London time In Museums

London's Museums are as diverse and individual as the people that visit them. Many of the larger ones have reinvented themselves in the last few years and now provide stimulating exhibitions, hands-on activities, late night openings - sometimes with a bar and music, workshops and demonstrations, attractive on-site shops, restaurants and coffee shops. With more to enjoy than ever before you need to plan how you will spend time in London's museums, some, such as the British Museum,  and the Victoria and Albert Museum will need more than one visit, while other's can be seen whenever you have an hour or two to spare. Whether your interest lies in dinosaurs or Dickens, science or Shakespeare, all you need is a comfortable pair of shoes and you are ready to enjoy the treasures contained in London's museumland - and the best news of all is that many are free to enter. Please Click on the Links below to find out more...  Bank of England Museum  Admission free - See the oldest surviving cheque (dated 8th December 1660). Have a go on the foreign exchange computer game - you might end up feeling flush. Hear about "things that go bang in the night" in this historic building and read about the Bank's own "ghost" in haunted London   British Museum  Admission free - national collection of antiquities - one of the finest museums in the world. A visit to this museum is a must, however, if time allows, return again and again. See the 7th century ship burial - The Sutton Hoo Treasure, be careful around the Portland Vase - a visitor managed to smash it in 1845, look at the 2000 year old skin of the Lindow Man - he was perfectly preserved in a peat bog in Cheshire, admire the Parthenon Marbles - the sculptures  brought by Lord Elgin from the "Temple of Athina"  the temple of the Acropolis in Athens, marvel at the statue of Rameses II and have a go at deciphering the Rosetta Stone.   Carlyle's House  Admission fee charged - Famous visitors to this beautiful Queen Anne house where Thomas Carlyle wrote Frederick the Great and The French Revolution, have included, Charles Dickens, William Thackeray, Alfred Lord Tennyson, George Elliot and Chopin (who played Mrs Carlyle's piano). The rooms still contain their original furniture, together with Carlyle's books and personal effects.   Charles Dickens Museum Admission fee charged - A must for Dickens's fans - original manuscripts, illustrations, Dickens editions and his well-worn writing desk are laid out in rooms exactly the way they were in Dickens's time. Mementos that belonged to Charles Dickens's sister-in-law, the young Mary Hogarth, who died at the house at the age of 17, are also on display in this 19th-century London terraced house.   Clink Prison Museum  Admission fee charged - Situated on the site of the original prison, which opened its doors in the 12th century and closed in 1780 - the museum contains authentic instruments of torture and displays depicting what life was like for those unlucky enough to be in "the clink".  Dr Johnson's House  Admission fee charged - It was in this London house, built towards the end of the 1600's  that Dr Johnson compiled his famous Dictionary. Books, paintings and memorabilia of the great man and his circle (such as the tea set that belonged to his great friend, Mrs Thrale - who Dr Johnson always addressed as "dear mistress") can be found throughout the house. Don't miss the bronze sculpture of Hodge (Dr Johnson's beloved cat) outside his house in Gough Square.   Hogarth 's House Admission free - The artist's country home for 15 years. William Hogarth is famous for his engravings such as "The Rake's Progress" ( now in Sir John Soane's Museum) and "The Harlot's Progress" which provided such a scathing commentary of the London of his time - copies of these and impressions from engravings, relics and paintings form the exhibition of his life and work.   Museum of London Admission free - Anyone who wishes to know about London should pay a visit to this wonderful museum, for it tells the tale of London in chronological order from pre-history to the Romans through to the beginning of WWI. See the Lord Mayor of London's gilded Coach - interiors of 17th century grand houses, - a Victorian walk with original shop fronts, - Roman London, and the 2nd-3rd century marble head of Serapis, found in the Temple of Mithras   National Gallery  Admission free - The national collection of Western painting from 1260 to 1900. Some of the world's most famous paintings are here. With a permanent collection of over 2,300 paintings, whether your interest lies in early Renaissance works or the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist galleries, you can be assured of a pleasurable and memorable visit. See the Leonardo Cartoon, - Renoir's At the Theatre, - The Ambassadors by Holbein and the Arnolfini Portrait among others.   National Maritime Museum Admission free - Containing state of the art galleries, this largest museum of its kind in the world tells the story of seafaring from prehistory to the present day. See the recreation of the Titanic wreck and its artifacts, the "Making Waves" exhibit which features a scale wave tank and a vortex, the Royal Barge, built in 1732, the permanent Nelson exhibition on Level Three and much more...   National Portrait Gallery Admission free - The Gallery has long been accused of putting the celebrity of the subject before artistic merit. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful place to find your favourites among the 10,000 portraits - and you can stare at them for as long as you like. Spend time in the Tudor Gallery and see the Ditchley portrait of Elizabeth I and Shakespeare's portrait from 1651. Visit the National Portrait Gallery's shop where you can find cards, prints and posters featuring pictures from the gallery's collection.   Natural History Museum Admission free - Covering 4 billion years of Earth's history through a vast collection of over 68 million specimens - it's still the "Dinosaur" exhibits, complete with life-sized roaring T- Rex, that both children and adults head for on arrival. See the legendary Dodo, - a tarantula and other spiders, -  minerals and meteorites and gems in The Earth's Treasury.For the under 7s, the Information Desk will provide a free Explorers activity pack to help them make the most of their visit.   Prince Henry's Rooms  Admission free - This Jacobean House built in 1610, is where the Great Fire of London stopped. It has a  fine half-timbered front, which is original and is next to the entrance of Inner Temple. Famed as an office of King James I's son (the elder brother of King Charles I) it now houses a collection of artefacts relating to the diarist Samuel Pepys.   Queen's House Admission free - The first Palladian building in England. Built by Inigo Jones and originally intended for Anne of Denmark, wife of James I but building was halted when Anne died and the house was completed in Charles I's reign for his queen, Henrietta Maria. Set amidst the old Tudor Royal Palace of Placenta in Greenwich, it is now an integral part of the Maritime Museum. See the beautiful Tulip Staircase - the first example of a cantilevered staircase in Britain.   Royal Greenwich Observatory Admission free - Situated at the peak of Greenwich Parks highest hill, is the Observatory built by Wren in 1675 for Charles II. With the Prime Meridian here and the home of Greenwich Mean Time, the Observatory can truly claim to be at the centre of time and space. It is well worth the climb through the Park to the Observatory for the wonderful views of London to be had from the top of the hill.   Science Museum Admission free - The National museum of science and technology -there are galleries devoted to many subjects, including space, nuclear physics, genetics, and computing; the top floor is, appropriately, taken up with the history of flight and many historic aircraft, including a Spitfire and a Hurricane. In other galleries, see Babbage's Difference Engine No. 1, a steel wedding dress, Apollo 10, and how discoveries and inventions have changed our lives.   Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition Admission fee charged - A fantastic modern reconstruction of the Tudor period Globe Theatre, scene of some fine Shakespearean moments. Open -air performances of Shakespeare's plays take place in the summer months. .   Somerset House Admission free -The magnificent 18th century building off the Strand is built on the site of a Renaissance palace. It has been recently restored and is open to the public. Inside you will find historic rooms such as the King's Barge House together with shops, a cafe and restaurant. The spectacular Fountain Court is the scene of public ice skating in winter.   Tate Britain  Admission free - National collection of British art Tate Modern Admission free - National collection of modern art. See Peace - Burial at Sea by J M Turner, The Cholmonderley Sisters, Recumbent Figure by Henry More among others. Murals by Whistler adorn the walls of the Tate's award winning Restaurant.   Tower Bridge  Admission fee charged - One of London's most famous landmarks, the magnificent 19th century bridge is decorated with high towers and features the famous drawbridge. The Tower Bridge Experience allows you to enter the Engine Rooms and the walkways that link the North and South Towers. There are spectacular views of the river and St. Paul's Cathedral for you to capture on camera.   Tower of London Admission fee charged - Fortress and former royal residence for over 900 years, it contains the Crown Jewels, is guarded by Beefeaters,and has been designated a World Heritage site. The White Tower, Traitors' Gate, the Tower of London Ravens, Tower Green are all features of this historic place. The Tower of London has the reputation of being the most haunted place in Britain - read all about it in London Haunted   Victoria and Albert Museum  Admission free - The World's finest museum of decorative arts. See The Great Bed of Ware, an embroidered jacket from 1610, Vivienne Westwood shoes - just some of the many exhibits in the many galleries: British, Architecture, China, Silver, South Asia. See London Travel facts  for tips on getting to a London Museum on London public transport