Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Kennington

"One of the biggest, busiest and most popular museums in the United Kingdom, the British Museum is astounding to visit and is home to one of the largest collections in the world. With huge galleries that house artifacts from around the globe, one could spend months in the museum and still not see everything. There are over eight million items on show; visitors will pass sarcophaguses and statues, ancient texts, art and armor, as well as jewelry, coins and more on their voyage of discovery around the museum."

"London has lots of top class museums and galleries, so picking one out is difficult. The British Museum stands out from a photography perspective. That’s because of the photo you can take there juxtaposing the new modern roofing against the older buildings."

"If you only visit one museum in London, then the British Museum should be it. Dedicated to human history and culture, the collections comprise over eight million items and document human culture from beginning to present."

"This treasure house of art and design is a hit with older children who appreciate the stylish presentation and the focus not only on historic artefacts, but also on contemporary design, fashion and celebrity. There are fabulous fashion, jewellery, architecture, photography and performing arts galleries, plus masses of inspiration for budding artists of all types. Explore stage make-up, fashion illustration, Asian art and digital photography and much more."

"The V&A focuses on art and design as well as sculpture, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. For teens who are interested in fashion, and particularly the design and creative side of things is a must-see."

"One of the greatest art and design museums in the world, the V&A contains some of the best examples of Renaissance works of art and most precious jewel collections surviving in the world today."

"Once collectively known singularly as the Tate Gallery, London now has two Tate art galleries: Tate Britain and Tate Modern. Comprising one of the world's most important art collections, the original gallery opened in 1897 as the basis of a national collection of significant British art, and continued to make acquisitions, needing more space to properly display its collections. The end result was the establishment of Tate Britain, in Millbank on the north side of the Thames, as home to its permanent collection of historic British paintings."

"The former Bankside Power Station was selected as the new gallery site in 1994. The original building, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, was constructed in two phases between 1947 and 1963. Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron were commissioned to convert the building into a gallery, making use of the power station’s iconic oil tanks."

"The Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located on the south bank of the River Thames. They have a permanent free exhibition, as well as seasonal ones that you will have to pay for if you want to see them. Personally I found the permanent free exhibition more than enough to occupy a full afternoon."

"With more than 2300 European masterpieces in its collection, this is one of the world's great galleries, with seminal works from the 13th to the mid-20th century, including masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian, Vincent van Gogh and Auguste Renoir. Many visitors flock to the eastern rooms on the main floor (1700–1930), where works by British artists such as Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable and JMW Turner, and Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces by Van Gogh, Renoir and Claude Monet await."

"It includes all the major attractions (e.g., Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and the National Gallery), but also includes several lesser known sites and encourages you to explore several of London’s diverse neighborhoods including Westminster, Greenwich, Kensington, and Camden. We suggest using this itinerary as a starting point for planning your 6 days in London, not as a definitive itinerary, and you can edit it to put together your own personal itinerary that reflects your own needs and interests."

"From Pre-Raphaelite paintings to landscapes by Turner and Francis Bacon's distorted nudes, there's lots to look at in Tate Britain. The gallery is home to the largest collection of British art in the world. Eat at the gallery's restaurant and study the famous Rex Whistler mural between mouthfuls!"

"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 Cinema Museum in London was founded in the 1980s by Ronald Grant and Martin Humphries. Grant and Humphries filled the museum with objects from their private collection of cinema memorabilia. The museum is housed in the workhouse where Charlie Chaplin lived during his childhood."

"London’s Cinema Museum is devoted to keeping alive the spirit of cinema from the days before the multiplex. Admission is only via joining one of their regular guided tours, which costs £10."

"London's Dulwich Picture Gallery is the oldest public art gallery in the country, opening its doors in 1817. The gallery was designed by architect Sir John Soane and is a Grade II listing on England's National Heritage List for its design. Today, the Dulwich Picture Gallery has one of England's best collections of Old Masters."

"Dulwich Picture Gallery opened in 1817 in Southwark, southeast London. It is the first purpose-built and London’s oldest art gallery. Nowadays besides the permanent collection of Old Master paintings, the gallery offers a program of temporary exhibitions, as well as public events that engage the community."

"Head to pretty Dulwich in south London, where you’ll find works by the likes of Rembrandt, Gainsborough and Canaletto at Dulwich Picture Gallery. Alongside its collection of Baroque masterpieces, England’s first purpose-built gallery hosts regular exhibitions spanning many art movements and mediums."

"This area of South London is its very own artistic hub, home to colleges, galleries and numerous artists and studios. The South London Gallery, in a superb Victorian building between Peckham and Camberwell, opened in 1891, and its mission was to bring art to the people, as it still does to this day. As well as changing exhibitions of contemporary art, there is a great cafe that serves Peckham’s best coffee, and an beautiful garden designed by Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco, with support from horticulturists at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew."

"With a reputation for its programme of contemporary art exhibitions, film and performance events, the South London Gallery is an internationally acclaimed contemporary art space. Over the past decade the South London Gallery has featured solo exhibitions by established international figures, as well as those by younger and mid-career artists."

"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."

"The Bankside Gallery in London was opened in 1980 by Her Majesty, the Queen. The public gallery, located near the Thames, houses the Royal Watercolour Society and Royal Society of Painter Printmakers. The gallery displays rotating exhibits focused on modern watercolours and prints."

"Restaurants Chinese Marylebone. ‘Family eating’ is second nature to the Chinese, so it’s no surprise that this palatial rendezvous, located just a stroll from Madame Tussauds, is good with the kids. Sit with your little’uns at one of the big circular tables and share the spoils from some superior dim sum – ideal finger food for youngsters who haven’t yet mastered the art of chopsticks."

"Restaurants Chinese Marylebone. Decked out in lavish Oriental style, Phoenix Palace is a favourite of international businessmen, but its easy-going bustle also suits local families who crowd round circular tables for the excellent weekend dim sum (reservations are a must unless you fancy queueing). Dinner is a blast during Chinese New Year."

"What: There is something captivating about dining in a market, and Chamberlain’s position in the atmospheric labyrinth of Leadenhall is no different. The longstanding restaurant, which has been open since 1947, serves a menu of impeccable fish dishes, all of which come beautifully presented. Opt for classic combinations such as Orkney scallops with lardo or treat yourself to the most indulgent of dinners and order the turbot with truffle.Where: 23-25 Leadenhall Market, EC3V 1LR"

"Located right in Diagon Alley – better known to muggles as Leadenhall Market – is this behemoth of a restaurant. It spans three floors, has its very own outdoor terrace within the historic market, and boasts a total of four private dining rooms. Moreover, as it’s owned by the prestigious Billingsgate wholesaler Chamberlain & Thelwell, it has access to the very best seafood in town."

"Offering chic interiors that mix rustic features with contemporary styling, Horvada is one of the prettiest restaurants in London. Interiors aside, they've got some gorgeous plates of food to boot, and a selection of cocktails that were made for the gram."