Free Museums in Purley

"The most-visited modern art gallery in the world, partly because it holds the national collection of British art from 1900 to the present day, as well as international modern and contemporary art, but mainly because the 6th floor members’ cafe has one of London’s best views. Which is like art in itself, man."

"Part of the Tate group with three other museums, including Tate Britain, Tate Modern's collection showcases the national British art collection from 1900 through today. It also displays international art from the same time period. Tate Modern is among the biggest contemporary art museums in the world."

"Sitting grandly on the banks of the Thames is Tate Modern, Britain's national museum of modern and contemporary art. Its unique shape is due to it previously being a power station. The gallery's restaurants offer fabulous views across the city."

"Nearly 6 million people visited the National Gallery in 2015 – and small wonder. Right in the heart of London, overlooking Trafalgar Square, room upon room contain masterworks by the likes of Cézanne, Monet, Gainsborough, Rubens, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Constable. It’s a quite extraordinary collection, and there’s so much to see, you might want to follow this guide to 30 must see paintings to guide you through."

"1824: The première of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9; the Egyptians capture Crete; ‘New Holland’ becomes ‘Australia’; some government guys in Britain bought 38 paintings. Now: Beethoven’s no longer in the charts, Australia still has an identity crisis, and The National Gallery has over 2,300 works tracing the complete development of Western European painting from virtually every European school of art."

"It is a free site to visit with free guide tours and multiple language audio tours. There are various free activities available for families and children too. This museum boasts a huge collection of more than 2,000 paintings from the mid-13th century to 1900."

"Tate Britain is part of the Tate organization that includes three other museums: Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool, and Tate St. Ives. Tate Britain, once known as the National Gallery of British Art and the Tate Gallery, contains a huge collection of British art dating back to Tudor times. Tate Britain is one of the biggest museums in the United Kingdom, attracting more than one million guests through its doors annually."

"Another member of the Tate group, Tate Britain is actually older than the larger and better-known Tate Modern, dating all the way back to 1897. While the Tate Modern holds international modern artwork, Tate Britain is now dedicated to historical and contemporary British art. Nearest tube station: Pimlico."

"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."

"Home to over 11,000 portraits, this delightful art gallery focusses on famous British people through the ages and is located not too far from Trafalgar Square. A remarkable place to wander around, portraits, photos, sculptures and drawings of some of the country’s most influential and well-known figures gaze upon you as you make your way through the galleries. While its most famous portrait is undoubtedly the painting of William Shakespeare, more contemporary pieces do not look out of place alongside artworks that date back hundreds of years."

"London's National Portrait Gallery is a premiere art museum in the heart of the city. The National Portrait Gallery was the world's very first portrait gallery upon its 1856 opening. The gallery's collection focuses heavily on portraits of people who were important to Britain over the years; the gallery is less concerned with who produced the painting, but rather places its value on who the portrait is of."

"The National Portrait Gallery was founded in 1856 with a single aim: to gather together portraits of famous (and infamous) Britons throughout…"

"Funnily enough, the Museum of Childhood is actually first and foremost geared towards adults who want to relive their own childhoods, but don’t worry – they’ve planned ahead and know that many adults will be bringing their own children. For toddlers, there are interactive exhibits featuring toys and games at the Museum of Childhood, as well as drop-in activities including crafting and storytelling to get your toddler involved in some educational play."

"In the East end of London is the V&A satellite, the Museum of Childhood. The museum has been collecting childhood related objects since 1872 and is home to one of the world’s finest collections of children’s toys, doll’s houses, games and costumes dating back to the 1600s. There’s plenty to keep kids busy with free daily activities including arts and crafts, tours, storytelling and treasure hunts."

"Technically a part of the V&A, the Museum of Childhood has gained an excellent reputation as one of the best free things to do in London. With a collection of toys spanning centuries, the museum is the perfect day out for kids, while adults will also surely find something to wake their nostalgia. Museum of Childhood © Flickr Andrea Vail"

"It is home to Kirkaldy's giant testing machine that clocks in at more than 47 feet long, along with other smaller, modern pieces of equipment. The Kirkaldy Machine is kept in working condition at the museum. The museum is available to the public on the first Sunday of each month."

"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."

"The Wiener Library for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide is the oldest organization in the world devoted to the study of the Holocaust. The Wiener Library was founded in 1933 to keep Jewish communities up to date on Nazi persecution. Later, it became a research institute and public access library following the end of World War II. The library today has an estimated 70,000 books, 2,000 document, 45,000 photographs and 3,000 periodicals."

"From fully-qualified doctors to avid viewers of Holby City, this museum will remind you of how surgery used to be a whole lot more gruesome back in the day. Europe’s oldest surviving operating theatre is in Southwark, dating back more than 300 years. Nowadays you can tour the theatre, which has been kept exactly as it was when it was used during a time of no anaesthetic (ow), no antiseptic (ew) and certainly no antibiotics (crikey)."

"The V&A's Theatre Collections hold the UK's national collection of material about live performance in the UK since Shakespeare's day, covering drama, dance, musical theatre, circus, music hall, rock and pop, and other forms of live entertainment. Theatre and Performance galleries dedicated to the performing arts, display works of art, costumes, ephemera, video recordings, puppets, posters and photographs."

"This long-standing Soho institution houses a members club and restaurant, with Jeremy Lee at the stoves. Comfort and good taste exudes from the leather banquettes, crisp linen and floral displays, as well as the cooking. Jeremy achieves a rare combination of hearty and delicate British food with the skill of French technique – the baked salsify with parmesan and the smoked eel sandwich have both become house specialities."

"Soho stalwart Quo Vadis had been delighting customers since 1926, and even more so now with head chef Jeremy Lee’s innovative dishes. Expect punchy pasties, super-fresh seafood platters and retro takes on classics (try the pie and mash). Address: Quo Vadis, 26-29 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D 3LLWebsite:quovadissoho.co.ukOpen: Monday 17 May"

"Chef Jeremy Lee’s seasonal British and Mediterranean menus — spanning pies, salads, and old-fashioned puddings — are the reason to visit this classic Soho restaurant. A handful of outside tables on Dean Street are the way to go."

"We'll start our rundown of the best family friendly restaurants in London with a trip to the riverside. Perched on the side of the water and offering one of the best outdoor terraces in the city, The Blue Boat is a friendly and familiar gastropub. Let the kids pick something from the children's menu while you weigh up the rest of the fresh and seasonal fare on offer, then head outside for a drink in the serene garden once the plates have been cleared away."

"Good news for disorganised Londoners: most of the seats at new Brixton restaurant Temaki will be walk-ins, with only a few spots you can reserve. ‘Temaki’ means ‘hand roll’ in Japanese and this place claims to be London’s first hand-roll bar, so it’s kind of a big deal. Unsurprisingly, temaki sushi is the focus here – expect traditional combinations such as unagi eel or tuna with fresh wasabi and soy, as well as regularly rotating seasonal specials."

"In a nutshell: Handroll sushi bar in Brixton Market Where is it?. Unit 12 Market Row, Brixton, London, SW9 8LD Why should you care?. A top Japanese chef is promising to serve up some excellent hand rolls at this tiny Brixton sushi bar."