This is a bit of a strange little museum located down a popular alley between Shakespeare's Globe and the London Bridge. It's located at the former sight of The Clink, one of London's oldest prisons that operated for about 100 years. We did some research online ahead of time, and actually decided to skip it, but once we stumbled upon it we changed our minds. Admission is only £8 for adults, which felt pretty reasonable for what they have going here. They don't have many actual artifacts, but do teach a lot about torture tactics used during the medieval times. Overall, I probably wouldn't come here again, but it was worth the low cost of admission. I believe it took us about 45 minutes to get through. read more

Clink Prison Museum - Exterior - Art Galleries Near Me - London, XGL

The museum is interesting and good to kill a half hour to 45 minutes if you're into getting a glimpse of medieval torture and crime. The museum is very small, yet it's only about £8, so not a big expense. I bought my tickets in advance on their website for Dec. 26th. I went on Boxing Day, and their website says they open at 10am every other day except Christmas. So I arrived at 10:05am and the doors were closed. There were a few others waiting at their locked front doors as well who bought their tickets online. There were no signs outside nor on their website about differing operating hours for Dec. 26th. I emailed the museum while I was waiting outside and haven't heard anything yet. The others outside called them and it just rang and rang with no message. I'm writing this on Dec. 27th. I waited for about 30 minutes and left to sit at a cafe to do some online investigating. I found on their FACEBOOK page that they were going to open at 11am on Boxing Day. I was happy about this news and went back and was able to enjoy the museum. While it is small, it does have authentic artifacts from the medieval prison days as well as a handful of interactive exhibits. There's some creepy music as well as audio reenactment recordings of prisoners. I'd say it's not a must-do, but if you're in the area near Borough Market and have about an hour or less to spare, then check it out. I just wish they had more accurate hours on their website. read more

See all

8 pounds to learn about the history of the prison in London, and it is so worth it! They do a great job explaining the conditions if the prison, the types of people who were there, how the prison interacted with the people of London, etc. It was very interesting and we enjoyed our time here and felt it was worth 8 pounds. You get a picture you can take at the end of you and your friends behind bars. You take the picture and can download it online.. Things to keep in mind: - The space is small and cramped, so be ready to be close to people if it is busy. - There is a lot of info on torture devices and they have examples that you can touch/try. read more

We were looking for something to do for Halloween and came across this museum. It was a fun, if gruesome, activity for our afternoon. We did find it overpriced for such a small museum. It was £8 per adult and even with reading every single exhibit, we were out in less than 45 minutes. Might be worth a stop If you enjoy Tudor history. Don't forget to pick up your free souvenir photo in the gift shop! read more

Clink Prison Museum - Art Galleries Near Me - London, XGL

Cheesy and probably the one experience/"museum"/exhibit in London that I would not recommend, or would have skipped in hindsight. But we had about an hour to kill, were in the area, and it was raining so we decided to give it a go. There's only actually one wall (or section thereof) of the old, original Clink Prison to be seen here. The rest is basically: an exhibition of very few actual artifacts; lots and lots and LOTS of plaques to read about various prisoners and British history; cheesy wax models; torture devices you can see in pretty much any torture museum; annoyingly repetitive moaning, groaning, and other vocal audio effects. While I did learn a few interesting things about how historically the prison worked, and so differently from today, it wasn't really worth doing so in this location. I wouldn't even recommend it to kids who might be fascinated by the gruesome stuff -- there's too much reading to be done and not enough actual interactive displays that would keep their attention. read more

Clink Prison Museum - My sweetie found this museum more amusing than I did, I think. - Art Galleries Near Me - London, XGL

The Clink Prison Museum was an interesting surprise when we were walking along the Thames. For £8 it fit the bill. An easy way to spend 30 minutes to an hour just be prepared for some interesting forms of torture from several hundred years ago. read more

I went here thinking I could use my London Pass for admission - nope! But since I was already there, I decided to just pay for it. I had fun, I learned some things, and I saw some neat stuff - a chastity belt! Some heads on the wall! Part of the real prison walls! - but I probably wouldn't have gone if I'd realized admission wasn't included in the Pass. read more

See all

This museum is situated on the site of the notorious mediaeval jail, which gave its name to the colloquial term for prison. The museum depicts the history of the site, including the range of famous (and infamous) prisoners. Shakespeare even visited a friend here once. From 1106 until its destruction in 1780, its inmates have ranged from priests to prostitutes, and it lays claim to being 'possibly the oldest men's, and probably the oldest women's prison in England'. I'm not sure about either claim, but the location in one the South Bank's narrow lanes is certainly atmospheric and claustrophobic. You can 'try out' some of the mediaeval torture instruments - safely, of course - and it certainly makes for a different experience from some of the glitzier attractions. It's too small (and a little pricey for what you get, in my view) to warrant a special trip, but it is close to The Globe, Southwark Cathedral and Borough Market if you have a spare hour or so in the area. read more

Clink Prison Museum - Art Galleries Near Me - London, XGL

See all

I had a fun time here. I learned a lot and took some fun pictures. Very creepy if you go when it's not busy and you're there by yourself. The wax statues look like they're going to come alive at any moment. Eek! read more

Clink Prison Museum - Off with their heads! - Art Galleries Near Me - London, XGL

Always a full little tourist trap. This is really the only place in the UK I have ever found that has torture stuff from the Middle Ages and keeps with the theme. If you have kids drop in. Don't expect to spend more than 15 minutes here though. read more

Despite reading all of the bad reviews for the poor Clink Prison Museum, I gave it a shot anyway. London is still new and exciting to me and I love discovering odd little places--especially historical ones. And hey, it's cheap. I understand why the reviews are bad. This isn't much of a museum. It's just a couple of rooms with poorly done wax figures with fake cries, shouting and lightning. I felt there was way too much information with not enough stuff. The walls are covered with informational plaques and posters and you can stand there for ages just reading about the history of the Clink, the laws in place during that time and also a lot of boring facts about various notable people. The actual pieces are just a couple of prison doors and then several creepy torture devices. But, if you enter the Clink with an open mind and don't expect too much, there is fun to be had. For instance, there is a wax figure trapped in a scaffold with an exposed buttcrack. Tons of photo opportunities here! The torture devices are out for you to pick up and have a proper look at--the best ones by far being the chastity belt and the iron boot. And then of course is the chopping block and giant foam ax so you can pretend to chop your friends heads off. If you want a nice break and a bit of cheesiness, this place is worth checking out. If you want to be scared to death or to spend hours wandering a big museum....I'd advise giving this one a pass. read more

Ideal for the faux-scholar who pretends to love history but actually has the attention span of a goldfish, this overpriced tourist trap is no substance and all fluff. Obviously, the allure of gruesome history and torture implements is hard to ignore (at least I think so!). But trust me when I say that given London's wealth of quality museums and exhibits, many of which are free, this place is definitely one to be skipped. But hey, I was in this city for three months and my dad came to visit, so we thought "why not." The reality: you will encounter very little history and many, many cheesy recreations of bodies in various stages of torture. Toward the end is a pretty funny photo opp with some of the torture implements, but that is probably the highlight and certainly not worth the £6 entry fee. Skip! If you're into morbid history and want an exhibit that is well worth your money, try the Old Operating Theatre by the London Bridge tube stop instead. read more

See all

Seriously one of the most underrated museums in London. Everyone goes to the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels or the torture museum. The torture area of the Tower is just one room and then leads straight to the gift shop. Our beefeater said in passing to go check out the Clink, which is the former jail for those who weren't worthy to be jailed in the Tower. We went the next day across the river and downstairs into the museum, which is all underground. The museum looks like a movie set where all of the figures are creepy mannequins that portray various historical figures or types of torture. £10 entry for a self-guided tour and almost no one goes so you have it all to yourself. Yes, it's cheesy but who doesn't like that every now and then? It's every bit as cheesy as the Tower, but way more informative. So glad that we heard about it! read more

The Clink is a cross between a real museum and one of those "haunted houses" that open up around Halloween time. It's not a super authentic museum, since most of the exhibits seem to be reproductions, but the location is authentic. It is very educational on the subject of torture, though. Somewhat of a gruesome way to spend time in London, but it's only about £7 per person and doesn't take more than an hour to go through. read more

Clink Prison Museum - Art Galleries Near Me - London, XGL

It's a small museum. We did the Shakespeares Globe tour the day before, so it was fun to see how all of the historical pieces went together. You can pick up and touch any of the devices they have out, which made it even more interesting because you can read about how awful these things were but you never know how incredibly heavy it is! It took us about an hour or so to run through and we bought the history book for an extra £2. read more

Oh...poor little Clink museum... After turning down the London Dungeon for all it's touristy hype and amusement park prices, I wanted to see something more legit. This poor lil guy wants to be a museum so bad... I rarely donate money to a museum because I always think, ehh, they get grants and sponsors anyway, but I think this one needs the help. I feel like with a makeover, there would be some potential for a cool stop as this is literally in the site of the old Clink prison that gave us such fun phrases as "throw 'em in the clink!" I... yeah, that's all I've got.... I mean, it's cheap, especially with the student concession, and we had fun because we were being silly and taking pics with the wax people that were dying from the plague or whatever, but maybe it's good for kids? It's like all the doom and gloom of old times without making your kids pee their pants from something jumping out at them? Just a thought? There's a few photo ops at the end if you want to re-enact a chopping off of your friend's head...if I knew how to upload place-specific pics, I'd show you.. (looks around)... read more

Woohoo! As good as it totally gets! This was a random visit, and it was 110% worth the price and time. Better than almost every museum we have in America. The interactive/environment based exhibits provided not only information but also an experience. We still talk about it, and I would rank this as one of my Top 5 Museums I've visited around the world. read more

In some ways, this museum was a bit of a disappointment after some other gruesome British attractions I've been to. It's self-directed, cheesy, and has what most would consider an overwhelming amount of written content. On the other hand, my parents and I spent hours in it. If you're willing to read all the panels, there are some really unique anecdotes that I had never heard before, as well as the origin of some modern day expressions. It might not have been the most engaging experience, but I went away with interesting things to share with friends. The Clink has a for kids aspect, which consists of a little rat character who leaves interesting tidbits at the end of some panels. Personally, I found these the most interesting! If you're not willing to read all the panels, don't go. If you love reading gruesome history books, this is a more interactive way to do it. read more

Bijou museum chronicling elements of the seamier side of the history of Southwark, or more specifically, it's jailbirds and ne're-do-wells. Aimed principally at, I would guess, a younger ( 12 years old) clientele, and really rather small, as I mentioned - if you're a grown up, expect to be in and out in an hour. Some exhibits are vaguely interactive, in an old-fashioned, non-computerised way ( seeing how heavy and ball and chain would be, having a go in the stocks, etc. etc.) A lightweight museum experience. read more

I was so intrigued by the entrance of this museum alone, it reminded me of the London Dungeon so I was expecting all manner of gory / interesting / weird historical delights inside but unfortunately I was a little disappointed. I found the museum a little boring - it's more of a tourist thing than anything else, being in the perfect area with lots of passing trade. I'd say if you want something more interesting then the London Dungeon is better, although it's a "dungeon" more than a "prison", it's just more entertaining... read more

Very enjoyable museum, many period pieces to marvel at. At only 7.50£ this place was very nice.

Really interesting but very small museum that give you an insight into how awful life in the clink prison was. I got round it in less than an hour and that was with stopping to read every bit of information about all the exhibits. For its size and content I think it's a bit over priced at £7 for an adult ticket though. read more

Clink Prison Museum - Art Galleries Near Me - London, XGL

Avoid. This is a tourist trap of a quite small & overpriced museum. Badly wax puppets & blood effects presenting the Southwark/Clink prison & it's history. Even with the discount voucher - 2 for 1- it doesn't worth it. You can see the whole museum in about 20mins - the only interesting thing is in the end that you get your photo for free (send to you by e-mail) in prison's gaol. read more

Clink Prison Museum - Clink Prison Museum - Art Galleries Near Me - London, XGL

i left a long review here but the qype site crashedbooo so in a nutshell: the clink is old and creepy - mainly due to the sad state of its' displays. the only reason i went here was because i was in the mood for sinister and macabre london history, and did not want to queue nor pay exorbitant prices for the london dungeon. worthwhile if you are in the area and have an hour to kill, otherwise, forget it. read more

Clink Prison Museum - Art Galleries Near Me - London, XGL

The Clink suffers from an identity crisis. Is it a small, serious museum, or a busy tourist attraction? My visit suggested that the answer is a bit of both, but with neither succeeding terribly well. The museum is near London Bridge, between Southwark Cathedral and Vinopolis. On your way, note Winchester Palace (or rather, the few remnants of the palace) as its history is closely linked to that of the museum. read more

Very informative and interesting museum. It has special and sound effects to keep you interested, lots of artifacts to pick up and touch, and tons of information to read. It is enough to see for the price and takes close to an hour depending on the pace you choose to go through it. Recommend for kids, families, and adults alike. read more

The Clink Prison Museum is located really close to the Borough Market. While nothing special, I did enjoy it. Pros: 1) The museum was basically empty. We were there at like 4 in the afternoon and we didn't see anyone else there the hour we were there. That was nice and a change from what we had been experiencing in London. 2) Affordable. Plus, with the purchase of a TravelCard pass through National Rail you can get 2 for 1 here (along with a bunch of other places). 3) The stories were really interesting. We read every display they had 4) Free picture at the end of tour. It's kind of silly but it's kind of fun. And FREE. Cons: 1) Not too many artifacts and items. Really good if you like to read at museums 2) This didn't bother me but my wife mentioned that the mannequins were a little cheesy. The had mannequins depicting torture and famous prisoners. I can see what she was saying but I didn't notice it when we walked through. Not a must do while in London, but I enjoyed it and the stories were really interesting. Blending my opinion and my wife's opinion I would give this visit a 3.5. read more

Do yourself an ENORMOUS favor and skip this rip-off. If this place really is a museum, then you can just as easily make your own "museum" by stuffing some old suits full of crumpled newspaper and hanging them in your living room. If you are an American, you've seen more professional displays at your local county fair-- You know, the kind of attraction they load on the back of a truck and assemble in about 12 hours for each new town they visit. Even if you are inclined to take your time through this craptastic dreck, you will be out in less than 20 minutes. And the "free picture" they promise you, posing in a mock-up of an antique torture chair? Good luck retrieving that photo on the internet. The site will merely tell you "We could not find the code you entered." Stay in your hotel and read the fire escape instructions. It will be cheaper and more entertaining. read more

I don't care whether or not you want to see original implements of torture, which are located at the very end of an incredibly boring tour with the poorest exhibits in the world. It's just not worth it. read more

Oh my what horror. Rare is the tourist proper who resists the lure of this ersatz monstrosity, and so it is with a heavy head that I confess that I, too, have been through The Clink, in the presence of a pair of pink-faced teens. As humiliation piled upon humiliation I can't say that I was surprised but I was more and more eager to escape the longer the visit went on. This is the kind of attraction that could be in any city at any time, designed, like Ripley's Believe it or not, to resist authenticity, a place of pure and total Disneyfication. What a shame, as the history is rich and very much intriguing. read more

The museum is horrible: the information completely inadequate, and the little that there is is repetitive; the is lighting poor, and the mannequins look like they're simply disintegrating. I am annoyed I wasted my money and my time. It doesn't deserve to even call itself a museum. What a racket! read more

Fantastic experience, a little bit scary and heavy, but honest to the history. I always believe that to face the darkness is to embrace the light. Any way, it's an unmissable place to explore the truth. read more

This prison has links with the Mayflower, Gunpowder Plot and the Babington plot. The museum calls itself 'the world's most notorious medieval museum' and although this may be true, that doesn't make it a great adventure. I really don't think it's worth the £5 entrance. If you're into dungeons and torture, then great but the history and the tour I found a little boring, they need to rethink their business plan, because I think they make most of their money from hiring the rooms for functions right now. read more

The Clink is 100% cheesy and teeny tiny but my 11 year old son LOVED it. He loved reading all the information on the walls about what it was like in the medieval prison and picking up all the hands-on exhibits. We both actually learned quite a bit during our visit. I probably wouldn't put this on my must-see list for London, but if you're in the area and have an hour to kill, it's worth checking it out. read more

really liked the old torture instruments & the smell. my favorite part was the cartoon mascot (Mr. Le Rat). would pay for this experience again read more

Honestly the worst experience we've had in London. We knew it was an overpriced tourist trap even before we went in but our incredibly low expectations were too high. We walked in with our 6 year old right into the middle of a tiny room with a private tour going on. We had nowhere to go so we waited and were rudely told to leave the room. We had just paid 18£ and couldn't even look around the first room? Beyond that it was still a disappointment. Avoid it at all costs. read more

This isn't like the London Dungeon so don't visit it expecting that! I would say this is more for older children, teens and adults who are really interested in the history of London's prison. I thought it was quite difficult to find and it's not signposted very well which means it seems more of an obscure tourist attraction. It's very creepy inside and if you ever get the chance to hear a goth band play at this venue (Mortis once did a gig here) then go for it, it has a great atmosphere! read more

I used to walk past this every day on my way to work until one day I decided to actually go in. The entrance fee wasn't huge, but that was understandable as it only took about 20 minutes to walk through what little was on display. It felt as though it could do with a makeover and wasn't much more than a series of passages written on the walls with not much more to engage the visitor. read more

This place is naff. It smells like Ye olde London but actually that's about it. The models are old and need replacing, it is quite expensive for what is basically nothing. There is text on the walls and a few manicles on the floor. Could be so much better and in such a great location. I think its basically a place for tourists to be ripped off. read more

A big disappointment. The Clink is one of those places I'd always meant to go in, having been past so many times. It's got a great location, this narrow ancient backstreet, and a great history, being a genuine prison going back centuries. But the displays are very basic, uninspired and not informative. This could be so much better. read more