British Museum

The British Museum was established way back in the year 1753 and today it has one of the finest collections of human history and culture. Whether the Astrolabe Sloane or gilded bronze figure of Tara, the British Museum has all these and more.

To explore the myths of the Trojan War and even toured some of the best glass specimens to the British Museum Collections. Watching the evolution of the Olympic Games, which took place between 776 BC and AD 395 through a bewildering array of objects. There is also the Faith tour of objects relating to various faiths.

Almost all regions of the world are represented in the British Museum through objects from different parts of the world. The museum owes much to the end of Sir Hans Sloane, who gifted his collections of the British Museum.

The sheer enormity of objects and artifacts, which is staggering seven million dollars, illustrates the fascinating evolution of the prehistoric human culture from the earliest days to the present. Due to constraints of space, many objects are kept in hiding.

The British Museum is actually an universal Museum with antiquities from all the continents of the world. Apart from Sir Hans Sloane, another distinguished person who is regarded as the "second founder" of this colossal museum is Italian librarian Antonio Pannizi who was instrumental in carrying out large scale extension of the earlier building, thus making the Museum more spacious as well as providing much improved facilities to visitors of the Museum.

Undoubtedly, the British Museum is a great institution but there are critics who are of the opinion that artifacts and antiquities from other countries should never be permitted to be displayed or exhibited in a foreign museum. The Museum is facing criticism for not returning two of the museum's most controversial items - the Elgin marbles of Greece and the Benin Bronzes which belong to Nigeria.

Criticisms aside, a visit to The British Museum can be an outstanding experience. The architectural marvel that it is, you will bask in the glory of the Grecian facade and the entrance itself is replete with sculptures portraying The Rise of Civilization.

The Duveen gallery which was designed by renowned architect John Russel Pope is impressive. Another equally fascinating place is the globular cast iron Reading Room designed by Sydney Smirke. First time visitors to the Museum are especially attracted by the Elizabeth II Great Court which is a designer canopied square designed by the renowned architectural firm Foster and Partners.

The British Museum being a museum of antiquities is conspicuous for having under its custody some very rare erotic art objects which are preserved at The Secretum and are out of bounds to the general public because they are considered unfit for public viewing on the grounds.

In order to attract visitors to the museum, it has introduced numerous theme tours to the museum. Special interest tours with knowledgeable foreign language guides are also available. Special events like exhibitions, lectures, seminars and symposia are regularly hosted at the British Museum.

Apart from touring the galleries, you would do well to visit the in-house bookshop and Souvenir shop where you can buy guidebooks, posters, camera films and stationary items. The Grenville shop even has sculptures, gems and jewelry, silk scarves and ties.

Time permitting, a great way to relax is by stepping in to The Court Restaurant which is strategically located at the magnificent Norman Foster glass roof in the Great Court. The restaurant has a wide variety of recipes, which are complimented by the finest collection of liqueurs and spirits.

National Maritime Museum

The National Maritime Museum in Green, adjacent to the Greenwich Park UK is the most famous maritime museum. The museum houses a bewildering array of maritime artifacts, which includes navigation equipment, graphs and maps, coins and medals, flags, ship models, time, uniforms and weapons.

The museum also houses the premises of Queen's House, which has been declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in the year 1997. Apart from the beautiful Queen's House, the historic too Royal Greenwich Observatory is located within the premises.

Oceans of the gallery discovery provides a fascinating insight into the love of humanity business with the world's oceans. In this astonishing Maritime Museum, you will find answers to questions such as how people can find their way across the ocean? The gallery has five wings - wing navigation maps wing, science and the sea, the exploration of Polish and under the sea Needless to say, each section is more exciting than the other.

First, users are bound by the plight of how the museum portrays the exploits of the early explorers who sailed around the world with navigation tools very simple. The incredible journeys Polynesians, Vikings, Greeks and Romans were quite skillfully depicted.

With regard to mapping the world is concerned, the museum delves deeply into the meaning of the cards, and the human being successful in circumnavigating the world since the invention of maps and charts.

The museum is also exploring how science has had an impact in the way people have undertaken journeys. The polar regions are also covered in this museum. The harsh weather conditions and the landscape have always major challenge for the explorers. The museum examines how Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton undertook expeditions to the South Pole ice despite insurmountable.

The museum offers a fascinating insight into the recent developments in the exploration under water, which are only three years old. The museum interpreter of how humanity has made its foray into the depths of the world's oceans and explored the deepest realms of our ocean beds, and uncovered many hidden secrets.

The museum regularly organizes special events, study sessions and exhibitions for visitors. So, try to coincide your trip when there is something that will interest you.

Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum located at Exhibition Road, Kensington is a virtual treasure trove of life and earth science collections. This astonishing museum is home to a staggering 70 million species.

The collections can be classified into five wings paleontology, mineralogy, botany, zoology, botany and entomology. Wildlife Garden exclusivity is also inside the premises, with a bewildering array of flora and fauna.

From the moment you enter the museum, you will be attracted by the giant Diplodocus, which is set at the entrance. The museum of the central room is in itself a wonderful architectural creation.

The museum owes much to the late Dr Irish Sir Hans Sloane, who bequeathed his collection composed of the skeletons of humans and animals and plants dried museum and the museum initially worked Montague House, but with the arrival of Professor Richard Owen, then Superintendent of the British Museum, looking for an exclusive museum site was launched and the government has allocated land in South Kensington where the museum is now. Work on the building began in the year 1873 and was completed by 1880 and the museum was opened to the public in a big ceremony in the year 1881. The building design is essentially Roman in style.

The museum has three distinct wings - The Earth Galleries, The Life Galleries and The Darwin Center. The Earth galleries exclusively displays the museum's mineral collections while the Life galleries display specimens from life science.

A recent addition to the museum is the newly constructed Darwin Center with a collection of millions of species and inclusive of working areas meant for scientists to carry out research. The museum has successfully launched the concept of "shared space" wherein the visitors can watch from up-close how scientists carry out their research and experimentation.

The Natural History Museum is dedicated to promote our understanding of the phenomenonal natural world and the Museum is housed in one of London's architecturally superb buildings. Terracota bricks have been used predominantly and one can find engravings of plants and animals.

The building is remarkable and its columns, the dome and its enormous entry bordered by two rounds of some, it resembles some of the magnificent Gothic cathedrals that dot much of the British landscape.

MCC Museum

The MCC Museum was established in the year 1883 and happens to be among the oldest sports museums anywhere in the world. Although the museum is choc-a-block with historic artifacts and cricketing memorabilia, the item that stands out is the Ashes urn which was presented to the victorious English Cricket team for its victory over the Australians in the 1882-83 Cricket series between the two countries.


Mr. Ivo Bligh, who was the captain of the English side in the first Ashes series was the legitimate custodian of the Ashes urn. But after his death, his widow gifted at MCC and the ballot box since the box was installed at the MCC Museum, and most fanatical cricket around the world have visited this historical museum, primarily to gain insight into the Ashes urn.

Beyond the legendary Ashes urn, full of sparrows Jehangir Khan is also a very popular exhibit with a copy of Wisden, which was also the companion Jim, aka EW Swanton during his days of captivity in a Japanese prison camp during World War II.

The museum also presents the life and times of cricket one of the greatest of all time-WG Grace through some of his personal effects, busts and memorabilias. Also on exhibition at the Musée cricket kits are some great cricketers and charismatic of the stature of Jack Hobbs, Victor Trumper, Donald Bradman and the irresistible Shane Warne.

In fact, collecting cricketing memorabilia has been an ongoing process for this distinguished cricket museum ever since its inception and every year newer items are added to the already rich collection of cricketing artifacts.

What is unique about the MCC Museum is that apart from permanent exhibits, a sophisticated theatre adjoining the museum showcases some of cricket's most intriguing moments through video footage and a visit to the Brian Johnston Memorial Theatre is a must visit site if one desires to rekindle the glorious moments of cricket at cricket's own Mecca.

With the advent of the modern era and with changing lifestyle, this historic cricket museum too has continuously evolved which is amply reflected in its innovative schemes like the commissioning of Cricketing photographs taken by MCC nominated photographers like Anthony Devlin and Sarah Williams or for that matter patronizing both promising and established artists to come up with stunning works of art which then finds its rightful place at museum alter.

Imperial War Museum

The Imperial War Museum in Lambeth, London was established in the year 1917 in memory of the soldiers who gave their lives during the First World War. The museum is a storehouse of memories of war, weapons and arms, war photographs, art collections rare war and even armored vehicles. It is an exclusive enclosure exhibition dedicated to the World War II Holocaust.

The museum is inimitable in the manner in which it presents modern day conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth nations right from the first World War to the present day. The museum provides fascinating insights into the pros and con's of modern warfare and investigates the history of modern war.

The museum has many interesting sections. For instance, the Large Exhibits Gallery is home to some of the most lethal weapons and armored vehicles. While the First World War Galleries investigate the colonial rivalries and conflicting national ambitions in Europe, the Second World War Galleries delve deeper into the root causes of war particularly in the aftermath of the establishment of Dictatiorial and Totalitarian states like Mussolini's Italy and Nazi Germany.

An exclusive Post-1945 Conflicts section has been set up at London's Imperial Museum, which provides fascinating insights into the tectonic changes that occurred in the rank and file of the British armed forces with Britain's entry into the elite NATO.

One of the most popular enclosures at the London Imperial Museum is the Holocaust Exhibition and visitors are mesmerized by the manner in which the gruesome acts of Nazis' persecution of the Jews are depicted through photographs, newspaper clips, documents, artifacts and in certain cases even films have been used, all of which send chilling reminders to us about the horrific acts of slaughter and persecution in Nazi Germany.

The museum has two Art Galleries, which have rich collections of paintings from the First and Second World War. The museum also has in its collection some of the most prestigious military and civil gallantry awards along with an exclusive wing dedicated to one of the greatest battlefield commanders - Field Marshall Montgomery.

The Imperial War Museum is a one-of-its-kind museum in UK and the museum's range of collections are unmatched by any other UK museums. The museum encourages scholars and researchers to carry out qualitative research in War & Conflict management.

The museum has set up an Artistic Records Committee in the year 1972 and this distinguished committee has commissioned many renowned artists to depict the activities of British and Commonwealth armed forces, both in peacetime and war.

With its incomparable collections of 20th and 21st century conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth, the Imperial War Museum is a must visit site for visitors to London.

London Museums

There are many fascinating museums in London. You can see the collections of historical, scientific and cultural, on the Tower of London and museums. You can explore the many aspects of history of the world and England during a tour of museums in London. From history to sport, to science and warfare, you can see it all showcased in London's museums. The best museums in London, famous for their collections of natural and man made artifacts are:

British Museum:
The British Museum was established way back in the year 1753 and today it boasts of one of the finest collections of human history and culture

Imperial War Museum:
The Imperial War Museum located in Lambeth, London was established in the year 1917 in memory of those soldiers who laid down their lives in the First World War.

MCC Museum:
The MCC Museum was established in the year 1883 and happens to be among the oldest sports museum anywhere in the world.

Natural History Museum:
The Natural History Museum located at Exhibition Road, Kensington is a virtual treasure trove of life and earth science collections.

National Maritime Museum:
The National Maritime Museum located in Green, which beside the Greenwich Park is UK's most renowned maritime museum

Victoria and Albert Museum:
The Victoria and Albert Museum is Britain's national museum of applied arts and design. The goal of this prestigious museum is to enable the young and old alike to explore the fascinating world of designs.

Victoria and Albert Museum

Victoria and Albert Museum

Victoria and Albert Museum is the UK's national museum of applied arts and design. The aim of this prestigious museum is to allow young and old to explore the fascinating world of design. The museum has a huge deposit of collections, some of which are over 3000 years old and most of the objects come from some of the most cultivated areas.

From the architecture of the ceramic and metal works in photography, everything is at the Victoria and Albert Museum.


You will be mesmerized by ornate furniture from Europe and America from the medieval times to the present day. There is also an exclusive Glass enclosure that unravels the fascinating 4000-year-old evolution of Glass from the Middle East, Europe and the Western world. As far as metal works are concerned, there is a bewildering array of silver, arms, armours, enamels, brass work a and medieval metal works.

In the sculpture section you will come across one of the world's finest collection of post-classical European sculpture. The Photography section, which was set up in the year 1852 has a staggering collection of 500,000 images. Some of the finest works of art, which includes watercolors, pastels, portraits, oil paintings, illustrations, posters and cartoons can be found in this astonishing art museum.

In the architecture gallery with its thematic representation features the evolution of architecture from classical Rome tot he present day and provides you with an opportunity to explore 160 exquisite architectural models. While the British Gallery is known for its rich collection of British designs which includes Henry VIII's writing desk, James II's wedding suit and the Great Bed of Ware among its repertoire of collections.

The Asian continent is well represented with artifacts that skillfully depicts the religious, courtly and everyday life in the Oriental part. The Radiant Buddha statue is of course the cynosure of all eyes. The Toshiba Gallery of Japanese Art is also worth visiting which brilliantly depicts the dresses of early 20th century Japan.

An exclusive arena dedicated to Fashion, Jewelry and Accessories covers the fashion scene from 17th century to the present day. People with a passion for knitting and embroidery will find this particular enclosure to be very useful.

Don't miss out on the ceramics collections, which is the centerpiece of all reaction with collections from ancient Egypt to the modern studio pottery and technologically designed ceramics.

All these and much more awaits you at one of the world's most renowned museums of art and design.

London Dungeon

London Dungeon

London Dungeon is a museum of history where some of the most horrific acts were simulated, referring to the carnage and chaos of the past. A visit to the London Dungeon takes you on a journey to the dark of Europe in the past.

The museum, which opened way back in the year 1975, is located beneath one of the most active in London Rail-London Bridge Station. It must be said that the London Dungeon is not for the shy. But that said, children in particular, seem to enjoy departures inside the museum.

Once you go inside the museum, expect the worst pictures you ever experienced in your life. Gruesome scenes of people were beheaded, people running, the simulation plague, the Great Fire of London and much more are presented so astonishingly realistic that the experience of your visit to London Dungeon remains etched in your memory for a very long time.

The very fact that you are provided with a platform to display 2000 years of a Europe more threatening real story in itself should be a sufficient reason for you to visit the museum.

Acts of live horror are well complimented the state of the art multimedia display. For example, you can experience walking on the streets of Victorian England when Jack the Ripper ruled the streets of London or elsewhere was beheaded people, which also includes the wives of Henry VIII.

The reconstruction of The Plague and the Great Fire of London is amazing and never you think you have witnessed a version reproduced and not the real bits.

Even entry to London Dungeon is guarded by intimidating characters who are dressed in costumes appalling and wait for the right time to jump on the innocent visitor.

In all, a visit to the London Dungeon is an education in itself, and especially for children, it's a much better way to learn, rather than sit in the classroom. As you leave the museum, do not forget to visit the gift shop. Uncommon souvenirs ranging from plastic skulls, horror DVDs, the attitude T-shirts are all lined up there for you.