British Museum
It would be churlish to leave the British Museum out of a list like this, even though its fame no doubt precedes it. Most visitors will make a beeline for the controversial Elgin Marbles – statues removed from the Parthenon in Athens – by way of the ever-popular Egyptian displays. But to say there's much more to the museum would be an understatement. The endless series of galleries contain artefacts from just about every major civilisation on earth. The Enlightenment rooms in the east wing are particularly fascinating, and usually crowd-free.
Grant Museum of Zoology
The Grant Museum must rank as first among equals in London's generous offering of quirky museums. It serves as a teaching museum for zoology students at University College London, but is also open to the public. The recently updated premises are crammed with zoological curiosities, including a bisected pregnant cat, a giant penis bone from a walrus and a jar full of pickled moles. The museum is also noted for its regular free screenings of cult or forgotten movies featuring animals or monsters, usually followed by a complimentary glass of wine and tour of the museum.
Hunterian Museum
Just across the square from Sir John Soane's Museum lurks another free cultural centre. The Hunterian Museum is named after John Hunter, one of the first people to apply scientific method to surgery. Hunter's collection of skeletal remains, diseased organs and other anatomical curiosities is not for the squeamish, but those with a fascination for the human body will find much to get their teeth into, so to speak.
London Transport Museum
London Transport Museum explores the story of London and its transport system over the last 200 years, highlighting the powerful link between transport and the growth of modern London, culture and society since 1800. They care for over 450,000 items - preserving, researching and acquiring objects to use in galleries, exhibitions and other activities. As well as exploring the past, the Museum looks at present-day transport developments and concepts for urban transportation in the future, which includes a contemporary collecting policy for the benefit of future generations.
Sir John Soane's Museum
The architect of the Bank of England had a magpie's eye for unusual and exquisite bric-a-brac. His former home has long served as a museum space to show off the collection, which includes period furniture, paintings by the likes of Hogarth and, most memorably, the sarcophagus of Seti I. Although it's often cited as a secret small museum, it's actually quite well known, and queues can form for the popular candlelit evenings, held on the first Tuesday of each month, from 6pm-9pm. You'll never see a museum quite like this anywhere else, though.
