If you are heading off to London for the day near Holborn in Bloomsbury here are some interesting museums to visit. Holborn is a district located in central London, England. It is situated in the London Borough of Camden and is known for its proximity to popular tourist attractions such as the British Museum, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, and the Royal Opera House. Holborn is also a busy commercial area, with many law firms, media companies, and other shops in the area.
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The main Station is Holborn Station an it is served by several tube lines. The underground tube lines include the Central and the Piccadilly line. There are a few other tube stations nearby such as Chancery Lane station, Temple station and Russel Square.
The Closest and Best Museums in Holborn London and Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Them
Holborn is also in the Bloomsbury district and within walking distance to Covent Garden. So what Museums are in Holborn and where are they? Lets explore the closest and the best Museums in Holborn as well as where to eat and stay.
Sir John Soanes Museum Holborn
Sir John Soanes museum is an amazing museum and hidden gem right near Holborn station. This museum is located on Lincoln’s Inn Fields and is dedicated to the life and work of the architect Sir John Soane. Here you will discover the extraordinary home and museum of Sir John Soane who was a renowned neoclassical architect and collector. The museum is packed with Sir Johns personal collection containing thousands of objects ranging from Ancient Egyptian antiquities and Roman sculpture to models of contemporary buildings. It is a real hidden gem in London and is absolutely fascinating.
- Where: 13 Lincolns Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP
- When: Wednesday to Sunday, 10 to 5
- Cost: Entry is free.
- How to get there : Walk from Holborn to Sir John Soanes
The British museum
The British Museum is a public museum is dedicated to human history, art and culture. It documents the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present. It has a permanent collection of eight million works and counts as one of the largest and most comprehensive. The museum features a vast collection of art and artifacts from around the world, including the famous Rosetta Stone. Not only that the building itself is a work of art!
- Where: Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG
- When: Everyday, 10:00 – 17:00, except Friday: 10:00 – 16:00
- Cost: Free Entry
Bow Street Police Museum
The Bow Street Police Museum tells the story of the Bow Street Runners. The Bow Street Runners were part of the Metropolitan Police and a group of officers who patrolled the streets of Covent Garden. The Museum explores policing in London from the eighteenth century to London’s first police stations.
It looks at the Officers that fought crime up to the closure of one of one of the most interesting police stations in London. You will explore the fascinating tales of Bow Street and its original cells which were part of the old Bow Magistrates court. Find unique links with police history in the famous old Bow Street Police station.
Where: 28 Bow Street, London, WC2E 7AW
When: Friday to Sunday, 11 am to 16.30 pm
Cost: Adults £6.00, Concessions £4.50, Local residents and National Art Pass £3.00. Under 12’s and Carers, Free.
Tube: Covent Garden (3 minute walk), Holborn (7 minute walk), Charing Cross ( 11 minute walk), Temple (12 minute walk), Embankment (12 minute walk)
The Foundling Museum
The Foundling Museum is one of the most interesting museums in London and its dedicated to the history of the Foundling Hospital. The foundling hospital was founded in 1739 by philanthropist Thomas Coram as a home for abandoned children. The museum is located in Brunswick Square, near the site of the original hospital.
The museum houses a variety of exhibits and collections that explore the history of the Foundling Hospital and the lives of the children who were cared for there. It includes artworks, furniture, clothing, and other objects that were donated by the hospital’s supporters over the years. The museum also has an extensive archive of records and documents related to the hospital and its residents.
One of the most significant objects in the museum’s collection is the “Foundling Hospital Admission Token“, which was given to mothers who left their children at the hospital. The token could be used to reclaim the child if the mother’s circumstances improved. The museum also has a collection of paintings and other artworks that were donated to the hospital by artists such as William Hogarth, Thomas Gainsborough, and Joshua Reynolds.
- Where: 40 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AZ
- When: Open 10am until 5pm Tuesday to Friday ( 11am to 5pm Sunday )
- Cost: £9.50 for adults
- Closest Tubes: Holborn, Russel Square, Tottenham Court Road
Old Curiosity Shop
The old curiosity shop was well written about in the Charles dickens book but did you know you could actually visit it? It is tucked around the corner of Lincoln inns fields and is definitely worth a visit. The Old Curiosity Shop is a novel by Charles Dickens, published in 1841. The story is set in London, specifically in a shop located in the borough of Westminster, near the church of St. Clement Danes. The actual building that inspired Dickens’ description of the shop is located at 13-14 Portsmouth Street. It is currently undergoing a heritage restoration project this semester at the LSE.
- Where: 13-14 Portsmouth Street.
- When: currently under renovation
- Cost: N/A
The Charles Dickens Museum
The Charles Dickens Museum is a Museum which occupies a typical Georgian terraced house which used to be Charles Dickens home from 1837 to 1839. It’s the place where Oliver Twist was written and a fantastic thing to do in London; it allows you to step back into 1837 and Charles Dickens life. They also offer a lot events especially at Christmas time.
- Where: 48-49 Doughy St, London WC1N 2LX
- When: Wednesday – Sunday, 10:00 – 17:00
- Cost: £12,50 (+ £0,63 booking fee)
The Museum of Freemasonry
The Museum of Freemasonry is a free museum in the Freemasons hall. If you’re a Freemason, the museum is a treasure trove for exploration. If you’re not a Freemason, it’s the perfect place to visit and discover what Freemasonry is all about. The museum was established in 1838, and has a dedicated home at Freemasons’ Hall. It looks after an extraordinary array of artefacts, many almost 300 years old. The collection also includes the records of the United Grand Lodge of England, the Supreme Grand Chapter and various Masonic charities. The building is specatular to explore and the also have a cafe open to the public.
Where: Freemasons’ Hall, 60 Great Queen Street
When: 10:00 – 17:00 Monday – Saturday
Cost: Free
The Hunterian museum
This is a Museum that holds unrivalled collections of human and non-human anatomical and pathological specimens. You can find it in the building of the ‘Royal College of Surgeons of England’.
The Hunterian Museum is a museum located in London, United Kingdom, that houses the collection of anatomical and pathological specimens collected by John Hunter, a prominent 18th-century surgeon and anatomist. The museum was founded in 1799 and is part of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
The museum’s collection includes over 3,500 anatomical and pathological specimens, as well as Hunter’s extensive collection of coins, books, and manuscripts. The specimens include preserved human and animal bodies, bones, and organs, many of which were used by Hunter for research and teaching purposes.
The Hunterian Museum is considered to be one of the most important medical museums in the world and is a popular destination for medical professionals, researchers, and students.
- Where: 38-43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PE
- When: Monday to Friday, 9:00 – 17:00
- Cost: Free
London transport museum
The London transport museum is proudly called the World’s leading museum of urban transport. It includes galleries of vintage London trams, trains and buses. You can find out all about the link between transport and the growth of London since 1800.
The London Transport Museum is located in Covent Garden, London and displays a collection of over 450,000 objects related to London’s transport system, including buses, trams, trains, and taxis.
The museum has a large collection of historic vehicles, some of which are over a century old, as well as exhibits on the development of the Underground and the history of London’s transport system. There are also interactive exhibits, including simulators that allow visitors to experience what it is like to drive a bus or operate a train.
The museum is a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike, with its fascinating exhibits and hands-on displays. It also offers a range of events and activities for visitors of all ages, including guided tours, workshops, and talks.
In addition to the main museum in Covent Garden, the London Transport Museum also operates two other sites: the Depot in Acton, which houses the museum’s reserve collection, and the Museum Depot in Walthamstow, which is open to the public on select dates throughout the year.
- Where: The Piazza, London WC2E 7BB
- When: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 – 18:00
- Cost: Unlimited Annual Pass: Adults £21.00, Local Resident £15.00. Off-Peak Annual Pass: £18.50, Annual Pass Plus: £60, For Free if you are: under 17, TfL Staff, LTM Friend, Patron, Carer/Companion
The Harry Potter Photography exhibition
The Harry Potter Photography exhibition is now closed.
The ultimate place to visit for Harry Potter Fans is the Harry Potter Photography Exhibition in Covent Garden. The exhibition showcases hundreds of exclusive images and memories captured during years of magical filmmaking, with iconic Behind the Scenes footage! Fans can also experience areas inspired by the Ministry of Magic and Platform 9 3/4.
- Where: 45 Wellington St, London WC2E 7BN
- When: Monday to Friday, 8:30 – 5:30, Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 – 17:00
- Cost: Adult £20, Child £14, Family £56, Under 4 and Carer: Free
The Courtauld Gallery
The Courtauld Gallery is a gallery is located in Somerset House and features a collection of paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts from the Renaissance to the 20th century. This stunning Gallery museum of art hold regular events with different artists and exhibits. The museum It includes works by artists such as Botticelli, Van Gogh, and Monet. The Gallery is particularly known for its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings and exciting programme of temporary exhibitions.
Some of its most famous paintings are its remarkable group of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. These include the world-famous A Bar at the Folies Bergère by Édouard Manet, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear by Vincent van Gogh and the most significant collection of works by Cézanne in the UK.
- Where: Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN
- When: Open daily 10am until 6pm
- Cost: Adults from £9 students and art pass free,
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