We were in London during a heat wave and decided a museum day was in order, to entertain our…read morechildren away from the scorching sun. We settled on the Natural History Museum, and by the time we realized it would provide but faint relief, it was too late to go somewhere else. The Natural History Museum is one of London's spectacular free museums, a beautiful building on Exhibition Road in South Kensington. We were not, apparently, the only family who decided to visit on this hot Thursday afternoon in July, and we ended up waiting in a long, slow line, completely exposed to the sun. They might have put up some umbrellas, but I guess the weather was atypical. Once we were in, we learned that the museum is an old, historic building without much in the way of air conditioning. It was crowded and steamy in there, though still preferable to being outside. There were also a few newer exhibition halls that had proper AC. Thankfully, my three-year-old has a lifelong fascination with fans, and there were dozens of these on display, giant machines designed to ventilate large spaces. He was, in fact, more into these than he was into the dinosaurs, which scared the bejeezus out of him. The museum was definitely top tier, with tons of interesting exhibits to entertain both children and adults. We entered right into Hintze Hall, where a full blue whale skeleton hung suspended over our heads. We also admired a 4.5 billion-year-old meteorite, dating back to the beginning of our solar system. The dinosaur hall was excellent, even if the animatronic T-rex made my little boy cry. We fell prey to one of the photo op stops, and I definitely paid for the downloads like a sucker--what, was I not gonna own the silly green screen pictures of my family among dinosaurs, and more importantly, looking at a camera at the same time? The mammal hall was cool, though I have to say, I missed the grand diorama displays of the mammal halls I've seen back home. We went into a newer exhibit on how to fix our broken planet, mostly for the air conditioning. My kids were less into the conservation stuff than the dinosaurs and fans, but I thought it was quite well done. I actually stopped buying beef treats for my dog as a result of one of the placards, which talked about the impact on the planet of using beef for pet food. We went to two gift shops, the one by the dinosaur hall and the main one near the entrance, and both were quite nice, with lots to look at for our kids. We allowed them to buy stuffies, and our three-year-old bought a tiny dodo and a tiny ankylosaurus (on theme, good job), while our six-year-old bought a flamingo to add to his flamingo collection. If there was a flamingo display at the museum, we missed it, though I suppose I wouldn't be surprised. I can tell by looking at the map now that we missed plenty. We spent a little time in the cafe, for fans and beverages, and I realized as we were leaving that I'd left my sunglasses there over an hour earlier. I was pleasantly surprised to find it at the register waiting for me. We take the kids to natural history museums at home, and I have no doubt we'd make good use of this one if we were raising them nearby. It's a wonderful place, expansive and educational, a truly amazing free resource to anyone spending time in London.

Lots of bones! Plenty of old stuff! Great turn-of-the-century over-the-top ornate architecture!…read morePlan on an hour unless you're hardcore. Ride the escalator into the middle of the earth to find out what music is playing inside. See extraordinary taxidermy handiwork. Even see a fake dodo bird thought to be an adjacent species that didn't exist. And if you like dinosaurs this is your Mecca. Just don't dare sit anywhere like on some stairs in the corner or some overzealous guard will kick you right out. But otherwise you'll have a great time. Also enjoy the outside grounds for a stroll, and hit up the West entrance for zero lines while the hoards line up on the other side.

Better than Cadbury's or any BS french chocolate, the most tasty and filling chocolate in the…read moreworld. The staff there are very nice if you want to book a chocolate-making workshop!

From the owner: The only place in London where you can make, taste and learn about chocolate.read more

Art museums aren't generally my highest interest, so it took me several visits to London to make it…read morehere. This collection is fascinating for its variety and depth. The explanations provided are insightful without being dense. I can't help but think how many great churches in Italy must be missing their beautiful medieval altars...because they're here. Great Rodin sculptures. A Japan collection that is deep and very well explained. Some truly amazing tapestries, and even a couple entire grand English rooms that were moved here entirely. The building it's all housed in is wonderful as well, take a break in the central courtyard. Supposedly it has air conditioning but other than the English section, it felt warm on a day that was 80F. They were preparing for a hot week with upper gallery closures.

This is kind of a placeholder review until I go back to London and give the Victoria and Albert…read moreMuseum a proper visit. I went for the first time with my family last month, for a quick peek after an afternoon at the Natural History Museum. We didn't think our kids would be as interested in the V & A, but we had time to kill before dinner, and entry was free. Truly incredible that all these iconic museums are free and open to the public. Makes them easy to enjoy, even for fifteen minutes. Which is about all the time we got at the V & A, as we arrived at 5:15. The exhibits started closing while we studied the map, deciding what we might like to see. By the time we got to the Japanese lacquer display, which was close enough to the lobby I thought we might be able to take a peek, we were no longer allowed entry. Even the gift shop was wrapping up for the day. We were able to walk in and do a speed lap, but wouldn't have had time to shop in earnest. We did get to admire the building and the grand entry hall, with its domed ceiling and enormous Chihuly chandelier. But all the treasures within were out of reach, at least this time around. I found myself wishing I'd had a day to explore the collection, as well as the ticketed Schiaparelli and contemporary Asian art exhibits. The V & A is a top priority next time I'm in London.

Big! Giant! Huge Collection! I think that describes this museum. Be prepared to spend at least half…read moreday here. For fast pace like me, it takes us 3 hours. This museum need reservations ahead of time. It is free to public. The museum is popular, if you try to get in at the day arrive, you have to hope not many reserve the ticket. The museum has a lot room with different regions in the world. Many of the collection even the host country doesn't have it. The Egypt collection includes the many types of mummies. This collection not even the Egypt has it. The entrance basically enter to the round section that connected to the different room. You may need a good leg to walk entire museum. They also have folding chairs that you can use and portable to open at the display.

Late Saturday afternoon in the summer:…read more The Good: *Admission is free! *No cattle crowd lines for security check, I basically walked up. *The new (compared to the original) Grand Courtyard is stunning and a fantastic photo op. *Enlightenment Room 1 is literally the coolest place in the summer. *The Rosetta Stone, Room 4 is a don't miss. *ditto the Tang dynasty figures and China history which was eye-opening in Room 33. Jade story was interesting too in Room 33a. The Bad: *Probably because it's free, the place is super crowded with students, elderly, tourists and large tour groups of all stripes. *The security line was empty because everyone was already inside. *Most of the rooms are hot in summer. I was sweating and clammy. I was surprised people weren't fainting due to the stuffy air. *You have about 10 seconds to see the Rosetta Stone due to the crowd who also don't want to miss it. *Enlightenment Room 1 was filled with people sitting and resting and cooling off in the library-like space. *Special exhibition-Declaring Independence, USA 250 was super small but I guess appropriate given the British lost the war. Room 3. I forgot I had already been to the British Museum 12 years ago. I think I've seen enough but maybe return in the midweek and when it isn't so hot. Sometimes the museum closes early due to the heat.

I highly recommend this place…read more Despite the look of this stores website - which looks high end and expensive - this aquarium store is great and is not that expensive. I recently purchase an aquarium, the necessary paraphernalia and (after having cycled my tank off course) a red and white fantail goldfish (called "Mo"). The staff were really really nice and very helpful...I cannot rave about it enough. They have lots of choice too (fish / plant / tank etc).

So! What's an American to do when he wants to buy H2Ocean's Reef Paste that's not sold in the…read morestates? He goes to the source, of course! While prices for us Yanks are expensive everywhere in London, this place is no exception. HOWEVER, the customer service is EXCELLENT!!! The fish & corals ALL look healthy & happy, & I've been reefing for years! As online stores take over, retails stores dwindle. It's even happening in the States. That's why it's so important to support your local store so they can stay in business!! Thanks to all of the staff at ADC, for being so kind & patient with me!! If I could, I'd bring home the baby boxfish today. No really, I would!! Have you seen him? Well, hurry up & get in there before someone buys him!

We walked blocks and blocks to get to this spot to see where Freddie Mercury's last residence and…read morestudio was in London. There isn't much to see but a high wall painted in anti graffiti paint. There isn't much to see or do, no tour to take - therefore it was just an okay experience for me. The highlight was the memories that sprung to mind when being in this place.

I went to visit Freddie's final haunt more for sentiment than expecting to see some great tribute,…read moreor anything much more than a vandalised door and some bricks (as the previous Yelp pictures suggested). I was pleasantly surprised that it seems a compromise has been reached between vandalism and tribute; the bricks directly beside that famous door - now redecorated with 'Garden Lodge' printed on it - are covered in perspex but fans have slipped through letters, notes, doodles, all full of so much love. In reality, Freddie was a private man and I doubt he'd want a shrine (he objected to the place being turned into a museum, apparently) but to see the love people still hold for him nearly 25 years on is beautiful. My sentiments were fulfilled, and I respectfully left listening to 'I'm Going Slightly Mad'. Just around the corner (I kid you not) I bumped into a person dressed as a life-size can of paint. I was already wondering if 'slightly' wasn't quite appropriate for me but that just proved it - hah! Worth going for the sentiment alone, if you're sentimental like that. You won't be bowled over by what you see but more what you feel, if you're that way inclined.

This is a really great museum. It's free, and it's at Trafalgar Square, so even if museums aren't…read morereally your thing, you can stop in. You will see a lot of famous pieces and a lot you haven't seen. We started out looking at a lot of religious art, and some of that is SO ancient. There is a painting from the 1200s! But that does get, uh, old to me soon. Good news is they have lots of other things as well through other artistic styles and eras. There is a restaurant and a cafe, I think. We didn't eat there (went to a Greek restaurant down the street instead - called The Real Greek, if you are interested). They have a couple lovely gift shops with lots of art books and activity books, and a lot of art supplies including some gorgeous rough rag-paper sketchbooks that I am pining for right now, though I do probably have enough other sketchbooks to last the rest of my life, unless I start to draw much faster. I am such a sucker for a good museum gift shop. I did prefer the one on the second floor.

Stopped by the National Gallery yesterday, and honestly, this place is amazing. It's way bigger…read morethan I expected -- room after room packed with artwork from all the famous painters you learn about in school. And the vibe is super chill. Every room has benches so you can sit down, relax, and actually enjoy the art instead of rushing through. The best part? It's completely FREE to get in. You just walk in and suddenly you're face‑to‑face with pieces by Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and a ton of others. You could easily spend hours here and still not see everything. There's just so much to take in -- colors, details, history, all of it. It's the kind of place where you keep saying "okay, just one more room" and then an hour goes by. If you're in London, this is a must‑visit. Beautiful art, relaxed atmosphere, and again... it's FREE. Absolutely worth your time.

We had arranged a walking tour through London Walks of Westminster Abbey and it was worth it. I am…read moresure the audio guides provided with admission are decent (we used similar ones at St Paul's) but the guided tour was excellent. The history and the beauty of the building makes this along with St Paul's must sees in London. Because this tour was preset for mid afternoon the building was very crowded. If we had done this on our own we would have gotten the first time slot of the day. I am sure it would have been a bit less crazy. It was fascinating to see who is buried or memoralized here. You could spend hours here there is so much to absorb.

Westminster Abbey was one of the highlights of our visit to London. We arranged for a special…read moreMedieval Monastery tour of the Abby that included learning in-depth history. The 90 minute tour cost £15 plus general admission. We booked on-line two weeks in advance. We arrived early with our tickets stamped for opening at 9:30. Security staff scans and queues up visitors by ticket times and there was a line that had well over a thousand people waiting to enter. All general admission visitors are given a headset with a wonderful guided tour upon entering. There is a logical pathway to follow and learn about the Abbey. Hannah was our private tour guide. She was wealth of information about the history of the Abbey and the people that were important. As part of the tour we had access to parts of the facility that were not part of the normal tour route. We were also allowed to sit in the choir seating for a brief lecture. It was invigorating to sit where royalty had been. The tour is fabulous and very worth the money. The Abbey is mostly French Gothic, but a mix of styles as different King's added on sections and chapels during their reigns. Much of the Abbey was restored after the damage caused by looting after the Reformation and additional damage caused by the WWII Blitz bombing. Most of the stained glass has been replaced. The history dates back over 1000 years and we saw evidence of an ancient door and uncovered mosaics. There is a lot to see, including graves of many notable people and royalty. Restrooms are available towards the end of the tour (but expect a line). There is a cafeteria and several gift shops. Current renovations are adding additional guest restrooms. Wear comfortable walking shoes, expect uneven floors. Arrive a bit early to go through security. I highly recommend a visit. I wouldn't bring young children.

Tucked away at the far north of Wandsworth Common, behind the Fitzhugh housing estate, is one of…read moreSouth London's most remarkable buildings: on the scale - and in the style - of a baronial castle, it has variously been a school, hospital, interrogation centre and a college, and was nearly pulled down. It is now a Grade II-star Listed Building. History The building was paid for by the Royal Victoria Patriotic Fund, established to provide for the widows and orphans of soldiers killed in the Crimean War. The building was intended as a girls' school and opened in 1859. A boys' school was built to the rear in 1872. The original building - designed by Rhode Hawkins - incorporated a number of innovative building techniques, that nearly caused its later downfall. Life for the orphans was extraordinarily hard: from pumping water to the roof cisterns to having their heads shaved to counter lice, they were assembled to be hosed down with cold water every morning in the courtyard. Scandals which involved physical and sexual abuse by staff - and the death of an orphan - nearly resulted in the institution being closed down. The innovative heating system didn't work, so conventional fireplaces were provided for the staff - but not the orphans. Things had improved somewhat by the First World War (for example, central heating had been installed), when it was used as a hospital for injured troops, who arrived at a specially-built temporary railway station close by. After the end of hostilities, it resumed life as a girls' school under 1939. During World War II, it became the London Reception Centre, used by MI5 to process non-British aliens entering the country. After the war it became a teacher training college, and then a comprehensive school, before the decaying fabric - many problems arising as a result of the techniques used to build it - forced them out. The building was sold and gradually restored by its present owners, who had to endure, among other things, a fire in the Great Hall just before it was handed over. Building works took 7 years. The building now contains flats, studios and workshops for businesses in the creative industries, a drama school and a wine bar. The building The main building is built in a Scottish Baronial Gothic style, with Gothic, Jacobean and French elements, in yellow brick with stone dressings. The main façade has an imposing central tower, with matching smaller corner towers. The plan includes two central courtyards, a separate Chapel and various outbuildings, but the main feature is the huge Great Hall, with a hammer-beam ceiling decorated with the coats of arms of towns across Britain and the Empire which contributed to the original funds. The whole edifice really is an astonishing sight, especially as it has now been surrounded on the north side by comfortable suburban housing. Practicalities There is pedestrian access from Fitzhugh Grove, but vehicular access is via Windmill Lane and John Archer Way. Unless you are visiting a business or a resident in the one of the flats, the only public access inside is to the wine bar (the restaurant in the cafe recently closed down).