London, much like other European capitals, is a treasure trove of museums. There’s plenty to see and do in the city, but there's no denying they include going to the big museums. Naturally, there are the staples—The British Museum, Natural History Museum, and the Victoria & Albert Museum, among many others—but there are also a few underrated ones worth checking out. Go to the Sherlock Holmes Museum, for example, and learn more about the most famous detective in literary history. There's also the Marianne North Gallery in the Kew Gardens, a feast for the eyes in more ways than one.
Sherlock Holmes Museum
Sherlock Holmes is the most famous detective in all of human history. He practically personifies the job, giving it an indelible image by way of his iconic deerstalker hat and smoking pipe. And that's just the original Sherlock in the novels. The beloved literary character has seen countless iterations over the years, from plays to films to TV series. If you're a self-professed “Sherlockian,” don't miss your chance to see the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street. It's on the very same street where the detective supposedly lived during the Victorian era.
Source: Sherlock Holmes Museum
Marianne North Gallery
The Royal Botanic Gardens in Richmond, one of the more peaceful
neighborhoods in London, is a sight worth seeing. It boasts a grand greenhouse filled with exotic plants, colorful flowers, and more. Also known as the Kew Gardens, the place is more so a park than a regular botanical garden. It has countless other features, not the least of which is the Marianne North Gallery. Marianne North made over 800 remarkable paintings of flowers throughout the 19th century. Beautiful in their own right, they mostly served as records for the different types of plants she discovered through her many travels.
Source: Kew Gardens.org
The Fan Museum
Fans don't get enough credit as fascinating artifacts. They're pretty to look at, sure, and undoubtedly serve as nice accessories, but they also paint a solid picture of what various past eras were like. Check out The Fan Museum on Crooms Hill to get a better understanding of this. Opened in 1991, it's a fairly underrated museum in the lovely Greenwich district, a great place to visit when you have some free time. Here, you can relish in the delicate beauty and bask in the glory of their intricate craftsmanship, all while enjoying the ambiance of this Rococo-inspired gallery.
Source: The Fan Museum Facebook Page
William Morris Gallery
Textiles don't get enough credit as pieces of fine art. They're not exactly oil paintings or marble sculptures, but there's also no denying that hard work and meticulous craftsmanship went into them. One person who truly understood this was William Morris. A prominent figure in the world of art during the 1800s, he was the finest textile designer in all of England. Fortunately, you can still see many of his amazing works in the William Morris Gallery in Lloyd Park. It's a great glimpse into Morris's beautiful legacy and a nice lesson on why textile design encompasses both fashion and art.
Source: William Morris Gallery
Pollock’s Toy Museum
It's easy to overlook Pollock’s Toy Museum when finding a nice museum to visit. Not only is the place itself small, but it looks more like a
traditional toy shop in London than a museum. But make no mistake! The place is truly a worthwhile gallery of past playthings. See what the children from the Victorian area and the early 20th century played with, from porcelain dolls to paper puppets and more. Every corner has a heartwarming story to tell, even when set against much grimmer contexts. And of course, you can pass on the nostalgia of it all!
Source: Pollock’s Toy Museum Facebook Page
Strawberry Hill House
The place has such a cute name, doesn't it? You'd sooner think it was Strawberry Shortcake's playhouse instead of an underrated museum in London! But when you actually visit the gallery at 268 Waldegrave Road, you'll find that it's far from a children's plaything. Instead, you'll discover a breathtaking Gothic revival villa that houses some amazing artworks, the kind you'd expect in one of the
top galleries in London. From paintings of Dutch masters to intricate sculptures of historical figures, Strawberry Hill House is an art lover's and history buff's dream come true. Don't miss its delightful garden too!
Source: Strawberry Hill House
The Queen’s House
In the early 17th century, King James I swore and offended his wife, Queen Anne of Denmark after she inaverdently killed one of his favorite dogs during a royal hunt. While history might argue that the King had every right to do so, he himself found it appropriate to apologize anyway. His token of choice? A grand palace in the style of Palladian architecture. Now named “The Queen’s House,” it's been turned into a history museum worth checking out. It's not exactly known for artworks and such, but more so for its stunning architecture and the dreamy escape that is the palace and its grounds.
Source: The Queen’s House - Royal Museums Greenwich
Discover London's underrated museums that you have probably never heard of before. These are fascinating galleries that show off a lot of unique and one-of-a-kind displays you won't find anywhere else.
