Museum of London – Explores Prehistoric London to Today

The Museum of London Covers London’s History From Prehistoric Times to the Present:

Museum of London - Photo by Internalfox/Wiki

History and heritage are the most influential reasons why people choose to visit London.  However, there is such a wealth of attractions in the City of London that visitors usually only scratch the surface of what there is to see here.  But, pay a visit to the Museum of London and you would be able to discover the social history of London from Prehistoric times to the global city that everyone knows today. The Museum of London tells the story of Londoners and their ever changing city.

About the Museum of London

The Museum of London is relatively new. It opened in 1976, but it already has over a million objects which range from archaeological finds to bus tickets, historic photographs, paintings, costumes, textiles and the magnificent Lord Mayor’s State Coach. The oldest objects are over half a million years old.

At this London history museum, visitors are taken on an unforgettable journey through the capital’s turbulent past and up to the present. There are nine permanent galleries and special exhibitions at the Museum.  They are all open to the public and entry is free.

What to See at the Museum

London Before London covers the period 450,000BC to AD50. Imagine prehistoric times when London was nothing but a tundra and the whole of the local population would fit into a double decker bus. Then see how the city changed under the Romans. Medieval London explores Anglo-Saxon settlement, Viking raids, Norman Conquest through to the reign of Henry VIII. From 1550 – 1660s, you can examine the tumultuous years when London was ravaged by civil wars, the horrific plague and Great London Fire of 1666. At the Galleries of Modern London, you can walk the streets of Victorian London, take a stroll in recreated pleasure gardens and marvel at the magnificent Lord Mayor’s Coach.

Lord Mayor's Coach by Justinc/Wiki

London survived all that conflict and turbulence and from 1950s to today, it has evolved into a multicultural city and the theatre capital of the world.

Facilities at the Museum

In the Sackler Hall there is a bank of computer pods that allow visitors to find out more about objects on display as well as those that are in store. For a pitstop, the Entrance Hall and Sackler Hall cafes offer drinks and lunches. And at the Museum shop, you can buy postcards, a comprehensive range of books about London and gifts.

The Museum of London is just a few minutes’ walk north of St. Paul’s Cathedral. It is open from 10:00 to 18:00 daily (closed December 24-26).  This is a must-visit for anyone interested in London’s social history going back to the beginning.

How to Get to the Museum:
By Tube: Barbican, St Paul’s, Moorgate
By Bus : 4, 8, 25, 56, 100, 25, 172, 242, 521

Address:
Museum of London
150 London Wall
London
EC2Y 5HN
Telephone: +44(0)20 7001 9844
Website: www.museumoflondon.org.uk

Map of London:

Click here to get a free PDF of this post