Best Museums in Shadwell

"Now you can cross the Millennium Bridge, a popular pedestrian bridge, to reach the Tate Modern, the largest international modern art gallery in the UK. The museum’s location is unusual as it is based in a former power station building. The museum displays both a permanent collection as well as several temporary exhibitions throughout the year."

"As entwined with the art world as paint, no list of London galleries would be complete without one incarnation of the Tate. Without a doubt the art giant of London, the Tate Modern is home to all things contemporary and unique and always worth a visit. “When my daughter Coco was born, we visited Tate Modern 11 times in her first 6 months!"

"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."

"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."

"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."

"Housing a collection of over 2,000 Western European paintings from the middle ages to the 20th century, the National Gallery is a must-see for art lovers."

"Located on the former site of the Millbank prison, Tate Britain offers one of the most comprehensive collections of historical British art from 1500 to the present day. Founded by Sir Henry Tate, of global sugar brand Tate & Lyle, the striking Neoclassical gallery boasts the world’s largest collection of works by JMW Turner as well as impressive pieces by William Hogarth, William Blake, Angelica Kauffman, John Constable, Richard Dadd, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore. The gallery is located on the River Thames, and you can take a scenic ride on the Tate Boat to its sister gallery, Tate Modern."

"This angle in Tate Britain is taken from a members lounge, but if you ask nicely they may let you up. Even if you don’t get to this exact angle this museum still has lots of other aesthetic architecture you could take photographs of. Best time for pics: DayCost: TicketedLocation: Tate Britain, Millbank, Westminster, London SW1P 4RG"

"Untitled One Hundred Spaces 1995, Resin Various dimensions ©Pinault Collection Rachel Whiteread, Photo ©Tate. Between 1897 and 1932 Tate Britain was known as the National Gallery of British Art and from 1932 to 2000 as the Tate Gallery. The art gallery is located on Millbank in the City of Westminster in London."

"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."

"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."

"In Bethnal Green, this offshoot of the popular V&A museum is dedicated to the childhood experience. Your inner child will love exploring the amazing collection of toys and games from antique dolls’ houses to 1970s action figures. Kids are sure to especially love the hands-on exhibits – little wonder it’s one of the best places to visit with kids in London."

"Out in Bethnal Green, you’ll discover the free Museum of Childhood. Operated and curated by the V&A, it’s home to toys, dolls houses, and thousands of other interesting items, but a major refurbishment is aiming to turn it into a “world-leading museum of design and creativity for children and young people”."

"Spanning the 1600s to the present day—toys, clothes and interactive displays are set within a 1872 hangar with marble floor and visible cast iron frame."

"Based in south London’s Brixton, the Black Cultural Archives is the only place in Britain that is dedicated to the history of the country’s black communities. The museum has a great collection of modern and historical artefacts and photographs that all tell their own stories on the topic of black British culture. When the museum was first coming together 30 years ago, it was a time when the African and Caribbean community in London was severely underappreciated, so the co-founder Len Garrison began collecting what is now one of the most comprehensive collections documenting the cultural heritage of Black Britain."

"With all there is to see at Kew Gardens, you might easily miss the attractive red brick building housing the Marianne North Gallery. But don’t hesitate to take a look inside — the exquisite interior, which incorporates different kinds of wood and stenciled floor tile, is home to more than 800 works of botanical art. Marianne North was a wealthy, single Victorian woman who traveled the world solo in pursuit of interesting plants to paint."

"Another attraction in Kew Gardens, this gallery is dedicated to the work of Marianne North, a Victorian artist who specialised in botanical paintings. The walls of the gallery are covered in her stunning and colourful designs, which show off her incredible natural talent."

"The House of Dreams Museum is the vision of London art director Steven Wright, who has lived in the East Dulwich home since 1982. He began to turn it into a museum in the late 90s. It serves as a shrine to his dead parents and partner."

"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."

"The Horniman Museum is a brilliant London museum for kids located in Forest Hill, South London. This museum features a natural history gallery with a large collection of taxidermy, a musical instrument gallery, an aquarium with 15 exhibits (with ticket purchase) and a calendar of special exhibitions and events. The famous Horniman walrus that has been on display in the museum for over a century, sits in the middle of the natural history gallery with a large collection of taxidermy, skeletons and fossils."

"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."

"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"

"Housed within the brutalist Southbank Centre, the Hayward Gallery is one of London's leading contemporary art galleries. Be captivated by boundary-pushing and thought-provoking shows from some of the world's most adventurous artists, as part of the year-long programme of exhibitions."

"Located in the heart of London’s financial district, the Royal Exchange previously hosted the centre of commerce for the City of London. Today, however, the Royal Exchange hosts a variety of luxury shops, Rolex, Tiffany & Co., Hermes, Gucci…just to give an idea. Luxury restaurants and champagne bars are a great place to take a shopping break and the location of the Royal Exchange, the opposite side of town from our other shopping centres, means it is oftentimes not as busy as the better-known shopping locations of London."

"Not a single shop, but a collection of exclusive boutiques and restaurants, founded in the 16th century and housed in a striking building constructed in 1837. Shops include Hermès, Georg Jensen and Tiffany & Co, and goods available to buy range from fashion and accessories to beauty products and homewares. 3 Royal Court, Royal Exchange, Unit 15C, London EC3V 3LN"

"Restaurants Global Moorgate. It’s American dude food with attitude at this deliberately scruffy City hangout, which comes courtesy of London’s BBQ king Neil Rankin (Pitt Cue, Temper etc). Neon signage flashes and a punk soundtrack plays as punters sit at diner-style booths and hoover up dishes from a deliciously meaty, US-style menu – think pulled pork and kimchi hash, pancakes topped with fried chicken… and lots of good eggs."

"Feast on pancakes topped with fried chicken, banana and maple syrup. City Point, 1 Ropemaker Street, City, London, EC2Y 9AW. Tube: Moorgate Station"

"Restaurants Global Moorgate"

"‘Come hungry, leave wobbly’ is the slogan of this restaurant and bar. Starting out as a humble food truck selling burgers in South London, Meat Liquor have grown into a full chain with restaurants across London, selling not just their famous burgers, but a range of exciting cocktails, chilli dogs, buffalo wings and other American favourites. Sticking close to their roots, their King’s Cross branch is based in a repurposed tram shed, slinging burgers out of a life size replica train."

"Restaurants Burgers Marylebone. Meat and liquor (duh) are the speciality here, with graffiti on the walls and a burger menu that helped kickstart London’s dude food scene. Home of the iconic Dead Hippie burger (two french mustard fried patties smothered in trade-marked sauce), the big surprise is that it’s the buffalo chicken burger that will change your life."

"Burgers , Diner"