Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Sytner Harold Wood BMW & MINI

"When the British Museum was opened in 1759 it was the first free to enter national museum to be open to the public anywhere in the world. The first exhibits consisted of the collection of physician and naturalist Sir Hans Sloane – ancient coins and medals, books and natural remains. Over the centuries it has become home to the most significant finds made by British explorers, like the Rosetta Stone from Ancient Egypt and the Parthenon sculpture from the Acropolis in Athens."

"One of the world’s best museums has a kid-friendly attitude and fun children’s audio tours. The Rosetta Stone, the Elgin (Parthenon) Marbles, and the Egyptian mummies are some of the jaw-dropping exhibits. To keep them even engaged, download activity trails to your smartphone or tablet, or print worksheets before you go."

"PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The British Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. On Fridays it closes at 8:30 pm. The museum remains closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and from 24 to 26 December."

"Heralded as “the world’s greatest museum of art and design,” the Victoria and Albert Museum can easily boast the claim to being one of London’s most iconic locations. With upcoming exhibitions on wedding dresses and the savage beauty of Alexander McQueen’s gothic fashion, the museum’s expertly curated collections create strong reactionary responses. “The show that made me cry was the incredible retrospective of Diane Arbus, showing her life’s work in images and how she tragically came to kill herself,” recalls Matthew of one of the more stirring of exhibitions."

"The V&A offers a decadent art and design extravaganza on a backpacker’s budget, attracting nearly 3.5 million visitors a year. Its vast permanent collection has something for everyone, be it textiles, paintings, architecture, ceramics, Japanese art, glass, china, furniture, or even wedding dresses. Even the building itself is a thing of beauty, making it one of the most instagrammable destinations in London."

"The Victoria & Albert Museum, locally known as 'the V&A', is the world leader in exhibiting art and design, showcasing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects. Go back in time to discover art through the ages, some of which dates back 5,000 years. Discover fashion, sculptures, photography, books, and more."

"London’s best contemporary art gallery has plenty of interactive activities for kids. It’s inside the former Bankside Power Station and younger kids can run around the vast Turbine Hall. Kids aged 3 and older can sketch their own masterpieces at the Bloomberg digital drawing bar and then have their art projected onto the gallery’s walls."

"Housing the UK’s national collection of international modern and contemporary art, the Tate Modern is undoubtedly London’s most iconic modern art gallery. The gallery has been considered the mover and shaker of the contemporary art world ever since it opened in 2000."

"The National Gallery is the first place to go if you want to see work by some of the most famous artists from history. Nearly seven hundred years of work from the world’s greatest artists can be found here, including Leonardo, Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Vermeer, Rubens – seriously we could go on for a while. A wander from the The Wilton Diptych in the 14th century galleries to Pablo Picasso’s early works is both an intensely pleasant afternoon and a pretty consummate art history lesson."

"The National Gallery has Sunday storytelling sessions on the ‘magic carpet’ aimed at under-fives, stopping in front of a different painting each time. There are also other activities for older kids, especially in holidays, plus trails to follow (although paintings do tend to be moved around so tracking them down can be more challenging than expected). Stopping to colour and draw is positively encouraged."

"One of London’s most iconic galleries takes centre stage in London’s most iconic square!. While The National Gallery houses one of the greatest collections of paintings in the world, this 200-year old building also stands as a work of art and piece of history itself."

"Over in Westminster, Tate Britain focuses on British art from 1500 to the present day. It has everything from historic portraits to impressive sculptures on display. Tate Britain is a great place to get a feel for the UK’s domestic art scene and how it’s evolved over time."

"Tate Britain holds the most extensive collection of British art in the world from 1500 to the present day. Don’t miss this free museum in London. You can witness fantastic modern and contemporary art."

"While the Tate Modern focuses on more recent art, Tate Britain is all about the past with a big collection of historical British art."

"The Horniman Museum is somewhere which often gets overlooked by visitors to London, as it’s further out of the centre, but is actually a great museum with toddlers and kids as it’s a manageable size and has a mix of different exhibits – part natural history museum, part aquarium, a few mummies and other exhibits which might not be out of place at the British Museum. The new World Gallery also explores what it means to be human while the stuffed walrus has his own Twitter account… There are also 16 acres of grounds with a nature trail, a sound garden, butterfly house and some small animals in a mini zoo, including alpacas, goats, sheep, guinea pigs, rabbits and chickens. And while many of the sections are small, including the compact aquarium, it makes it one of the best for toddlers who’ll be as fascinated and happy to gaze for ages."

"More than a century old and dedicated to anthropology and natural wonders, this family-friendly south London museum delights with stunning exhibits, and is a popular venue for workshops, events and festivals. Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill is one of south London's best hidden gems. Some exhibitions require tickets."

"This eclectic collection of anthropological curios was put together by Frederick Horniman, the son of a successful businessman, who had plenty of money to play with. The museum hosts a fascinating natural history exhibit and a collection of musical instruments from around the world. Horniman Museum © Flickr Neil Turner"

"One of London's most beloved art collections, the Courtauld is to your right as you pass through the archway into the grounds of the…"

"Katharina Grosse, 'This Drove my Mother up the Wall', 2017|© Andy Keate. Known for its cutting-edge exhibitions, installations and live art and film events, SLG, which dates back to the 19th century, showcases established British and international figures, as well as emerging artists. In 2016, Gabriel Orozco redesigned the gallery’s rear garden, and in September 2018, SLG expanded across the road into the Fire Station, a converted Grade II-listed Victorian building that provided additional galleries, education rooms, a community kitchen and an archive space."

"The South London Gallery, also known as SLG, was founded in 1891 as a public gallery of contemporary art in Camberwell, London. In 2010 6a Architects designed the SLG expansion to provide additional gallery spaces, a cafe, an educational space, and residences."

"The South London Gallery was founded in London in 1891, and is a public-funded gallery of contemporary art. The SLG hosts five exhibitions each year dedicated to the art of international creators. The gallery also hosts a live art and film program."

"Fronted by a pair of intimidating 15in naval guns and a piece of the Berlin Wall, this riveting museum is housed in what was the Bethlem Royal Hospital, a psychiatric hospital also known as Bedlam. Although the museum’s focus is on military action involving British or Commonwealth troops largely during the 20th century, it covers war in the wider sense. Must-see exhibits include the state-of-the-art First World War Galleries and Witnesses to War in the forecourt and atrium above."

"This historic warship, operated today by Imperial War Museums, will definitely be of interest to military buffs, or anyone with an interest in boats. Launched just before the outbreak of World War 2, this Royal Navy Light Cruiser saw action in both World War 2 and the Korean War, before being decommissioned in 1963."

"Despite its name, the cultural venue formerly known as the Imperial War Museum (one of five IWM branches around the country) does not…"

"While lots of doughnut shops fry their products, Dum Dum Donutterie only bakes its delicious selection. Dum Dum offers its own take on the cronut, but with some far-out toppings, you won’t see anywhere else. The options at any of their three locations include the dulce de leche Peter Andre’s Yum Yum Dum Dum, the coconut-infused Croconut, and the super-popular Zebra with layered traditional and chocolate croissant dough."

"Introducing the 'Cro Nutella, Galaxy and Choc Berry' from @dumdumdoughnuts 🙌 – Find them in Unit 31 pic.twitter.com/cwwW0vlCWx. — BOXPARK SHOREDITCH (@boxpark) October 19, 2020. Location: Unit 31, Box Park, Shoreditch."

"The croissant/doughnut hybrid at Dum Dums have been selling like hot cakes… I mean cronuts!. Right now they’re one of the most popular desserts in London. So what makes them special?"

"Since it was originally introduced at Dominique Ansel Bakery, variations of the cronut have spread all over the world, and Rinkoffs Bakery in London has its own great take on the pastry called the Crodough. Of course, Rinkoffs isn’t content to offer only one flavor and has plenty of toppings including oreo, raspberry, toffee apple crumble, peanut butter & jelly, and much more. You can purchase individually or select from a few assortments, including the Crodoughbouche, a towering stack of 250 Crodoughs that’s perfect for catered events and gatherings."

"Whatever your stance on the croissant-doughnut hybrid, you've got to admire the dedication to the crodough cause at this E1 institution. They usually have 10 or more flavours on offer — all of them flamboyant, some of them highly controversial (Crème Egg Crodough, we’re looking at you), others fried, layered crowd-pleasers like the Raspberry Crodough. Rinkoff Bakery, 224, Jubilee Street, E1 3BS"

"Family run business, Rinkoff Bakery has been serving up delicious baked goods and sweet treats for over 100 years and their quality hasn’t faltered once. You can enjoy their special home baked treats from both of their stores, including their infamous Crodoughs, a fun take on the croissant and doughnut trend. Location: Jubilee Street & Vallance Roadwww.rinkoffbakery.co.uk"

"Bakers Mathew and Andrew met while working in Melbourne and decided to return to London to set up their own business. Chewy Cookie is all about quality, ethically sourced cookies. The doughs are aged for 24 hours before baking (and we can attest to how great they taste)."

"Floozie Cookie founder, pastry chef Kimberly Lin, has a CV that includes Claridge’s, The Savoy and Dominique Ansel Bakery. She’s made a name for herself with Floozie which specialises in vegan stuffed cookies. Options might include Pecan Pie - butterscotch cookie dough, topped with toasted pecans and stuffed with date caramel."

"How does a vanilla cookie coated with crispy cinnamon cereal, and stuffed with rich speculoos cream sound?. Like something you want in on?. Well it’s your lucky day, because this Covent Garden pop-up turned nationwide cookie delivery service is delivering boxes of its vegan stuffed cookies around the country."

"A soft-and-crisp, pecan-studded butterscotch cookie with a filling of date caramel, it’s creamy in the centre, warming – not sugary sweet – and completely vegan too. 5 James St, London WC2E 8BH. Open for take-away and nationwide delivery."

"Nestled in Battersea Park, this Children’s Zoo may not exactly be big, but that’s part of its charm. They house a range of mammals, reptiles and birds, from farm to smaller exotics animals. With various feeding times, picnic and play areas and children’s rides, this zoo is especially good for the little ones."

"Battersea Park Children's Zoo is home to a host of farmyard animals, flamingos, otters and monkeys. Battersea Park, London, SW11 4NJ. Tube: Sloane Square Station"