London

Britain, places to visit, attractions, heritage
Find places to visit in Britain by name, location, type of attraction, or other keyword.

This listings directory of over 950 entries is being phased out.
It now excludes places and things of interest in the North of England, including Yorkshire.
These can be found in ABAB’s Places.
Places to visit in England’s East Midlands are currently being moved to ABAB’s Places.

Tap/Click ‘find listings’ for a detailed search – or just have a browse. 

NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM (The)

This is the museum of the British Army, telling the fascinating story of the service from the 17th century to the present day and exploring its place in society.  The museum holds some intriguing items in its collections, as well as obvious items such as a vast array of uniforms and weaponry.  The layout is a good mix of audio-visual together with items traditionally displayed in glass cases.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Royal Hospital Road
Chelsea
County
London
Post Code
SW3 4HT
Main Historic Period
Modern
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
The Royal Hospital, Kings Road Chelsea. Nearest tube, Sloane Square.
Primary Management
Military
NATIONAL GALLERY (The)

The National Gallery houses the British nation's national collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Established in 1824, the Nastional Gallery is regularly in the top 10 most visited attractions in Britain and includes works by Vermeer, Titian, Cezanne, Monet, van Dyck, Gainsborough, Rubens, Rembrandt, van Gogh, Holbein, Turner, Constable, Raphael, Cannaletto, Caravaggio, da Vinci, Botticelli.

Entry is free.

Interesting factoid - the columns of the portico were taken from Carlton House when it was demolished. Carlton House was once home to the Prince Regent, later George IV.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Trafalgar Square
County
London
Post Code
WC2N 5DN
Main Historic Period
N/A
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
National Portrait Gallery is next door
Primary Management
HM Government
NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

The National Maritime Museum is allegedly the world’s largest maritime museum with a collection that includes artwork, maps and charts, models, memorabilia and thousands of other objects - such as an impressive number of figureheads and items relating to Horatio Nelson and Captain Cook. The museum opened in 1937 and is part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Romney Road
Greenwich
County
London
Post Code
SE10 9NF
Main Historic Period
All
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Royal Observatory, Queen's House, Cutty Sark, Greenwich Park
Primary Management
Royal Museums Greenwich
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY (The)

The National Portrait Gallery was founded in 1856 to collect portraits of famous British people. Its collection includes over 200,000 portraits from the 16th Century to the present day in a wide variety of different mediums. These include drawings, miniatures, negatives, paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures and many more.

'NPG' can get very crowded - but it's fascinating. You'll find it on the north of Trafalgar Square, next to the National Gallery.

Entry is free - this is a national collection.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
St Martin's Place
County
London
Post Code
WC2N 0HE
Main Historic Period
N/A
Useful Website Address
Primary Management
HM Government
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM (The)

The Natural History Museum houses an enormous collection of items and specimens relating to the life and earth sciences: botany (plants); entomology (insects); mineralogy (the properties of minerals); paleontology (ancient life forms and fossils) and zoology (animals).  It is renowned for its dinosaur skeletons, which kids adore - and its architecture.  It is a national museum and entry is free.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Cromwell Road
County
London
Post Code
SW7 5BD
Main Historic Period
N/A
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Adjacent to the Science Museum and the V&A
Primary Management
HM Government
OLD OPERATING THEATRE

London's Old Operating Theatre is a restored Victorian operating theatre in the garret of a church - and the 'herb garret, is an eclectic display of old medical instruments and treatments. Something a little different - it can be both gruesome and bizarre!

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Museum & Herb Garret
9a St Thomas Street
Southwark
County
London
Post Code
SE1 9RY
Main Historic Period
Victorian
Link to featured article
Tip/Nearby
An easy walk from London Bridge
Primary Management
Other
PARLIAMENT HILL

Parliament Hill is a high point of 322 feet (98 metres) on the southern side of Hampstead Heath. It is said to be named because it was part of the London defences for Parliamentary Forces during the English Civil War in the 17th century. Now it is better known for its views over central London and for kite-flying. There is a viewpoint indicator which identifies landmark buildings to the south. To the north-east is an attractive view of neighbouring Highgate.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
East Heath Road
Hampstead
County
London
Post Code
NW3 1BN
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Kenwood House, Keats' House
Primary Management
Local Authority
Peter Pan

The Scottish author J M Barrie erected a statue to his creation in Kensington Gardens in 1912, on the spot near the Long Water, where Peter landed having flown out of his nursery.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Kensington
County
London
Post Code
W2 2UH
Main Historic Period
Modern
Link to featured article
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Post code is very approximate. Use a map and explore Kensington Gardens
Primary Management
Royal Parks
POSTAL MUSEUM (The)

OPENING 28 JULY 2017
A new museum telling the story of what is billed as the first social network. Remember, philately will get you everywhere. It's a bit more than stamps though - it includes a section of subterranean railway, part of a network that Royal Mail used to use to help deliver London's post.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Phoenix Place
Clerkenwell
County
London
Post Code
WC1X 0DA
Main Historic Period
Modern
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
Not far from the Dickens Museum. Nearest tube station Farringdon or Russell Square.
Primary Management
Other
Postman's Park

Postman's Park opened in 1880 on the site of the former churchyard and burial ground of St Botolph's Aldersgate. It was popular with workers from the old General Post Office nearby - hence its name - and is home to the unusual Watts Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice. G F Watts (1817-1904) was a painter and philanthropist who proposed a park commemorating 'heroic men and women' who had given their lives attempting to save others. The result is an installation at the park consisting of glazed tablets containing bare information about dramatic acts in which ordinary people - men, women and children - perished trying to save others.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
King Edward Street
County
London
Post Code
EC1A 7BT
Main Historic Period
Edwardian
Useful Website Address
Tip/Nearby
St Paul's tube station
Primary Management
Local Authority

If your favourite attraction is not listed yet, and you have a good quality digital photograph of it that you are able to freely send, please get in touch. 

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