Are you looking for the best museums in London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom? Then you’re in the right place because this list brings together the eleven best museums in London, which you should visit at least once in your life. Scattered across London’s most touristy streets and squares, these museums and art galleries are sure to impress anyone!

London is a city with an unparalleled artistic, historical, and cultural past. And these eleven must-see museums in London are perfect for art lovers, history buffs, and cultural travelers. From collections of ancient artifacts to painting and sculpture galleries, discover some of the most visited museums in London!

So, do you want to know more about the 11 Best Museums In London (That You Should Visit This Year)? Keep reading!

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Best Museums in London

1. British Museum

The British Museum is an art museum situated in Camden, Greater London. And among the many reasons to be considered one of the best museums in London (and one of the best museums in Europe) is the fact that the British Museum is one of the most famous museums in the world!

The main masterpieces of the British Museum include the “Rosetta Stone”, the “Parthenon Marbles”, and the “Hoa Hakananai’a”, but I also recommend visiting the remaining artifacts displayed in the Egyptian and Sudan, Greece and Rome, and Africa, Oceania, and the Americas departments.

2. Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is a natural history museum situated in Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London. And among the many reasons to be considered one of the best museums in London (and one of the best museums in Europe) is the fact that the Natural History Museum is one of the most famous natural history museums in the world!

The main masterpieces of the Natural History Museum include the first edition of Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species”, Sir Hans Sloane’s “Nautilus Shell”, and “Dippy, the Diplodocus”, but I also suggest exploring the fossils, rocks, and minerals collections, in addition to the birds and mammals galleries.

3. Victoria and Albert Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum is a museum of applied arts, decorative arts, and design situated in Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London. And among the many reasons to be considered one of the best museums in London is the fact that the Victoria and Albert Museum is the largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts, and design in the world!

The main masterpieces of the Victoria and Albert Museum include the “Tipu’s Tiger” (or “Tippu’s Tiger”), the “Raphael Cartoons”, and the “Great Bed of Ware”, but I also recommend visiting the fashion and jewelry collection, as well as the so-called “Cast Courts”.

4. Science Museum

The Science Museum is a science museum situated in Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London. And among the many reasons to be considered one of the best museums in London is the fact that the Science Museum is one of the most visited museums in England and the United Kingdom!

The main masterpieces of the Science Museum include the “Iron Lung”, the “Black Arrow” rocket, and Charles Babbage’s “Analytical Engine” model, but I also suggest exploring the Exploring Space Gallery, the Clockmakers’ Museum, and the Discovery Motion Theatre.

5. Tate Modern Museum

The Tate Modern Museum is a modern art museum located in Southwark, Greater London. And among the many reasons to be considered one of the best museums in London (and one of the best museums in Europe) is the fact that the Tate Modern Museum is one of the most famous modern art museums in the world!

The main masterpieces of the Tate Modern Museum include Pablo Picasso’s “The Crying Woman”, Salvador Dalí’s “Mountain Lake”, and Andy Warhol’s “Marilyn Diptych”, but the works by Wassily Kandinsky, Henri Matisse, Paul Klee, Robert Delaunay, Max Ernst, and Joan Miró are also worth admiring.

6. Imperial War Museum

The Imperial War Museum is a military museum situated in Lambeth, Greater London. And among the many reasons to be considered one of the best museums in London is the fact that the Imperial War Museum is one of the most visited museums in England and the United Kingdom!

The main masterpieces of the Imperial War Museum include naval weapons, surveillance drones, and tanks, but I also suggest exploring the World War I Gallery (where a trench was recreated), the exhibition on the first nuclear missiles, and the collection of WWII propaganda posters.

7. Museum of London

The Museum of London is a local history museum located in the City of London, Greater London. And among the many reasons to be considered one of the best museums in London is the fact that the Museum of London is one of the most visited local history museums in England and the United Kingdom!

The main masterpieces of the Museum of London include the “Lord Mayor of London’s State Coach”, the “Selfridges Lift”, and the “Olympic Cauldron of 2012”, but I also recommend exploring the artifacts and pieces on display in the “Roman London” and “Medieval London” galleries.

8. National Gallery

The National Gallery is an art gallery located in the City of Westminster, Greater London. And among the many reasons to be considered one of the best museums in London (and one of the best museums in Europe) is the fact that the National Gallery is one of the most famous art museums in the world!

The main masterpieces of the National Gallery include Jan van Eyck’s “The Arnolfini Portrait”, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Virgin of the Rocks”, and Diego Velázquez’s “Rokeby Venus”, but the works by Fra Angelico, Sandro Botticelli, Francisco de Goya, Eugène Delacroix, Édouard Manet, and Edgar Degas are also worth admiring.

9. Sir John Soane’s Museum

Sir John Soane’s Museum is a historic house museum located in Camden, Greater London. And among the many reasons to be considered one of the best museums in London is the fact that Sir John Soane’s Museum is one of the most visited historic house museums in England and the United Kingdom!

The main masterpieces of Sir John Soane’s Museum include the “Sarcophagus of Seti I”, Canaletto’s “Riva degli Schiavoni”, and William Hogarth’s “An Election Entertainment”, but I also recommend admiring the other works on display in the Picture Room, Model Room, and Library.

10. London Transport Museum

The London Transport Museum is a transport museum situated in the City of Westminster, Greater London. And among the many reasons to be considered one of the best museums in London is the fact that the London Transport Museum is one of the most visited transport museums in England and the United Kingdom!

The main masterpieces of the London Transport Museum include a Sedan Chair (the first licensed public transport in London), a Horse-Drawn Omnibus, and the original map of the London Underground (created by Harry Beck), but I also suggest exploring the collection of historic London transport posters.

11. Design Museum

The Design Museum is a design museum situated in Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London. And among the many reasons to be considered one of the best museums in London is the fact that the Design Museum is the most famous design museum in the world!

The main masterpieces of the Design Museum include the “Singer Sewing Machine”, the “Saarinen Tulip Chair” and the “Dyson DC01 Vacuum Cleaner”, but I also recommend admiring the other pieces of product design, furniture design, fashion design, and graphic design from the permanent collection.

Map of the Best Museums in London

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