The Museum Lover's Guide to London: From the Classics to the Quirky

London is an extraordinary checkpoint for museums, galleries and exhibitions that showcase art, history, science and culture of not just the United Kingdom, but of the world. In fact, the city has such an incredible abundance of renowned institutions, but it quickly gets difficult to choose which museums to visit. Here are 10 museums for you to visit on your next trip to London. The National Gallery The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square is one of the most popular art museums in the city. Founded in 1824, it started with a collection of 38 paintings and houses more than 2,300 artworks today, dating from the mid-13th century to the 1900s. Interestingly, the National Gallery belongs to the British public and hence the main collection as well as the exhibitions held are absolutely free. So you can stop by for a while to gaze at Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Da Vinci's Virgins of the Rocks, or Anna Fili portrait by Jan van Eyck, or even spend the whole day admiring the paintings of Rembrandt, Botticelli, Picasso, Michelangelo, Renoir and more iconic artists. Tate Modern Making use of the old Bankside Power Station, the iconic Tate Modern houses an international collection of contemporary and modern art, and stands as one of the largest in the world. The gallery also has an interesting structure of a twisted pyramid, but for the real eye candy you'll have to head indoors to the incredible artworks displayed, with over 800 artworks from more than 50 different countries. The permanent collection features artworks of Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Barbara Hepworth, Cézanne, Bernard and more. Again, you can step in for countless visits as there is no admission charge. Natural History Museum Housed in a Romanesque cathedral, the Natural History Museum in South Kensington is both a research institute as well as one of the most visited museums in London. You can dive into the history of life on planet Earth in any of the 20 galleries here, and guess what, the museum is absolutely free to visit too. The five main collections include over 80 million specimens, so take your time in exploring captivating dinosaur skeletons, fossils, an astounding array of stuffed birds, and witness the evolution of life in the most recent edition, the Darwin Centre. Don't forget to snap a few clicks with London's most beloved dinosaur, Dippy the Diplodocus, and the diving blue whale in Hintz Hall. Victoria and Albert Museum Opened as the last public engagement of Queen Victoria in 1899, the V&A Museum is one of the most magnificent museums in the world. Known for its beauty and a fantastic exhibit of applied art, decoratives and design from around the globe, their permanent collection itself surpasses 1.25 million objects, spread over 145 galleries. The artwork features paintings, photographs, sculptures, furniture, jewellery, metalwork, ceramics, costumes and medieval artefacts from around the world. You can easily spend an entire day exploring Michelangelo's art, Raphael's cartoons, post-classical sculptures, holdings from the Italian Renaissance and much more. With over 5,000 years of art from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, the V&A stands as one of the largest art museums in the world. Tower of London Standing tall since 1066, London's majestic Tower of London has been a secure fortress, a royal palace and an infamous prison throughout history. Today, it is more popular as the home to magnificent crown jewels. Not only is it inevitable to gawk at the shimmering crowns but you'll also get a good glance at the Cullinan Firth, the largest cut diamond in the world that sits atop the Sovereign's Sceptre. Don't miss the extravagant display of 23,578 gemstones, the 800-year-old Coronation Spoon, St Edward's Crown and the Imperial State Crown among the Royal Regalia at the Tower of London. Madame Tussauds Step into Madame Tussauds' interactive wax museum and meet more than 150 celebrities and famous personalities worldwide. Not them, but their astonishingly lifelike wax figures. What once began as a quaint London museum in 1935 now gives you the opportunity to walk among British royals and party A-listers like Zendaya, Dwayne Johnson, Dua Lipa, Beyonce and even Bollywood stars. The famous fun doesn't end there. Madame Tussauds also has threading zones based on Marvel superheroes, Star Wars and King Kong. Make sure to catch up on some 4D fun along with a spine tingle at the classic Chamber of Horrors. British Museum The British Museum in Bloomsbury is where you'll find cultural treasures from around the world under one roof. This public museum, with blinding white staircases and marble walls, holds the largest and most comprehensive documentation of human history, art and culture. The British Museum's permanent collection includes 8 million works spread across more than 60 galleries. It is just like walking across Ancient Egypt, Greece, China and Africa as well as Roman Britain and Medieval Europe for free. Along with Egyptian mummies, the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon Pillars that are on display here. Keep an eye out for exciting events and exhibitions at the museum. National Maritime Museum As part of the Royal Museum's Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum officially opened in 1937 and since then it has expanded to 14 different galleries. You can find exhibits reflecting the glamour of British ocean liners, fascinating pirate escapades and heroics of famous Navy men. The museum also has important holdings of British maritime history that accumulate to over 2 million items. Some of the highlights include the complex legacy of the European Sea exploration with Christopher Columbus, Elizabeth I and Francis Drake, as well as the actual uniform of Admiral Nelson himself. The National Maritime Museum also has adventure-packed experiences for kids that will take them on a journey across the globe and on an exploration into the sea. Imperial War Museum As one of the world's leading war museums founded during the World War I, the Imperial War Museum in London is dedicated to all the extraordinary experiences of civil and military troops of the United Kingdom in the First World War. A wide range of war articles like uniforms, vehicles, photographs, films, weapons and even artworks are on display across six floors of the museum. Since it opened to the public in 1926, the museum has been moving across London until it found its permanent residence in what was once a psychiatric facility, the Bethlehem Rural Hospital. Step into the world-famous atrium that showcases the continuing impact of war and the award-winning galleries that have the power to inspire and transform you. Churchill War Room The Churchill War Rooms is a historic underground complex that is part of London's Imperial War Museum. Here you can explore the headquarters where Winston Churchill and his wartime government directed the course of the Second World War. These rooms also sheltered the then British government during the Blitz. The Churchill War Rooms were taken over by the Imperial War Museum and opened to the public in 1984 and the Churchill Museum was a new addition in 2005. The underground complex has been redeveloped and recreated to give you a gripping experience of the secrets and strategies that once roamed these rooms. Undoubtedly the museums are among the top things that London does best. Adding to the list, the London Transport Museum, the Science Museum, Sir John Sowen's Museum and the Design Museum are also some of the must visits in the city. To make your visit more convenient and enjoyable, check out the incredible experiences that Head Out has to offer in the City of London.