Take a cultural tour of London’s top museums

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Culture lovers will have a plethora of cultural treasures to explore in the British capital, London. Visitors in London are never far away from a museum, with national museums and private museums galore across the city! London is home to more than 170 museums of every type with some of the finest museums located here. From world-class temporary exhibitions to spellbinding permanent collections, there is an amazing array of cultural gems on display.

A good starting point would be the Park Grand London Hotel during your stay in the city. While at the hotel do not miss out on an Indian afternoon tea experience in London.

Some of the best museums near Park Grand London Hotel which are a must visit are:

British Museum

British Museum

Spread across 900,000 sq. ft. it is one of the most prominent attractions in Bloomsbury and is one of the biggest and most visited museums in the country. Among the hoard of ancient artefacts on display are the infamous Elgin Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian sarcophaguses etc. With more than 8 million curated objects as part of its collection, it is one of the best places for culture lovers to satiate their curiosity. A lesser known but well worth visiting section is its art section that houses a collection of artwork including pieces by Raphael and Gainsborough. The permanent collection exhibit is absolutely humongous but still not an iota of the museum’s actual treasure trove of objects. There also are several smaller temporary exhibitions on display at different times of the year.

National Gallery

National Gallery

Located in the heart of the city at Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery. It opened in 1824 with its collection added to over the decades, thanks to donations and purchases made from aristocrats that had fallen on bad times. It houses artworks until 1900 with art after that on display at the Tate Britain or Tate Modern. There is an incredible array of art on display including works by Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli. Other pieces include a brilliant collection of post-impressionist works by Van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Cezanne and Monet etc.

Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum

It is part of the area of South Kensington’s famous Museum Mile with the Natural History Museum in the exact centre. The building was built by architect Alfred Waterhouse and is home to one of the finest collections of natural history specimens. Its display of fossils and skeletons of diverse natural species is second to none. The Central Hall is now home to Hope the Blue Whale’s massive exoskeleton, which replaced Dippy the dinosaur that was the highlight of the museum. Hope was found stranded on a sandbar off Wexford in Ireland in1891. The museum is a perfect place to spend a cold rainy afternoon examining and admiring the impressive collection of artefacts. It is a popular venue for school day trips although spending a night is now possible with the sleepover nights for adults as well as kids. Those with a fascination for the natural history of our planet and the evolution of species will thoroughly enjoy a visit to the museum.

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