Depends on what you like innit. Absolute must is the BM of course, to be stunned by the Great Court and wander about the loot of empire. Too much to see it all, pick your rooms and be selective. My favourite is the Sumerian and Akkadian; always quiet because the kids are freaking out over mummies next door in Egypt. Cafe recommendation - the London Review of Books shop on (I think? check) Museum St, has a gorgeous cafe, nomnom cakes and super coffee.
Science Museum is okay but too infotainmenty for my taste; the Natural History Museum is much more proper, grand, and full of absolute treasure (awesome shop). Beautiful building as well. V&A is hit and miss - you have to really like silverware, or Venetian glass, or Shaker furniture, - it really is Antiques Roadshow writ large. However the V&A shop is FANTASTIC. All three museum are in South Kensington, so take the tube out, visit one, have lunch up in Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens (Orangery) and then come back for two halves and the gift shops. It's a full day out there!
If you like art at all go the National Gallery and/or the National Portrait Gallery (next door to each other; also across the road from St Martins; Pret A Manger sammich for lunch and cocktail at Browns later on). The NG is vast and too big to be seen all at once, but you can skip the bits you don't fancy and/or do one of the Highlights audio tours. The Tudor part of the NPG is AMAZING - go in and see that if you see nothing else.
The Tate Modern is a total must-see; first for the building itself and the collection is pretty fab as well ;) Have a drink at the least at the bar on the upper floors, if you're knackered there's loads of lookouts over the river with comfy chairs. Combine a Tate day with a walk across the wobbly bridge to St Pauls (which is a couple hours in itself).
Small museum treasures (look them up, I'm too lazy to link you): The Soames Museum in Holborn; The Geffrye Museum in Shoreditch, The Guildhall Gallery, the Hirniman if for some reason you're out south, the Museum of London and the Wallace Collection (the last two are my fave small guys).
Blanket recommendation: seek out the late opening nights - everything is much quieter and somehow you feel much more relaxed.
pt II
b. Museums and Galleries
Depends on what you like innit. Absolute must is the BM of course, to be stunned by the Great Court and wander about the loot of empire. Too much to see it all, pick your rooms and be selective. My favourite is the Sumerian and Akkadian; always quiet because the kids are freaking out over mummies next door in Egypt. Cafe recommendation - the London Review of Books shop on (I think? check) Museum St, has a gorgeous cafe, nomnom cakes and super coffee.
Science Museum is okay but too infotainmenty for my taste; the Natural History Museum is much more proper, grand, and full of absolute treasure (awesome shop). Beautiful building as well. V&A is hit and miss - you have to really like silverware, or Venetian glass, or Shaker furniture, - it really is Antiques Roadshow writ large. However the V&A shop is FANTASTIC. All three museum are in South Kensington, so take the tube out, visit one, have lunch up in Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens (Orangery) and then come back for two halves and the gift shops. It's a full day out there!
If you like art at all go the National Gallery and/or the National Portrait Gallery (next door to each other; also across the road from St Martins; Pret A Manger sammich for lunch and cocktail at Browns later on). The NG is vast and too big to be seen all at once, but you can skip the bits you don't fancy and/or do one of the Highlights audio tours. The Tudor part of the NPG is AMAZING - go in and see that if you see nothing else.
The Tate Modern is a total must-see; first for the building itself and the collection is pretty fab as well ;) Have a drink at the least at the bar on the upper floors, if you're knackered there's loads of lookouts over the river with comfy chairs. Combine a Tate day with a walk across the wobbly bridge to St Pauls (which is a couple hours in itself).
Small museum treasures (look them up, I'm too lazy to link you): The Soames Museum in Holborn; The Geffrye Museum in Shoreditch, The Guildhall Gallery, the Hirniman if for some reason you're out south, the Museum of London and the Wallace Collection (the last two are my fave small guys).
Blanket recommendation: seek out the late opening nights - everything is much quieter and somehow you feel much more relaxed.