So, this happens to be England's oldest art gallery, and the main reason I treked all the way down…read morehere was so I could see a Bertha Morriset exhibition, one of the reasons being that you don't get many art exhibitions by female impressionists. Like a lot of the museums in England, it is free, but you do have to pay to go to the exhibitions.

Dulwich Picture Gallery opened in 1811 and was the world's first purpose-built public art gallery,…read moredesigned by Sir John Soane, to House a collection formerly at Dulwich College. The bulk of the collection was assembled by two London-based art dealers on a commission from the King of Poland, but the King's abdication in 1795 and their failure to find another buyer resulted in this astonishing collection of Old Masters being bequeathed to Dulwich College instead. Visitors can now enjoy an astonishing collection of Old Masters from the 17th and 18th Centuries set in the perfection of Soane's gallery: his deceptively sophisticated yet simple design became the model for galleries around the world since. Curation is simple and clear, and audio guides are also available. It's worth a couple of hours of anyone's time and has an excellent cafe and a small shop. The nearest railway station is West Dulwich: it's a 10 minute walk through Belair Park and along Gallery Road.

Better than Cadbury's or any BS french chocolate, the most tasty and filling chocolate in the…read moreworld. The staff there are very nice if you want to book a chocolate-making workshop!

From the owner: The only place in London where you can make, taste and learn about chocolate.read more

Free museum! Alpacas and goats and bunnies!…read morePicnic areas! Gardens! Crazy collections by Victorian natural history buff! Amazing collection of instruments in the basement! (Don't miss the surfboards that let you sample sounds) Exhibits suitable for the whole family! All this and a secret nature trail to explore next door- London's oldest! Full of urban Greenspans glory!

This fascinating little museum is a great day out trip from central London. They have just about…read moreany taxidermied animal that you could want on display, plus an interesting exhibit about cultures across the globe - all for free! There's also an aquarium, a butterfly house, and an extra exhibit (currently Lego sculptures) that you can pay to visit. The museum grounds are a great place to walk around. There are some really stunning views of the city center, plus a small farm, and lots of walking trails. This place was absolutely teeming with children, so it would be a great place to bring your little ones to run around. The grounds seem like a perfect place for a picnic - bring your own food or pick up something from the museum cafe.

It's a quant venue. BUT the exhibits are pretty impressive. I enjoyed the poetry of the black…read moreexperience in London.

This was an amazing gem in the heart of Brixton! Thoroughly enjoyed my time here. It's always…read moreinteresting to see how things are so similar despite the distance. The African diaspora is tightly knit. I walked away with knowledge of Black British history, that I wasn't aware of prior to. The archives host was very friendly and knowledgeable. He even shared his poem with us. The cafe inside was phenomenal and reasonable priced! If I'm ever in London again, I'll definitely come here to eat! I bought a Toni Morrison book (my fav author) from the gift shop. Everything was priced fine. It was a cute dainty little shop.

NOTE: Appointment required! Call and book ahead…read more This museum is one of the most exciting places I have visited for a long time. This victorian home is filled with hundreds of vintage wireless sets--almost certainly the largest display of radios in the world. What really makes this place special is the incredible feeling that it was put together not by an aristocrat who spent his lavish wealth on a museum, but rather by a man who dedicated his entire life to radio and turned his house into a museum (that man, Gerry Wells, sadly passed away in December). Now the museum is operated by a group of dedicated men and women who are incredibly passionate about radios, electronics and history. I spent hours talking about what life was like in the 40s and 50s, drinking tea, and listening to vintage radio sets (and even a gramophone with a huge brass horn)! I highly recommend this for anyone interested in radio, industrial design, history, or electronics.

I'm going to come right out and say it:…read more I think that libraries are one of the most important things we've ever come up with. So, yes, maybe I'm biased. This is the Tate (yes, as in THAT Tate) memorial library-- he didn't just endow the museum, he endowed three libraries in South London. It's a gorgeous old Victorian building, with lovely, knowledgeable staff, and a generally excellent selection of books and whatnot. They will, of course, get you anything in the Lambeth Library world. But that's not all! Free wifi! (usually) clean toilets! Computers! Books? Fiction. Nonfiction. Graphic novels. Training for the Life in the UK test. Job centre. Book reading groups. The librarians will engage with you, suggest books for you, and ask your opinion of books. They put up brilliant displays of local history (including a recent history of the Brixton Riots). What else? They have a LOYALTY CARD SCEME. I know. It's a library. They give you stuff for free. What on earth would you want with a loyalty card scheme? See, if you borrow anything five times, you'll get a DVD or audio music rental for free. I'm sure they have more. They're a brilliant resource full of lovely people. Write your MP, councillor, etc. and save them. It's probably the best use of your tax money.

Well placed library in the centre of Brixton, right next door to the legendary Ritzy Cinema…read more The library has normal books for loan as well as reference book also. One of the most pleasing areas is upstairs in the study / computer room to the left of the main staircase. Once inside there is gorgeous winding staircase leading up to what looks like part of the reference library. It was cordoned off last time I was there, so sadly I didn't get to have a poke around. Thinking about it I'm not sure that it's ever seen it accessible to the public, I'll have to go back and have another look!

Matilda, was very knowledgeable and likeable. Time flew by. We highly recommend her and this tour…read moreof the National Gallery!

From the owner: Say "Cheerio" to the dusty, stodgy tours of yesteryear. At Babylon Tours, our London is fresh and…read moreengaging - the one that you probably want to experience. Join us on a private or small group tour through the National Gallery and the British Museum or hit the streets through a historic tour of the center and (maybe) catch a glimpse of Kate or the rest of the royal family. Our young, energetic guides at Babylon Tours will introduce you to London in the best way possible, from Big Ben to the street art of its multicultural East End.

My wife and I hired Keith Bates for a transfer from South Hampton Port to London and a full day…read moretour of London on April 27th. Everything about the experience was exceptional! Keith met us at the cruise terminal at the appointed time. I even believe he arrived early just in case we were able to disembark the ship sooner than expected. He collected us and managed the bags into his beautiful Mercedes van. The van was the perfect touring vehicle with large windows, lots of space, and very comfortable seats for an 8-hour adventure. The drive from South Hampton to London was quick and entertaining with the interesting commentary. Keith is an outstanding driver paying very close attention to his surrounding and our safety while keeping us engaged. On the drive Keith took the time to get to know us, asking questions about our interests, passions, and our previous visits to London. He presented itinerary options for the day to us for feedback and concurrence. Throughout the day he would use what he had learned to add color and depth to the sites and historical backstories. By the end of the day it felt like touring the city with a close friend. Keith noticed that I wasn't feeling well so (with my permission) he worked his connections during the day to arrange a doctor's visit at the end of the day, a prescription pickup, and then a drop off at the hotel - talk about going above and beyond. We did a driving tour of London to start then parked the van in a couple of location and walked to the changing of the guard and the Tower of London. Keith depth of knowledge was truly impressive. He is well educated and articulate. He provided us a list of restaurant recommendation that accommodated our dietary restrictions. We dined at Simpson's on Strand and Rules on Maiden Lane which were outstanding. We were so impressed with Keith that we contacted him to book an additional half day walking museum tour where we visited Westminster Abby and the National Gallery. Keith's passion for his city is contagious. The seemingly secret allies and gardens he showed us gave a local flavor that made the day unique, not just a check list approach to guiding. In thirty years of traveling the globe, Keith is by far the best tour guide we have ever had!