Best museums near Surrey
Exhausted all the main museums in your area and looking for something a bit different? Check out this list of weird and wonderful museums in Surrey and SW London for a memorable, alternative experience...
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travelguide.michelin.com
Sir John Soane's Museum
Opening times: Wed-Sun; 10am - 5pm
Down a street in Lincoln’s Inn Fields nestles the former home of eccentric 18th-century architect Sir John Soane. Practically preserved as Soane left it, the house holds a large collection of rare artefacts. This extraordinary treasure-trove welcomes 100,000 visitors each year, who marvel at collection highlights including the sarcophagus of Egyptian king Seti I. With a museum shop, and a café in the park across the road, this site has all the ingredients for a fun day out.
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www.cartoonmuseum.org
The Cartoon Museum
Opening times: Tue-Sun; 10.30 am - 5.30 pm (open until 8pm on Thursdays)
Recently relaunched this year by Sam Jacob Studios, this museum holds a colourful array of comic art, including political and historical cartoons. The site hosts frequent workshops and special exhibitions, aiming to educate the public on British cartoon heritage and cultivate an interest in this unique art form. With a gift shop offering a range of comics, cards and stationery, this is the perfect destination for art lovers.
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www.tripadvisor.co.uk
Pollock's Toy Museum
Opening times: Mon - Sat; 10 am - 5 pm
This charming museum started life as a shop in the mid-nineteenth century, but now exhibits a varied collection of Victorian toys displayed inside two conjoined buildings. Visitors can see toy theatre collectors' pieces handcrafted by toymaker Benjamin Pollock, alongside classic playthings such as puppets, teddy bears, and dolls. This museum is suitable for curious adults and older children.
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www.worldrugbymuseum.com
World Rugby Museum - Twickenham Stadium
Open times: Tue-Sat; 10am - 5pm, Sun; 11am - 5pm
Located in Twickenham Stadium, the World Rugby Museum was founded in 2007 and holds a collection of over 38,000 pieces of international rugby memorabilia. On offer is the chance to see collection highlights including the Calcutta Cup and the oldest international jersey in the world. The museum regularly plays host to family activities; so, it makes the ideal outing for sport obsessed adults and children alike.
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www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
The Clockmakers' Museum
Opening times: Daily; 10 am - 6 pm
This magical museum, which boasts a collection of over 1000 watches, 25 marine chronometers and 80 clocks, is tucked away in the Science Museum. The exhibitions offer visitors an overview of the history of London's clockmakers and features cherished items including an early marine chronometer crafted by inventor John Harrison. Don't waste any time checking out this hidden gem!
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www.tripadvisor.co.uk
The Foundling Museum
Opening times: Tues-Sat; 10am - 5pm, Sun; 11am - 5pm
Established by Thomas Coram in 1739, this museum originally served as a Foundling Hospital, housing London's abandoned children. Today, tourists who venture into this 18th-century building can discover the history of both the site and Coram, the UK's first charity dedicated to children, as well as visit captivating exhibitions. Enjoying the patronage of the Duchess of Cambridge, the museum aims to inspire visitors to give back to society.
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www.tripadvisor.co.uk
Charles Dickens Museum
Opening times: Wed-Sun; 10am - 5pm
Moving to 48 Doughty Street in 1837, Dickens penned the classics the Pickwick Papers, Nicholas Nickleby, and Oliver Twist in this cosy town house. Visitors today can wander through these furnished rooms to see collection highlights including the Victorian writer's desk and handwritten drafts of his famous works. Walk over the hallowed floorboards which once hosted the nation's best and brightest at dinner parties. Worth the visit for any literary enthusiast.
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@churchillwarrooms
Churchill War Rooms
Opening times: Daily, 9:30 am - 6 pm
Step inside the underground bunker where the cigar-puffing, iconic prime minister directed the events of the Second World War. Sheltering in this muddle of rooms and passage ways, Churchill, the war cabinet, and thousands of members of staff worked to win the war. Learn their stories as well as visiting the interactive Churchill museum, and the rooms that witnessed some of the most crucial decisions of the 20th century.
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www.tripadvisor.co.uk
Brooklands Museum
Opening times: Daily, 10am - 5pm
Founded in 1907, Brooklands was home to a famous motor racing course and hosted a range of adrenaline-filled competitions, including the RAC British Grand Prix in both 1926 and 1927. Visitors to the museum today can see a beloved collection of vintage cars and motorcycles. One exhibition tells the story of the rich history of aircraft construction at the site, with highlights including the Concorde G-BBDG tour. Visitors can also enjoy simulations at the 4D theatre.
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www.tripadvisor.co.uk
The Spike Heritage Centre
Opening times: Tue & Sat; 10 am - 4 pm
The Spike Heritage Centre is one of the few remaining examples of a Casual's Ward in the UK and dates back to 1906. Visitors to this historic attraction can discover the story of the vagrants who spent the night and performed dehumanising tasks in this gloomy reminder of a pre-welfare state England. On offer is the chance to take a tour with a knowledgeable guide and step inside a working cell, taking in the atmosphere of the site. An afternoon at the museum will bring home just how fortunate we are.
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@M.chohan
The Wallace Collection
Hertford House Manchester Square, Surrey, W1U 3BNOpening times: Everyday - 10:00 - 17:00
Occupying a beautiful site at Hertford House in Manchester Square, this small museum hidden away in the City of London is world famous for its collection of arms and armour.
The museum boasts an amory dating from the Middle Ages to the 19th century covering a vast array of nations and cultures from England to Persia.
The collection was brought together by the first four marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace. It was later bequeathed to the nation in 1897 before opening to the public in 1900.
Alongside the awe inspiring collection of arms and armour, the museum also displays a breadth of great paintings and sculptures including examples from the 18th century French artist Jean-Honoré Fragonard.
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@alh1
London Mithraeum
12 Walbrook, City of London, EC4N 8AAOpening Times: Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 – 18.00, Sundays 12.00 – 17.00, Wednesday during term time 12.30 – 18.00, First Thursday of the month 10.00 – 20.00, Closed Mondays, Christmas & New Year bank holidays.
Deep beneath the glass skyscrapers of the City of London, the subterranean London Mithraeum is a ghostly reminder of Britain's ancient past.
Unearthed in 1954, this ancient temple has become one of the most archaelogically significant sites in Britain.
Dedicated to the mysterious god Mithras, the temple would have been the site of secret initiation ceremonies and possibly bloody animal sacrifices.
Today the Mithraeum lies underneath Bloomberg's European headquarters and the spooky subterranean chamber in which it lies, acts as a portal back to Roman Londinium.
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Burt Hingle more than 2 years ago