The best of London's Museums & Sights:

With so much to see and do in London, it is difficult to choose what to visit, especially if your time is limited. So, aside from the obvious main sites (The Tower of London; Westminster Abbey; Tower Bridge; etc) I have chosen a selection of what I think would be the highlights of any visit to London.

If you are looking for things to do in London for free, take a look at London Free List - an excellent new site which lists all the events and attractions in London that you don't need much money to go to. They are all either free or cost no more than £3 maximum. Over 1500 entries are listed and the site is updated daily. Another good place to look is the Independent newspapers guide to the 50 best things to do in London for free.

Also recommended is dooyoo.co.uk - this is a UK consumer site, where you can read people's opinions on London - everything from the best restaurants; bars; pubs and places to stay; to the best attractions and sights; museums and galleries; theatres & operas; cinemas; musicals; internet cafes; festivals & events; nightlife; parks and gardens; shops; markets and more! A brilliant idea and very useful for anybody intending to visit London or living in London. You can even become a member (it's free) and add your own opinions! If you want to find out which London attractions and sights ordinary people have rated the '5 best in London'; this is the place to go. Very useful for unbiased opinions of Covent Garden; The Tower of London; The London Eye; Tower Bridge and other popular London attractions.

Museums:

• The British Museum. An enormous museum (the largest in Britain, so choose what you want to see and go early). Free entry. Great Russell Street,WC1. Holborn or Russell Square tube.
• The Museum of the Moving Image. An excellent museum of film and television - from the earliest history of cinema to the present day. South Bank. SE1. Tube: Waterloo.
• The Natural History Museum. All creatures great and small and all things natural. Entry is free after 4:30 pm on weekdays and after 5:00 pm at weekends. Cromwell Road,SW7. Tube: South Kensington.
• The Imperial War Museum. Lambeth Road. SE1. Tube:Lambeth North.
• HMS Belfast. A cruiser moored on the Thames. Fought in WW2, but now a floating museum. Tube: Tower Hill or London Bridge.

  For more Museums, try London Museums: links to many of Londons most popular museums from Yahoo or the excellent MuseumNet, which has details of museums throughout the UK.

  Churches:

• St Pauls Cathedral. A magnificent building. Climb to the top of the dome for stunning views of the city.
  Tube: St Pauls.
• Westminster Abbey. One of the most visited churches in the Christian world and has played a significant role throughout British history. Tube: Westminster.
  

  New London Sights and Museums:

• BA London Eye. This huge ferris wheel offers spectacular views of London. This is the worlds largest observation wheel with 32 capsules, each transporting up to 25 passengers on a half hour ride above the South bank of the Thames. You can book in advance by phoning 0870 500 0600.
• Vinopolis, City of Wine. A new multimedia wine museum (the world's first!) opened last year and offers a variety of interactive exhibits. Naturally, you can also buy wine and wine related gifts as well as sample food and wine in the Mediterranean style restaurant and wine bar. Open daily from 10am to 5:30pm.
• Tate Modern. This stunning new gallery of international modern art (Britain's new national museum of modern art) features works by the 20th Century's most influential artists including Dali, Bacon, Picasso, Hockney, Pollock, Matisse and Andy Warhol. The location is the old Bankside Power Station, which is located alongside the Thames opposite St Paul's cathedral. The Millennium bridge will link the Modern Tate to St Pauls on the other side of the river. Admission free.

  Other sights and places to visit:

• St James's Park. One of central London's most beautiful parks with excellent views of Whitehall and Buckingham Palace across the lake.
• Kew Gardens. Royal Botanical Gardens, at their best in Spring (May/June). Tube: Kew Gardens or arrive by riverboat!
• Hampton Court Palace. Henry VIII lived here and it was extended in the 17th century. Historic, beautiful and fascinating. British Rail from Waterloo to Hampton Court or arrive by riverboat.
• Greenwich and the Docklands. Site of the infamous Millennium Dome; the world's only surviving tea clipper the Cutty Sark and Gypsy Moth the boat used to make the first English solo circumnavigation of the world in 1966-67, Greenwich makes a good day out from central London. The best way to arrive here is by riverboat and a return journey can be made by crossing the foot tunnel under the Thames and taking the Docklands Light railway back to the city of London. Greenwich is also the site of the National Maritime Museum and the Old Royal Observatory in the attractive Greenwich Park. Crossing the Thames via the foot tunnel will take you to the Isle of Dogs and the modern buildings of London's Docklands where you will get a wonderful view of the Royal Naval College and Queens House from Island Gardens.

  Secret London (Globetrotter Walking Guides) .  Aimed at visitors and Londoners alike, this fully updated edition of "Secret London" unlocks the cities most fascinating secrets - both above and below ground. Historian Andrew Duncan strips away bricks, mortar and tarmac to uncover parts of the capital that even born-and-bred Londoners may never have seen. Below ground, he guides readers through abandoned Underground stations, to Clerkenwell's amazing network of subterranean prison cells. Above ground, he leads the way through narrow alleyways and cobbled mews, revealing unexpected treasures and describing rarely seen interiors and special collections. Opening times and addresses, detailed route maps and evocative photos complement the text. This book can be ordered online at a discount price directly from amazon USA for fast delivery in the USA and Canada, or in the UK from amazon UK.

  
  

  A brief round up of other London sights:

• Nelson's Column in Trafalgar square commemorates Admiral Nelson and stands in Trafalgar Square.
• Big Ben is the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, nearest tube is Westminster.
• Buckingham Palace is the London residence of the Royal Family and tours of the State Apartments take place during summer. Changing of the guard takes place daily from mid April until the end of July and on alternate days the rest of the year at 11:30 am.
• The Bank of England is in Bartholomew Lane in the city, the nearest tube is Bank and there is a small museum with free admission.
• Monument is a memorial to the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the energetic can get a good view by climbing the 311 steps to the top. Tube: Monument.
• Shakespeare's Globe Theatre is a recent reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre which burned down in 1613 and stages Shakespeare productions with audience participation encouraged! Nearest tube: London Bridge.
• The Museum of London is an interesting Museum that tells the history of London from prehistoric times to the present day.

Probably the best way to see the sights of London is on foot and you could always consider going on one of the many themed walks offered by 'The Original London Walks', who are the oldest established walking tour company in London.

For more information on sights and museums in London, take a look at the list of recommended sites on our links page or see the excellent site - The 24 Hour Museum - a UK gateway to museums, galleries and heritage attractions. It is quality controlled which means that only museums and galleries registered with the Museums & Galleries Commission, or non-profit making galleries, historic houses and heritage attractions are included on this site.

The British Museum Gift Shop - now online!

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