London's Best
Cultural Venues

Bank of England Museum

Bartholomew Ln, London EC2R 8AH

Family-friendly museum with interactive exhibitions telling of the Bank's role in today's economy.

Barbican Centre

Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS

Cultural venue with concert hall, theatres, cinema, galleries and home of London Symphony Orchestra.

Cadogan Hall

5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ

Early 20th century hall, home to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with classical music programme.

Courtauld Gallery

Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN

One of the world's great art collections, housed within Somerset House on the Strand in central London. It is particularly celebrated for its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, including Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergère and Van Gogh's Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear.

Dulwich Picture Gallery

London SE21 7AD

Significant collection of 17th- & 18th-century European Old Masters in a building by Sir John Soane.

Eventim Apollo

45 Queen Caroline St, London W6 9QH

Large, art deco entertainment venue with eclectic programme of rock, pop and comedy performances.

Gillian Lynne Theatre

166 Drury Ln, London WC2B 5PW, United Kingdom

Modern theatre with moveable stage and seating, allowing all seats to have uninterrupted views.

Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Ct Way, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU

Famous seat of Henry VIII and his many wives, this palace received elegant Stuart-era modernisation.

Horniman Museum and Gardens

100 London Rd, London SE23 3PQ

Museum with aquarium, stuffed animal and musical instrument collections, set in landscaped gardens.

Leighton House

12 Holland Park Rd, London W14 8LZ

Former home of Lord Leighton with intricately tiled Arab Hall, paintings & sculpture collection.

Lightroom

12 Lewis Cubitt Walk, London N1C 4DY

London's purpose-built home for large-scale immersive art, set in a vast subterranean space near King's Cross, where 360° 4K projection and theatrical storytelling combine into one spectacular experience.

London Coliseum

St Martin's Ln, London WC2N 4ES

Ornate, restored Edwardian theatre with an 80ft stage for opera productions, plus bars and dining.

Museum of London

No 1, West India Quay, Hertsmere Rd, London E14 4AL

Georgian sugar warehouse, now home to a museum chronicling London's history as a trading port.

National Portrait Gallery

St. Martin's Pl, London WC2H 0HE

Paintings and photographs of aristocratic and famous figures throughout British history.

Natural History Museum

Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD

Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs.

Old Royal Naval College

London SE10 9NN

Elegant riverside complex designed chiefly by Sir Christopher Wren & housing a maritime museum.

Phoenix Theatre

110 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0JP

The Phoenix Theatre is a West End theatre on Charing Cross Road, opened in 1930 and known for its Art Deco interior. The theatre seats approximately 1,012 and is operated by Ambassador Theatre Group, hosting major productions and musicals.

Regents Park Open Air Theatre

Inner Circle, The Regent's Park, London NW1 4NU

Britain's oldest professional outdoor theatre, nestled in Queen Mary's Gardens in Regent's Park, staging a celebrated summer season of musicals, Shakespeare and new work since 1932.

Royal Academy of Arts

Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD

Palladian mansion hosting world-class art exhibitions and a legendary open-submission summer show.

Royal Albert Hall

Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7 2AP

One of Britain's great Victorian splendours, most famous for the Proms classical music festival.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Kew, Richmond TW9 3AE

Trees & flowers from around the globe in vast gardens with huge greenhouses & a treetop walkway.

Royal Festival Hall

Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX

Southbank Centre landmark hosting concerts and performing arts in a variety of spaces.

Saatchi Gallery

Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, London SW3 4RY

Up-and-coming and established contemporary art exhibited in 19th-century Duke of York headquarters.

Science Museum

Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD

A vast treasury of science & invention, famous for its state-of-the-art interactive exhibits.

Serpentine Gallery

London W2 3XA

Two free contemporary art galleries set inside Kensington Gardens, championing new ideas in art and architecture since 1970 and home to the iconic annual Serpentine Pavilion.

Sir John Soane's Museum

13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP

Eccentric 19th-century collector's home, packed with classical sculpture, paintings and curiosities.

Somerset House

Strand, London WC2R 1LA

Somerset House is a large neoclassical building on the Strand in central London, originally built in the 1770s as a government office complex. Today it operates as a major arts and culture centre hosting exhibitions, events, and performances, and is particularly well known for its winter ice rink and summer outdoor cinema screenings.

Southbank Centre

Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX

Theatres, concert halls and a cutting edge art gallery presenting over 1200 events each year.

St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, London

Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JJ

St Martin-in-the-Fields is a Church of England church on the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square, notable for its 1726 Gibbs design combining a classical portico with a steeple. The church is well known for its programme of classical music concerts, including regular candlelit performances, and runs a significant social care programme for homeless people.

St Marylebone Parish Church

17 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5LT, United Kingdom

St Marylebone Parish Church is a Grade I listed Anglican church on Marylebone Road designed by Thomas Hardwick and built between 1813 and 1817, notable for its grand Corinthian portico. The church has strong literary associations — Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett were married here in 1846, and it features in several works by Charles Dickens.

Tate Britain

Millbank, London SW1P 4RG

Imposing gallery with historic and contemporary British art, notable for its JMW Turner collection.

The Adelphi

John Adam St, London WC2N 6HA, UK

The Adelphi is a historic office and commercial building complex on John Adam Street in the Strand area of London WC2, originally designed by the Adam brothers in the 1770s. The current Adelphi building, completed in 1938, is a notable example of Art Deco architecture and serves as an office and events address close to the Savoy and Somerset House.

The Africa Centre

66 Great Suffolk St, London SE1 0BL, UK

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Catherine Street, London WC2B 5JF

Theatre Royal Drury Lane is one of the oldest and most historically significant theatres in the world, with a history dating back to 1663 in Covent Garden. The current building, the fourth on the site, was built in 1812 and following a major refurbishment completed in 2021 is now operated by Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group.

The British Museum

Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG

Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures.

the Design Museum

224-238 Kensington High St, London W8 6AG

Displays of contemporary design & innovation, from the everyday to the cutting edge.

The Harold Pinter Theatre, Panton Street, London, UK

Panton Street, London SW1Y 4DN

The Harold Pinter Theatre is a West End theatre on Panton Street, named after Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter in 2011. Originally opened as the Comedy Theatre in 1881, it seats around 796 and has hosted major productions including transfers from the National Theatre and RSC, operated by Ambassador Theatre Group.

The Horse Hospital

Colonnade, London WC1N 1JD

Rare 2-storied stable building converted into artist-led venue for unconventional arts and media.

The London Palladium

8 Argyll St, London W1F 7TF

Huge theatre with original features and ornate foyer, renowned for variety shows and musical revues.

The O2

Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX

Arena hosting concerts from the world's top stars & elite sporting events for up to 20,000 fans.

The Wallace Collection

Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN

The Wallace Collection is a national museum in Manchester Square housing one of the finest collections of art ever assembled by one family, including Old Master paintings, French 18th-century decorative arts, arms and armour, and Sèvres porcelain. Bequeathed to the nation in 1897, admission is free and the museum also has a courtyard restaurant.

Tower of London

London EC3N 4AB

Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters.

Union Chapel

19b Compton Terrace, London N1 2UN, UK

Victoria and Albert Museum

Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL

Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe.

Whitechapel Gallery

77-82 Whitechapel High St, London E1 7QX, UK