don't think we will have enough time to do them all this time either so was wondering which we should prioritize.

Of the above, I probably enjoyed the Wallace Collection the most and will return when I am in London this coming October.

I haven't seen all of them, but I have visited the British Library multiple times and never tire of going back.

Of course, our preferences are highly personal, and mine may be totally different from yours.

I would remove the Natural History Museum - I usually love them but this is sub par versus those in NYC and DC. The Wallace and British Library (Magna Carta) are not to be missed.

We visited the Tate Modern I think it was after it had recently opened, if I remember correctly. I really loved it.
As I recall the Royal Observatory (Greenwich) was nice. If you are interested in nautical and navy stuff you'll enjoy it.

You must visit the Tate and the British Library.

I really enjoyed the Tate Britain a lot. I would never go to a natural history museum on a vacation, there are plenty of those around, including where I live. I prefer to go to museums that are unique to the place I am traveling.

I think I have been to the British LIbrary when there a while, but I was looking for something specific. I'm not clear why a regular tourist would go there, I don't consider it comparable to a museum. Yes, they usually have some exhibition going on, but it's not like a museum to me. I think it would have to be some special interest in whatever exhibit they were having.

Tate Modern is in the middle of a major expansion so the huge turbine hall some of you may remember is sort of blocked off w/ new exhibition space and remodeling. I think the new wing will be brilliant - but losing this vast open space is a mistake IMO.

Of your list I'd probably skip the Natural History and Science (though I do enjoy both quite a lot) since they sort of duplicate things that can be seen elsewhere (Chicago, Wash DC, NYC, SF etc)

The Bank of England I'd probably only do if I had a fair amount of free time.

The absolute 'musts' on your list would be Tate Britain, Wallace, Br Library.

The Greenwich sites -- I'd do only if you can spend most of a day and also visit the Cutty Sark (actually tour it, not just observe from the outside), the market, walk under the river, etc.

Thanks for some feedback. I also forgot to mention the Museum of London Docklands to my list. What do you think about that one?

When we travel we usually do see the natural history museums and we love the ones in NY and Washington DC. For an extensive dinosaur collection the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh has more dinosaur skeletons that both NY and DC combined. Of course the other two museums have more on offer than just dinosaurs. We were unimpressed with the Field Museum in Chicago--we liked the Museum of Science and Industry there better.

However, in London there are so many other worthwhile museums to dedicate time to that we may not have sufficient time for the natural history and science museum. We didn't see them the first time. However, I read that the Darwin Center at the Natural History museum is great to see.

The British Library has the great treasures permanent exhibition and does seem very interesting. We had seen a copy of the Magna Carta in Salisbury before but there are other wonderful treasures to view at the British Library as well. That is why I included it in my list of "museums".

The Wallace Collection is undergoing renovation so not all rooms will be accessible.

One reason we extended our stay in London about 18 months ago was to visit the Tate Modern. We were deeply disappointed by the permanent collection and annoyed that they charged extra (which we did not pay) for that fraud's Damien Hirst's special exhibition.

The British library is a well curated collection and I loved the sculpture outside. (It is the one leaning over.) The woman with the reflection is pointing at the Rosetta Stone.https://plus.google.com/u/1/photos?p...41271811111555

National Martime Museum, Great if you like the subject
Royal Observatory, nah
Natural History Museum, ok
Science Museum, some great specialist bits especially geometry and computing science history
Wallace Collection, Great
Bank of England Museum, meh
British Library, great
Tate Britain, interesting
Tate Modern big and dull
Museum of London Docklands, a little odd, I certainly will never get those 2 hours back in my life.

I am sorry to hear that you have decided to skip the Wallace..or have you?

Dukey1- Wallace is on our "must see" list but the place is undergoing renovation so unfortunately we won't be able to visit all the rooms. We will see which rooms are open when we are there. The entire renovation won't be complete until Sept.

Bilboburgler--what was odd about the docklands museum? The layout? the content?

HI Europeannovice,

Glad that you folks are making it back to London. My priorities would be:

WALLACE COLLECTION (even if some part is inaccessible)

TATE BRITAIN - want to see the Turners and the building itself

TATE MODERN - I have tickets for the MATISSE CUTOUTS in June

BRITISH LIBRARY - will take the tour to see its treasures - also believe they have a WWI exhibit coming up which interests me

I enjoyed the BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM, but it would not be a priority.

Looking forward to your trip report...

I loved the Wallace, and Tate Britain. Wish I had visited the British Museum, but didn't. Will certainly go if and when I'm back in London. I really enjoyed a day in Greenwich, but of course did a lot more than the Royal Observatory. Just walking around Greenwich is fun, and there were lovely gardens.

I love the Natural History museum because I love the building; wonderful marble staircases, beautiful floors, and the stuff inside isn't bad either.

Another we enjoyed last trip was the Dicken's Museum, in one of his past homes.

Museum of London
Sir John Soane's Museum
Imperial War Museum if open
Courtauld Collection at Somerset House
The Handel House

Are all fabulous in addition to those listed by others.

I hope they do not screw up the Tate Modern, it is among he most fantastic spaces I have ever visited.

We saw the Imperial War Museum and thought it was very good. They are renovating that one too now and when it re-opens there will be a new revamped WWI exhibit.

Yes--the British Library also has a WWI exhibit. Looking forward to your trip report Latedaytraveler too.

Tate Modern for Matisse cutouts--yes definitely.

The Handel House--Jimmy Hendrix lived next door two hundred or so years later. I would like to squeeze that museum in too but there is only so much time.

What about the Royal Academy of Music museum? Anyone been there?

Greenwich--plan on most of a day. The Cutty Sark--okay go in it--I wasn't originally planning on that--I thought I would just see it from the outside but if it is a worthwhile tour on board then sure.

Science Museum--do they still have an exhibit about Alan Turing--inventor of the computer?

Also what is odd about the Museum of Docklands museum--curious?

I have only been to two on your list. I loved the British Library, but I'm a lifelong, dedicated reader. I was underwhelmed by the Bank of England Museum.

Europeannovice, many I ask, are you only staying in London on this junket or going elsewhere too? If so, where?