Last updated July 24th, 2021
St Brides Church Crypt Museum is full of historical information about the old style Fleet Street. It includes the original copies of The Daily Courant and the Universal Daily Register, which later became the Times newspaper. It provides a capsule history of London and displays remnants of every building that has stood on the site, including Roman walls and floors.
Note: Owing to temporary closures the times below may not accurately reflect current opening hours.
Dr Johnson’s House is a museum and was the home of Samuel Johnson. He came to London from Lichfield, with just three half pennies to his name. He rose to fame when he wrote the first English dictionary. Admission fees apply and concessions are also available.
The Tate Modern Shop has over 10,000 titles focussed on art and and the history of art. There is also a range of postcards, posters, prints and stationery products.
The Tate Modern displays international modern art from 1900 to the present day as well as contemporary works by Surrealists and Dadaists. Furthermore the new gallery has an auditorium and a cafe offering outstanding views across London. Admission is free.
Somerset House is the Courtauld Gallery of world famous paintings. There is a public promenade that hosts an open air cafe and restaurant. Admission is free of charge as well as the surrounding public areas of Somerset House. Perfect for educational and group visits. It has recently been extended to include the Hermitage rooms, housing five galleries decorated in the style of St Petersburg’s famous State Hermitage Museum. Admission is one pound which goes straight to the Hermitage foundation.
Focusing on the work of young artists, the Jerwood Gallery has established itself as one of London’s significant exhibition spaces for contemporary art. The year-round programme of one-person and thematic group exhibitions also includes the prestigious Jerwood Painting Prize. The 2,600 sq ft Jerwood Gallery comprises three interconnected spaces and an adjacent sculpture gallery. Admission to the gallery is free and the cafe is open daily.
John Soane was a famous architect, his most famous building being the Bank of England. The museum is home to art and antiquities. The museum itself was actually his home and is arranged just as he left it, with an ingenious ground plan and an informal treasure hunt atmosphere. His main exhibits are the Egyptian sarcophagus of Seti I, medieval casts and gargoyles. Admission is free.
The New Islington Museum opened its doors in May 2008. Using the collection it has acquired over the past 20 years, the museum explores the borough s history through a number of exciting ways. It is based on objects relevant to the borough s varied and important history from the Roman period through to modern times. The current exhibition celebrates Islington through graphic art.