Museums in London!

I am without a doubt a museum junkie! And London certainly has an abundance of museums! Best of all, many of them are free! Here are a few that I visited during my time abroad:

ART MUSEUMS:

The National Gallery:

This massive stone and marble domed building sits in Trafalgar Square in the heart of London. You don't have to be an art expert to appreciate the extensive collection of the Gallery. It features some of the most famous paintings from van Gogh to Monet to Rembrandt. The building itself is art in itself. It's massive columns and beautiful ceilings set the tone for the grand paintings, some of which span entire walls. 

The Tate Britain:

South of the Thames River lies the Tate Britain. This museum is home to some of the most famous British artists. It features a wide collection of sculptures and portraits. While I visited it featured a Picasso exhibition. But perhaps more impressive is it's sister museum, the Tate Modern.

The Tate Modern:

I was amazed when I walked into this multilevel, concrete, monstrous building. Black and white walls pop with bits of neon pinks and reds. Although I am not normally a fan of modern art, it's hard not be taken by the works of Picaso, Warhol, Dali and Pollock. There was also a large Damien Hirst exhibit while I was in London. 

HISTORY AND CULTURE:

The British Museum:

This museum is certainly a must see in the city of London. It is a mixture of art, sculpture and artifacts that takes you through the ancient Roman England to modern life in Mecca. The British Museum is home to the Rosetta Stone, a wide collection of Egyptian sarcophagi and hundreds of Greek pottery and artifacts. Best of all, it's all free!

 

Victoria and Albert Museum:

This beautiful museum in the neighborhood of South Kensington is certainly underrated compared to some other famous museums in London. Visitors walk in to a gorgeous Dale Chihuly green and blue chandelier. The museum features furniture, clothing, jewelry from the Royals and church relics and paintings. When I visited the V&A, I visited the Diamond Jubilee Celebration exhibit. This was a photograph exhibition by Cecil Beaton. 

Cecil Beaton was the main photographer for Queen Elizabeth II. He photographed the Queen from the time she was a child, through World War II, her coronation and the death of Princess Diana. It was a fantastic exhibit and worth the extra entrance fee.

The Imperial War Museum:

The Imperial War Museum is south of the Thames river and accessible by the Elephant & Castle tube stop. Outside the museum sits a giant canon and shells that were nearly as tall as me! Inside were levels of planes, tanks and trucks. I went to the museum without reading much about it, and was surprised by it's extensive Holocaust exhibit. It was unlike other World War II exhibit I had seen. It had recorded narratives from Holocaust survivors and scale models of entire death camps. It has entire glass wall filled with children's shoes recovered from just one camp. It may be a bit out of the way for someone just visiting London for a few days, but it certainly an excellent museum worthy of a visit if time permits.

The Churchill War Rooms:

Along Whitehall, across the St. James Park, below the floors of the Ministry of Defense lies the secret rooms of Winston Churchill's expert team of advisers during World War II. Only the few men and women who worked on the top secret missions and the top military advisers knew that these rooms existed. After the war, the basement rooms were sealed off and forgotten. Decades later when people felt it was safe to talk about the secrets of the war, the rooms were opened and turned into a museum. 

Now the original furnishings, maps, papers and even push pin are preserved and visible to everyone. The entrance fee includes an audio tour with actors reenacting phone calls and letters between Churchill and his advisers. I showed an entire side to World War II history that I never knew about. 

All the museums have given me a great insight into history from a different perspective. I only wish I had more time to visit ALL the museums in London.