Historic houses in London

Also known as Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, The Tower of London was one of the many castles built as part of the Norman Conquest of England. It has been extended several times in the past and has always played a major role in English history. For some time, the Tower was used as a prison.

Buckingham Palace is the official residence of British monarchs. Originally built as a townhouse, Buckingham Palace was turned into a private residence for Queen Charlotte in 1761. The palace was reconstructed and enlarged during the 19th century and it has been used as a residence of the British mo

In the Churchill War Rooms visitors can discover the original Cabinet War Rooms, the wartime bunker that sheltered Churchill and his government during the Blitz. Explore the historic rooms to experience the secret history that lives on underground. Discover the stories of those who worked undergroun

Shakespeare's Globe is a modern replica of the theatre where some of Shakespeare's plays were staged for the first time. The original theatre was built in 1599 by the Lord Chamberlain's Men, Shakespeare's playing company. It was located roughly 250 metres from where the Globe Theatre stands now. The

The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament, is a significant landmark located on the banks of the Thames in the London district of Westminster. This historic building serves as the seat of the British Parliament, making it a central hub of political activity in the United Kingdom. Its location offers visitors a picturesque view of the Thames, adding to the overall appeal of the site.

The Wallace Collection is an art collection that is housed in the Hertford House, the former townhouse of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford. The collection consists of of fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Especially the holdings in the collection of 18th-century

Sir John Soane's Museum is a house museum that was formerly the home of the English architect John Soane, who specialised in the Neo-Classical style. The museum displays drawings and models of Soane's projects and the collections of paintings, drawings and antiquities collected by Soane.

From Roman settlement to the development of Canary Wharf, the Museum of London Docklands, housed in a 200 year old warehouse, shows the history of London as a port through stories of trade, migration and commerce. Many of the objects it has in its collection are from the museum and archives of the P

The Charles Dickens Museum is an author's house museum, housed in a typical Georgian terraced house. The house was Charles Dickens's home from 1837 to 1839. The museum features the famous portrait of Dickens known as Dickens's Dream by R. W. Buss, with Charles Dickens surrounded by many of the chara

The Geffrye Museum of the Home is dedicated to home and home life in England from 1600 to the present day with a series of period room displays. Some of the individual artefacts of The Geffrye Museum are of national importance, but the real significance of the collection lies in its extensive covera

Eltham Palace is an unoccupied former royal residence owned by the Crown Estate that was transformed into an Art Deco mansion by Stephen and Viriginia Courtauld. The Eltham Palace incorporates original medieval features into an otherwise modern 1930s design. Visitors step into the shoes of the lavis

Established as early as in the 17th century, this bank is the central bank of UK. Though you can't actually access the Bank, you can pay a visit to the museum located inside and learn more about the financial system, fascinating history of the Bank, as well as its importance in today's economy.

The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret is one of the oldest surviving operating suites (dating from 1822) and a museum of surgical history. The museum consists of the operating suite that was used in the days before anesthetics and antiseptic surgery and the herb garret to store and cure h

Kenwood House is a former stately home that served as a seat for the aristocratic Murray and Guinness families. Famous paintings in its collection include The Guitar Player by Johannes Vermeer, Self Portrait with Two Circles, by Rembrandt, Portrait of Pieter van den Broecke, by Frans Hals, Portrait

The Leighton House Museum is the former home of the Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896). The house features the Arab Hall with its golden dome, intricate mosaics and walls lined with Islamic tiles. The house museum holds a collection of paintings and sculpture by Leighton and his co

The Royal Mews is a mews of the British Royal Family. The state coaches and other carriages are kept at The Royal Mews situated at Buckingham Palace, along with some horses, together with the more modern state motor cars.

Apsley House is a Georgian building and is the London townhouse of the Dukes of Wellington. The house is open to the public as a museum and art gallery which has the Wellington Collection on display, a collection of paintings, other artworks and items of the career of the 1st Duke. The rooms inside

An intimate window into the life of Englands best known scientist. It was from his study at Down House that Charles Darwin worked on the scientific theories that culminated in a book “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection“ that both scandalised and revolutionised Victorian Britain.

The Foundling Museum tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, the first home for abandoned children established in Britain. The institution was opened in 1739 by the philanthropist Thomas Coram. The collection the museum holds includes paintings and sculptures by well-known British 18th-century ar

Dennis Severs was an artist who lived in this house (from 1979 to 1999) in much the same way as its occupants in the 18th century (a family of Huguenot silk weavers) would have done. He used his visitors' imagination as his canvas while they are taken on a historical tour around the house.

Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John H. Watson lived at 221b Baker Street (where the Sherlock Holmes Museum is located) between 1881-1904, according to the stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The house was last used as a lodging house in 1936 and the famous 1st floor study overlooking Baker Street

Ham House and Garden is a museum in Richmond-upon-Thames. The museum features exhibits related to: decorative and applied art, architecture, fine art and social history.

Strawberry Hill is a museum in Twickenham, Middlesex. The museum features exhibits related to Literature, Decorative and Applied Art, Architecture and Agriculture.

Guildhall Art Gallery displays the richness of London's history. It is home to the art collection of the City of London, consisting of around 4,000 pieces, of which around 250 are on display at any one time. The Gallery's permanent collection displays works dating from the 1600s onwards, including a

Banqueting House is a museum in London. The museum features exhibits related to: decorative and applied art and architecture.

The Freud Museum London is housed in the home of the famous psychologist Sigmund Freud, who spent the last year of his life there with his family. The main feature of the museum is his intact study with his desk and the famous psychoanalytic couch and many ancient artefacts including his old library

Syon Park has been home to the family The Duke of Northumberland for over four hundred years and still owned and looked after by them. It is full of beauty and magnificence, of great paintings and furniture, with perhaps the finest Robert Adam interior in the country. Surrounded by its own parkland

The feminine influence of generations of royal women has shaped this stylish palace and gardens. Kensington Palace features exhibits related to: social history, fine art, decorative and applied art and costume and textiles. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include: designated collection

Osterley Park and House is a museum in Osterley, Middlesex. The museum features exhibits related to: architecture, social history, fine art and decorative and applied art. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include: robert adam.

Household Cavalry Museum is the official museum of the Household Cavalry housed in the 18th-century stables. Visitors can explore the informative exhibition full of sometimes rare items, such as ceremonial uniforms, horse furniture and silverware.

The Fan Museum is housed in two grade II* listed houses built in 1721 and is the first museum in the world devoted to the preservation and display of fans. The collection of the museum consists of more than 5,000 fans, fan leaves, and related ephemera with examples from all over the world from the 1

Kew Palace and Queen Charlotte's Cottage is a museum in Richmond. The museum features exhibits related to: personalities, coins and medals, architecture and social history.

Chiswick House is a Palladian villa that was built and designed by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, who completed it in 1729. The garden of the house is one of the earliest examples of the English landscape garden, designed by William Kent. Burlington was one of 18th-century Britain's greatest

Created by E.A. Bowles (1865-1954), Myddelton House Gardens have been refurbished and offer an impressive range of flora, fauna and historical artefacts. These gardens have a Green Flag Award.

The Florence Nightingale Museum is housed in the St Thomas' Hospital and is devoted to Florence Nightingale, covering her Victorian childhood, her life in the Crimean and her life as an ardent campaigner for health reform. Inthe museum visitors learn more about the legacy of Florence Nightingale and

Clarence House is a museum in London. The museum features exhibits related to Architecture, Fine Art, Design and Personalities. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include English porcelain and silver, Bowes-Lyon family history, Graham Sutherland, Augustus John, John Piper, WS Sickert and

Dr Johnson's House is a 300-year-old townhouse where Samuel Johnson, the writer and wit, lived and worked in the 18th century, compiling his great Dictionary of the English Language in the Garret. The museum houses a collection relating to Johnson, a research library, restored interiors and original

The Fine Art Society is a renowned gallery with locations in both London and Edinburgh's New Town. Established in 1876, the gallery has a rich history and has been a significant player in the art world for over a century. It has been home to many notable exhibitions and has a focus on British art and design from 1600 to the present day. The Edinburgh branch specializes in Scottish art from the same period.

Red House is a museum in Bexleyheath. The museum features exhibits related to: personalities, architecture, social history, decorative and applied art and design. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include: dante gabriel rossetti, edward burne-jones, william morris and philip webb.

The National Army Museum, the premier museum of the British Army, is situated in the Chelsea district in the heart of London. It is conveniently located next to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, making it an accessible destination for tourists exploring the city. The museum offers a deep dive into the history and heritage of the British Army, providing a unique perspective on the country's military past.

Two Temple Place is a museum in London that is dedicated to promoting culture and philanthropy. The museum displays publicly owned art from regional collections in the United Kingdom. It is mostly known for its architecture and its collection includes works of William Silver Frith, Sir George Frampt

Fenton House is a 17th-century merchant's house. The house was bought by Lady Binning in 1936. She filled it with her decorative collections of porcelain, Georgian furniture and 17th-century needlework. In addition to this, the museum houses the Benton Fletcher collection of early keyboard instrumen

Forty Hall and Estate is a museum in Enfield. The museum features exhibits related to Fine Art, Archives, Archaeology, Coins and Medals, Industry, Architecture, Natural Sciences, Social History, Toys and Hobbies, Weapons and War, Costume and Textiles, Design, Decorative and Applied Art and Personali

Home to Benjamin Franklin between 1757 and 1775, 36 Craven Street is the location where the famous US statesman conducted numerous important experiments such as measuring the effects of the Gulf Stream, exploring Daylight Saving Time and inventing bi-focal lenses. In 1998 the house was restored and

18 Stafford Terrace is a former home of a Punch cartoonist Edward Linley Sambourne that now serves as a museum that brings insight into his family life.

The Museum of the Order of St John tells the story of the ancient religious military Order, from its origins as a pan-European Order of Hospitaller Knights caring for sick pilgrims in 11th century Jerusalem, through to its modern-day role with St John Ambulance, the international first aid charity.

From its conception, Spencer House was recognised as one of the most ambitious aristocratic town houses ever built in London and is, today, the city's only great eighteenth-century private palace to survive intact. Spencer House was built in 1756-66 for John, first Earl Spencer, an ancestor of Dian

Valentines Mansion and Gardens is a museum in Ilford. The museum features exhibits related to: architecture.

Keats House is where the poet John Keats (1795-1821) lived from 1818 to 1820. Here he wrote some of his best known poetry, including "Ode to a Nightingale". The house is a Grade 1 listed building set in a peaceful garden in Hampstead. It has been open to the public since 1925. Keats House features e

In the John Wesley's House and The Museum of Methodism visitors discover the origins and spread of Methodism through the museum's collection of objects, documents and paintings. Visitors learn how missionaries braved the journey to new countries overseas to spread their beliefs and what awaited them

2 Willow Road (completed in 1939) houses treasures, furniture and objets d'art of Erno Goldfinger, one of the most influential figures in the British modern movement. Goldfinger lived here with his wife Ursula and their children until he passed away in 1987. Visitors can enjoy the collection of mode

Consisting of a Tudor manor house and a Victorian chapel, Fulham Palace was used as the main residence of Bishops of London from the 11th century until 1973. Nowadays Fulham Palace houses a museum that showcases the long history of the palace through paintings and other artefacts. The palace is surr

Honeywood Museum is a museum in Carshalton. The museum features exhibits related to: toys and hobbies, decorative and applied art, archaeology, industry, social history, inland waterways, trade and commerce and architecture. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include: london, brighton & s

Sutton House is a museum in London. The museum features exhibits related to: social history and architecture.

Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge is a museum in London. The museum features exhibits related to: personalities, archives, archaeology, fine art, natural sciences and social history.

Carlyle's House is a museum in London. The museum features exhibits related to: personalities, social history and literature. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include: thomas carlyle.

Eastbury Manor House is al Grade 1 listed Tudor mansion, dating back to the Elizabethan period. It is owned by the National Trust and managed by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. The museum features a permanent exhibition on the history of the building and its various owners.

Severndroog Castle on Shooters Hill is a 60-foot high triangular, brick-built tower designed in the gothic style by architect Richard Jupp. Severndroog is a nationally-listed Grade II* building.

The Jewel Tower was built around 1365 to house Edward III’s treasures and was known as the ‘King’s Privy Wardrobe’. It is a surviving element of the royal Palace of Westminster. The Jewel Tower and the surrounding site of Westminster Palace were declared a World Heritage site in 1987. Inside the Jew

Marble Hill House is a museum in Twickenham, Middlesex. The museum features exhibits related to: decorative and applied art and fine art.

Valence House is a Medieval and later timber-framed and partially moated building situated in parkland. Valence House Museum features exhibits related to: personalities, fine art, costume and textiles, archives, decorative and applied art, archaeology, land transport, medicine, weapons and war and s

The Cinema Museum in London is set in historic surroundings in Kennington. The museum is devoted to keeping alive the spirit of cinema from the days before the multiplex and houses a unique collection of artefacts, memorabilia and equipment that preserves the history and grandeur of cinema from the

The Ragged School Museum in London is housed in three canalside buildings which once formed the largest “ragged” or free school in London. The museum was founded to make the history of the Ragged Schools and the broader social history of the Victorian East End accessible. Within the original buildin

Pollock's Toy Museum is the UK's oldest toy museum housing over 7000 toys in 6 magical rooms across two historical buildings in the center of London. Here you will see a huge array of toys form all over the world and from different centuries, including a 4000 year out toy mouse and one of the worlds

Hogarth's House is a museum in London. The museum features exhibits related to: social history, personalities, literature and fine art. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include: william hogarth.

Whitehall Historic House is a museum in Cheam Village. The museum features exhibits related to: personalities, social history, fine art and architecture. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include: victorian study bedroom, tudor house building, victorian parlour, nonsuch palace, william g

The Garden Museum is a small museum that was founded in 1977 next to the church of St. Mary's. Visitors discover the history of gardening through a collection of tools, pictures, and books. The museum also contains the enigmatic tomb of John Tradescant, the first great gardener, and plant-hunter in

The Vestry House Museum is housed in an 18th century brick house that was originally built as a workhouse and later used as a police station. This house museum focuses on local history and holds a collection that includes artifacts dating from the Victorian Era to the 20th century including archived

Barnet Museum is a museum in Barnet. The museum features exhibits related to Coins and Medals, Fine Art, Science and Technology, Personalities, Costume and Textiles, Social History, Archaeology and Archives.

Gunnersbury Park is is a park that was purchased for the nation from the Rothschild family. The name derives from Gunylda, the niece of King Canute who lived here until her banishment from England in 1044. The mansion on the grounds is now the Gunnersbury Park Museum that holds objects related to lo

Dorich House Museum is a museum in London. The museum features exhibits related to Personalities, Fine Art, Architecture and Decorative and Applied Art. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include Dora Gordine and Richard Hare.

Crystal Palace Museum is a museum in London that keeps the history of the Crystal Palace alive. The museum is housed in the only surviving building constructed by the Crystal Palace Company that was built around 1880 as a lecture room for the Crystal Palace Company’s School of Practical Engineering.

The Anaesthesia Heritage Centre is a unique resource for the history of anaesthesia, resuscitation and pain relief. Visit the centre to explore the inspiring stories of the people, past and present, who have done so much to keep patients safe and pain-free. The museum’s collection includes over 4

Bruce Castle is a Grade I listed 16th-century manor house, named after the House of Bruce who owned the land on which it was built. Bruce Castle Museum has various objects and works of art in its collections. It holds the archives of the London Borough of Haringey, and has exhibitions on the past, p

Little Holland House is a museum in Carshalton. The museum features exhibits related to Personalities, Social History, Fine Art, Decorative and Applied Art, Architecture and Design. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include Give to Us Each Day our Daily Bread, Arts and Crafts style furni

The Water Tower is a Grade II-listed early 18th century garden building, sited in the grounds of Carshalton House in Surrey. As the name suggests, this contained a water-powered pump, which supplied water to Carshalton House and the fountains in its garden. However, the building was and is much more

The RCN Library and Archive Service is Europe’s largest nursing resource for practice & history. We host several public exhibitions every year on different areas of healthcare history, from mental health nursing to women's health. We also have a rolling programme of free events including talks, pane

In the Hackney Museum, visitors learn about the stories of people who have moved to Hackney and made it their home, from Anglo-Saxon settlers to early Victorian villas and recent refugees. Through interviews, objects and images, and listening to personal stories of living, working and moving to Hack

The Markfield Beam Engine and Museum is a Grade II listed building with a 100 horsepower restored, working steam-powered beam engine from 1886. It is considered to be a masterpiece of Victorian engineering and an example of industrial heritage of social and engineering importance. The building that

The small museum in the crypt shows various treasures donated to the cathedral by wealthy 19th century patrons, as well as a rotating display of material from the archives of the Greek community in London, stretching back to the 18th century.

Brent Museum holds collections of material about the history of Brent with over 10,000 objects. The museum holds items that are thousands of years old but also objects from the people living and working in Brent today, representing all communities in both the past and the present. Oil paintings, toy

From 1800 to 1804 Sir John Soane, one of Britain’s most influential architects, designed and built the Pitzhanger Manor House. The Pitzhanger Manor Gallery is a venue for contemporary art exhibits that presents three exhibitions a year of work by artists, designers and architects. Visitors can also

No 7 Hammersmith Terrace is a tall terraced house on the River Thames. Its sober Georgian exterior hides a secret – the decoration and furnishings preserved as they were in the lifetime of the printer Emery Walker (1851-1933), a great friend and mentor to William Morris. It is the last authentic Art

Situated in the middle of Wanstead Park, The Temple was designed in the 18th century as a feature for the formal gardens of Wanstead Park, complete with a classic portico. These days The Temple serves as a visitor centre, where you can discover the story of Wanstead House and the park that surround

The Royal Observatory has played an important role in astronomical science. It has been turned into a museum which displays astronomical and navigational tools. Visitors of the Royal Observatory Greenwich can stand on the historic Prime Meridian of the World, see the home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT

The Queen's House is a 7th-century royal villa that was the first Classical building in England, designed by renowned architect Inigo Jones. The House is famous for its art collection including works by Great Masters such as Gainsborough, Hogarth and the van de Veldes.

Burgh House is a grade I listed house built in 1703/4. The Hampstead Museum is incorporated in the House on the first floor and offers permanent displays on Hampstead history. There is also a programme of changing exhibitions and events. Burgh House & Hampstead Museum features exhibits related to: p

The Fitzroy House is a four-storey house built in the 18th century as an example of Georgian architecture. The museum is devoted to the writer L. Ron Hubbard. In the Fitzroy House visitors go on a trip down memory lane, with its restored communications office equipment including Adler typewriters, G

The Upminster Tithe Barn houses a collection of artifacts of nostalgic origin and is located in Hall Lane, Upminster in the London Borough of Havering. It is owned by Havering London Borough Council and run in partnership with the Hornchurch and District Historical Society. The museum holds around 1

Islington Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of the London Borough of Islington. The museum covers various themes on local and social history: childhood, food and drink, fashion, leisure, healthcare, radicals, caring, home and wartime. The Islington Local History Centre is a local studies c

The Museum of Wimbledon is a local history museum. Exhibits from the collections are grouped together into historical periods and topics of interest, including artefacts, books, ephemera, manuscripts, maps, photographs, portraits, press cuttings and prints, watercolours and drawings.

Turner's House, Twickenham is a museum in Twickenham. The museum features exhibits related to: fine art. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include: jmw turner.

Avenue House, the principle building of Stephens House & Gardens, was commandeered as a VAD Hospital during World War One and in 1918 became the Central Hospital of the newly formed Royal Air Force. The Gardens provide a mixed landscape and include an arboretum, a rockery, a bog garden, large park a

Headstone Manor Museum is a museum in Harrow, Middlesex. The museum features exhibits related to: decorative and applied art, land transport, costume and textiles, fine art, social history, archaeology, science and technology and archives.

Havering Museum is an independent local history museum which opened in part of the old Brewery building in Romford town centre in May 2010. The Museum is supported by a Heritage Lottery Grant. It tells the story of the history of the Borough of Havering through objects, text and images. There are fi

St Bartholomew's Hospital was founded in 1123. Its archives and museum collections include documents from the 12th to the 21st centuries, and objects reflecting the changes to patient care, teaching and administration at hospital. Through these objects, visitors can learn more about the nine centuri

Redbridge Museum is a museum in Ilford. The museum features exhibits related to Agriculture, Archives, Social History, Coins and Medals, Archaeology, Costume and Textiles, Fine Art and Industry. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include Ilford Ltd, Sylvia Pankhurst, Winston Churchill, Cl

Cuming Museum is a museum in London that houses the collection of the Cuming family, an art collection as well as local and social history objects collected since the early 19th century right up to today, reflecting Southwark’s history.

The Museum of Immigration and Diversity is the first museum of immigration and diversity in Europe. In the museum visitors discover stories of the centuries of newcomers who have shaped Spitalfields, London and Britain.

Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky (1881-1970) was the last President of Russia before the Bolshevik coup d’état of October 1917 (often referred as ‘old’ Russia or ‘that’ Russia to distinguish it from Russia of the Soviet and Post-Soviet times). Kerensky governed the State for only 109 days (from July