Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Leigh Common

"The British Museum in London’s Bloomsbury was founded in 1753 and was the first national museum in the world to cover all fields of human knowledge. The impressive museum now has a permanent collection of over eight million artefacts which span two million years of human history, art and culture. And if the museum’s extensive free collections aren’t enough to draw you in, then its architecture certainly will."

"The British Museum has an amazing collection that spans over two million years of human history. It is also home to the largest collection of ancient Egyptian material outside of Cairo."

"Art-lovers can spend hours inside the Tate Modern and the National Portrait Gallery, while theater-goers will want to buy tickets for Shakespeare’s Globe or the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Walking through one of London’s numerous parks is also an option, and so is admiring the architecture of Tower Bridge, the Gherkin, or St. Paul’s Cathedral. In the evenings, have some fish and chips in a pub or enjoy London’s multicultural dining options. You will stay in the city until the morning of Day 3."

"Sitting grandly on the banks of the Thames is Tate Modern.Britain's national museum of modern and contemporary art has a unique design due to the building's previous life as a power station. Inside, you'll find temporary exhibitions by top artists from Damien Hirst to Gauguin and restaurants offering fabulous views across the city."

"The Tate Modern is free to enter and is home to an extensive collection of modern art dating from the 1900s to present day. Quick Tip: The restaurant at the Tate Modern offers a beautiful view of London. The museum is also open later on Fridays and Saturdays."

"Housing masterpieces by painters including van Gogh, Renoir, da Vinci and Michelangelo, the National Gallery is home to one of the world’s most impressive art collections, and sees over six million visitors every year. Avoid the hordes by visiting on weekday mornings or Friday evenings. Whatever time you go, the permanent collections are always free."

"If you only make time to visit a few museums during your London trip, The National Gallery should be at the top of your list. The gallery sits proudly overlooking Trafalgar Square and features an impressive collection with more than 2,300 pieces from the mid 1200s to 1900. It’s certainly one of the best free art museums in London, and a must see."

"The crowning glory of Trafalgar Square, London's National Gallery is a vast space filled with western European paintings from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Find works by masters such as Van Gogh, da Vinci, Botticelli, Constable, Renoir, Titian and Stubbs. Some exhibitions require tickets."

"The National Portrait Gallery presents a who’s who of British history. Located just behind the National Gallery, it houses a remarkable collection of paintings, sculptures, photographs, miniatures and works on paper, and takes visitors on a unique journey through British history featuring Tudor kings and queens all the way up to contemporary artists and actors. Some of the masters of portraiture on display include Hans Holbein, Sir Joshua Reynolds and Paula Rego."

"Essential building works have closed the National Portrait Gallery until spring 2023, but before Google or Wikipedia, this is where the British came to put a face to the names of famous historical figures from the country's history. As such, the paintings are prized more for their subjects rather than their artists. Highlights include portraits of Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth II, the latter courtesy of pop art sensation Andy Warhol."

"Located in an adjoining building to the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery houses a collection of historic portraits of important and famous British people. Nearest tube station: Charing Cross."

"The Wallace Collection, in Hertford House, a grand 19th-century townhouse on Manchester Square and the former residence of the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, now plays host to the family’s extraordinary collection of art and artefacts. It features exquisite examples of Urbino maiolica and Sèvres porcelain, miniatures kept in covered cases and imperious armoury on the ground floor. But the star attraction is the collection of works by European artists such as François Boucher, Anthony van Dyck, Peter Paul Rubens, and Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn."

"The Wallace Collection is a London art gallery made up of the collection of the Marquess family. The art all dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries and was gathered by five generations of the Marquesses along with Sir Richard Wallace, who was an illegitimate Marquess son. Today, the collection contains more than five thousand pieces."

"Located within the heart of the city, surrounded by buzzy shops, cobbled streets and just a short walk from the Cathedral, the St Albans Museum & Gallery is the city’s arts and cultural hub, presenting an eclectic array of traditional and contemporary artworks spanning the past 2,000 years. Explore the exhibitions, discover the historic building’s history and delight in tea and scones in the Courtroom café. stalbansmuseums.org.uk"

"Art fans were a very happy bunch when the Hayward Gallery reopened its doors in early 2018 after two years off, and were even happier when things kicked off with an exhibition by large scale photographer Andreas Gursky. The Brutalist building focuses largely on contemporary art with the occasional nod to its modernist roots, and its exhibition programme is diverse as group shows on gender identity and retrospectives on major artists like Bridget Riley. Southbank Centre, 337-338 Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX, southbankcentre.co.uk"

"18.2_Installation view of Lee Bul, Willing To Be Vulnerable – Metalized Balloon, 2015-2016 at Hayward Gallery_Lee Bul 2018_Photo by Linda Nylind. The Hayward Gallery is located in the Southbank Centre in central London and belongs to the group of arts venues on the South Bank of the River Thames. The building is another example of brutalist architecture."

"Hayward Gallery is a world-renowned contemporary art gallery and a landmark of Brutalist architecture. Since its inaugural exhibition in 1968, the gallery has presented the work of many of the world’s most influential and inventive artists."

"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 Australian Shoreditch. Lantana’s weekend brunch menu rings the changes when compared to the standard menus on offer throughout the week. A few classics (think smashed avocado and honey granola with Greek yoghurt) sit alongside more unusual assemblies including duck and sweet potato hash, a salmon poke bowl and a pork belly bánh mì burger with gochujang mayo."

"With its promise of ‘health and happiness’ boxes and its ‘fresh not fried’ ethos, Itsu epitomises Asian-themed clean fast food. It was a colour-coded conveyor-belt pioneer, but sushi is just one of its ‘eat beautiful’ star turns – don’t miss the ‘potsu’ pots, fusion gyoza and rice bowls. Flagship site: 47 King’s Road, SW3 4NB"

"This small chain of informal Indian eateries is a firm favourite of ours for a cheap and cheerful meal that doesn’t cut corners on taste. Alongside classic curries, dhals and biryanis, choose from a selection of dishes inspired by the street food of India, such as bhel (a puffed rice salad) or aloo tikki chaat (a spiced potato cake). Or to keep choosing to a minimum, go for one of the thalis – a platter including bread, rice and a selection of mains for little over a tenner."

"Of the seven branches across London, Masala Zone Covent Garden will most appeal to younger diners, as they can gawk at the traditional Indian puppets that festoon the place as they wait for their food. Although they can occupy themselves at every branch with colouring books and crayons which are provided by the amenable staff. Mini thalis with milder curries are available from £6, and for those that can handle more heat, the rolled dosas prove popular."

"Delicious food uniquely from the true sources of Indian food – the gourmet homes & street stalls across India’s regions."

"Uli is the second coming of Michael Lim’s modern Asian restaurant featuring the food of the Chinese diaspora – from regional China through Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. The place originally opened in All Saints Road, but Lim retired three years ago leaving a loyal clientele bereft. Now he’s back, with partner Graham Rebak, and they’ve revamped the operation with a bright new identity and lighter cooking for the clean-eating generation."

"Fans of the minuscule Uli Chinese/Asian on All Saints Road were gutted when it shut a few years ago. Two of them, Graham Rebak and Adam Wilkie, decided to relaunch the restaurant, along with founder Michael Lim. It's small but smart and an outdoor terrace adds space."

"This museum is one of the most atmospheric and fascinating in London. The Georgian building was the beautiful, bewitching home of architect Sir John Soane (1753–1837), which he bequeathed to the nation through an Act of Parliament on condition that it remain untouched after his death and free to visit. It's brimming with Soane's vast collection of art and archaeological purchases, as well as intriguing personal effects and curiosities. The house-museum represents his exquisite and eccentric tastes, persuasions and proclivities."

"Sir John (1753–1837), architect of the Bank of England, bequeathed his eccentric house to the nation on one condition: that nothing…"

"Pure Evil is an artist who has toured and exhibited throughout the world since the 1990s. He operated as a designer for a short while for Anarchic Adjustment, a famous streetwear clothing brand in California while also becoming immersed in the electronic music scene in San Francisco. This drove him to become a recording artist signed to a label in Germany."

"Located among the greenery of Kensington Gardens in London’s Hyde Park, the Serpentine Gallery and its nearby Sackler Gallery—with an extension by Zaha Hadid—have held some of the most exciting exhibitions in the city in recent years. There is also the much-anticipated annual Serpentine Gallery pavilion commission, which since its inception in 2000 has showcased the work of architects like Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Bjarke Ingels, and Francis Kéré. Last year, a black pavilion by Mexican architect Frida Escobedo was on view from June to October."

"They are two contemporary art galleries, the Serpentine Gallery and the Serpentine Sacker Gallery linked by a bridge over the Serpentine Lake. Every year, a leading architect displays his or her design in a temporary summer pavilion near the Serpentine Gallery. Each Pavilion is completed within six months and is situated on the Gallery’s lawn for three months for the public to explore."

"You’ll find a range of contemporary art and architecture at the beautiful Serpentine Gallery. Make sure to also check out the Serpentine Pavillion – a site for international architectural experimentation that changes every year!"