Backpackers Guide to London
Museums in London
Backpackers' Guide to London's Tourist Information | Backpackers' Guide to London Tourist Attractions | Backpackers' Guide to London's Historical Attractions | Backpackers' Guide to Shopping in London | Backpackers' Guide to Sport in London | Backpackers' Guide to Entertainment in London | Backpackers' Guide to Food in London | Backpackers' Guide to London Museums Museums say a lot about a country’s culture heritage, with its diverse collection of mementos and artifacts. This is probably why they are considered to be one of the best places to visit to really be acquainted with a particular area. London carries a number of these museums that have such splendid collections that they are considered to be major tourist attractions. Considered as the largest and most important museums in the United Kingdom, the British Museum showcases more than 7 million antique items that depict human history and culture, not just of the country but also of foreign lands. In fact, its collection has become so extensive that curators have been forced to store some artifacts beneath the museum for lack of space. Some of its prized collections are the widely followed Egyptian mummies, the historic Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon, the exquisite, Roman glass Portland Vase and the medieval Lewis chess set. Housed in the former building of the Bankside Power Station, the Tate Modern plays home to the works of Britain’s contemporary artists. The power station setting of the building (complete with a turbine) provides the perfect backdrop for the modern-day pieces. The Tate Britain, on the other hand, features all forms of art created by British artisans. It boasts of works from renowned personalities like William Blake, Thomas Gainsborough and Dante Gabriel Rosetti. But by far, the Tate’s most popular piece is John William Waterhouse’s “The Lady of Shalott”. Located on Kensington Road, the Science Museum carries more than 300,000 items that depict major scientific achievements. Some of the more popular items in the collection are an operational example of the Difference engine invented by mathematician and computer scientist Charles Babbage; the Stephenson’s Rocket, a prototype of the Clock of the Long Now; and a DNA model created by British molecular biologist and neuroscientist Francis Crick, among others.
Introduction
The British Museum
The Tate Museums
The Science Museum
Ashlee House, 261-265 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8QT, England
Tel: +44 (0)20 7833 9400 Fax: +44 (0)20 7833 9677
