Best LONDON MUSEUMS (and what to do after)

London’s museums are amongst some of the finest in the world. And aside from the obvious experience

of art, culture and history, offer an inexpensive gateway into stunning architecture… A respite

from a cold on a rainy day. And make you feel less stupid than when you arrived.

In this video, I’ll show you my ultimate guide on which ones are worth your time,

and what to both expect and look out for in each.

I’ll also share my suggested itinerary for what to do before or after your Museum visit,

which could be a local food and drink hotspot, or a nearby attraction you might not even know is

close by. Finally, I’ll cover how the pandemic has altered things and how best to visit accordingly.

If you’re new here, then welcome. We make travel movies from around the world as well as our home

town of London. This is Suitcase Monkey, giving you the ultimate guide to the museums of London.

Let’s start with probably the safest suggestion on this list, London’s Natural History Museum.

From its iconic entrance, you know you’re in for a treat and with over 80 million items inside,

you can expect all the natural wonders of the world, beautifully presented and displayed.

Personally, I always enjoy the giant escalator in the Earth Hall taking you

up to Natural disasters area. There’s even the chance here to experience a

simulated earthquake, which although you always remember it feeling like this,

it’s actually more like this. It’s for the kids though isn’t it, let’s be honest.

A nice cherry on top is that it’s conveniently situated along Exhibition Road, which is home

to both the Victoria and Albert and Science Museum so you can hit all three without any extra travel.

Exhibition Road itself is nice for some food or drinks in the sun

and The Royal Albert Hall isn’t too far away.

Just off the main beaten track, we’ve always enjoying Molly Rose Bakery for

a cake and coffee so that would be my random pick if you’re in this area.

Now, if you’re looking for something truly London, especially for train lovers,

then definitely check out the London Transport Museum. Situated right in Covent Garden,

it’s an area you’ll probably be, so is an easy stop. As with other places on this list,

I always enjoy specific themes within a museum as it allows a more focussed and unique visit.

Here, you’re taken through the history of transport within London,

which back then, to an extent, was leading the way around the world.

It’s opening does a great job of transporting you to Georgian and Victorian times where public

transport just didn’t exist, especially not on a mass scale. Emerging technologies were racing to

keep up with a spiralling population and it really makes you think about the fundamental changes that

mass transport provided 150 years ago. Suddenly you could work, or go to sporting events or

schools that previously wouldn’t have been an option. And with the roads being full to capacity,

it’s clear that Londons only solution was to build the worlds first underground network.

Also covered is the undergrounds role in the First World War, which ultimately became a bomb

shelter for its population. This also allowed women, for the first time, to fill 18,000 jobs

to manage the transport system while the men were out of the country. Only to be told once the war

had ended, that their services were no longer required and were sent back to their homes.