Visit a Museum

It's not a big decision to make, really. Just do it. It would be a tragedy if you didn't take the time to explore the riches of London's museums.

The real problem comes when you have to decide what sort of experience you want to have. Is it historical, scientific, or eclectic? All of the above are possible given enough time and energy.

Just to whet your appetite, I'll outline below some of London's premier museum attractions.

The British Museum

It's the mother of all collections and even if you had a week here, you'd still miss something. Probably you'll want to spend a day, and in that time you can see considerable highlights, to wit:

• The Rosetta Stone - find out how they were able to translate those Egyptian hieroglyphics, thanks to this rocky dictionary.
• Lindow Man - see a 2000 year old ritual sacrifice whose body was preserved almost intact in a peat bog. His name? Pete Marsh, of course!
• Mildenhall Treasure -don't miss this 4th century silver Roman tableware. It is dazzling stuff to view.
• The Elgin Marbles - well, they probably belong to Greece, and should not be here, but they are. What can I say? These statues from the Parthenon are breathtakingly beautiful and in a special room that shows them off under natural lighting.
• Mausoleum of Helicarnassus - the former tomb of Mausolus - one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Near the British Museum is the new British Library and many of the great manuscripts formerly in the Library wing of the Museum will be kept there. It is worth the trip over to the Library to see:

• The Magna Carta (1215) - It's in Latin and really only guaranteed the rights of the nobility, but it was the start of modern democratic rule of law.
• Lindisfarne Gospels - 7th century handwritten and illustrated manuscripts - this is a long way from computer graphics!
• Famous manuscripts from Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens.
• Musical scores hand written by Mozart, Handel, John Lennon and others.

The Science Museum

It's the place that brings out the little boy in all of us male types. Located on Exhibition Road in Kensington, the Science Museum is a look , touch, hear, feel sort of place. Kids love the space and aviation exhibits. Older children are fascinated by the history of computers (complete with a model of Babbage's difference engine). There's a great collection of ship models from the 19th and early 20th century.

As a steam buff, I was most interested in the Power exhibit. They have full size examples of Watt's early steam engines, Corliss engines, triple expansion units and steam turbines. There are also many models showing the development of industrial steam power. Stephenson's "Rocket" (one of the earliest locomotives) is also in the Science Museum.

Another most interesting room contains a collection of scientific and astronomical instruments that belonged to George III. That's the best thing about the Science Museum. It's been going since 1850 so it has a real "history of science" flair!

The Victoria and Albert Museum

"Something for everyone" should be the motto of this massive tribute to applied arts. It's just about the coolest museum we have ever visited. One minute you are looking at The Great Bed of Ware (mentioned in Shakespeare and giving a whole new meaning to the term "king sized"), and the next at a collection of interiors from 18th century London townhomes.

There are musical instruments, wrought iron fences, fashions from the 16th century to the present, and a great collection of Victorian art hung in traditional Victorian style (all over the place). As well, the V&A has the definitive set of John Constable paintings. If you don't know who he is, visit the National Gallery to find out.

The V&A is in Kensington and well worth the trip there.

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This page last modified on June 19, 2001.