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    Geffrye Museum

    4.2 (52 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Geffrye Museum Photos

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    Geffrye Christmas decoration 1
    Anthony C.

    This little museum is absolutely different from the rest of London's museums. Firstly its never as packed and its cosy feeling makes you feel like you in a different part of England. If you are into interior design or you want to learn a bit more about history in a more interactive way are going to love this little gem. Each room is presenting a piece of history from the 1700's right through to the 2000's Don't forget to visit the back gardens, each of them displays a different period like the rooms. The best time to visit is on December were they decorate all the rooms based on the traditions of the different periods.

    View of Almhouses
    Robert w.

    I love this museum converted from old almshouses originally set up as a charity to house poor elderly people. The museum specialised in interiors and home design through the centuries. The exhibits are displayed in room settings so you can see how design has evolved to reflect changes in ideas and technology. The museum also has extensive gardens to the front, sides and back. One garden is an attractive walled herb garden with shaded seating and a fountain bubbling away. Currently there is an interesting exhibition by a photographer who took photos of all the lounges in his block. It's intimate but interesting to see how people make their flat their home. Finally there is an attractive gift shop selling books, postcards and even ceramic plates from one of London coolest desgn teams (in my humble opinion) People will always need plates.

    Claire L.

    This a museum for all interior design buffs. The museum takes you through Britain's changing interiors from the 1700s right up to the present day. You start at the beginning and literally walk the museums length (so essentially going from the past to the future!). I found the way in which each room was laid-out, really interesting. The fact you are walking through each little time zone to end up in the present day was quite nice too, feels like you're time traveling a bit! I'd say, unless you are really interested in British history and / or interior design then this might bore you a little. These aren't my preferred subjects but I did enjoy myself. If you don't want to spend ages reading each room explanation then you can walk through this place pretty quickly. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit this place but if you're around the east and fancy it, then you should check it out. It's a gorgeous little building just beyond the hubbub of Hoxton and a little bit of calm amongst the bustle...

    Leanne W.

    The ultimate museum for the middles classes! The Geffrye Museum exhibits the changing styles of the English Domestic interior from the last 400 years. How twee?! Basically it's a great chance to go gawp at posh peoples living rooms and wish you had the cash to buy an intricate mirror the size of your room and sumptuous velvet curtains. The best thing about this museum are the award winning gardens. They have benches, and a beautifully kept lawn so when Hoxton Square is crawling with people this is a welcome respite - somewhere to eat your sarnies in peace. Nice in the summer, I'd recommend a visit to go see how the other side live!

    A vase and nice clean cups in the cafe
    Helen M.

    I haven't been to this place for years, and I've been meaning to go back for ages! Somehow I always seem to end up walking past just as it closes at 5pm. Well, finally made it and glad I did. Though not in a pretty area, the museum grounds are lovely. There's open lawns and trees at the front, and a garden, including herb garden, at the back. This is closed during the winter, but can be seen through windows. The museum itself is a set of converted alms houses. As such the main part of the museum is a long line of rooms with household interiors from various periods from the 1600's. There's also displays of items to go with these, and sometimes interactive displays, such as material samples that you can feel. Halfway down the line you also come into what was the chapel for the almshouses (apparently attendance twice a day was compulsory). Down at the end there's a whole modern wing housing a café and the modern interior displays. It's quite a contrast to the older parts of the museum, but fitting in a museum about building interiors that the building should also display different periods! The café has some amazing light fittings and lovely airy windows over the gardens. I only made a quick visit, but there's lots of stuff to read everywhere. Good labelling The museum also seems to encourage further study. There's a reading room and library with books available (gardening, interiors, cooking, anything vaguely relevant!). In the modern wing there's a room with recent design magazines available to read. Only a small museum, but definitely worth a visit.

    Steve B.

    A few minutes from our home this tranquil hideaway has been a favourite spot for escaping the bustle of Shoreditch life. Anyway, great little museum with good cafe and shop, lovely gardens and friendly staff. The star of the show is the range of activities for kids - all free - a staple of our plans for school holidays - based on themes from the museum - today we are busy decorating Japanese noodle bowls and clay chopstick holders. If you have kids this really is a must visit place

    various types of flooring for you to touch
    Emeline V.

    Hidden behind massive walls, and next to a peaceful garden, the Geffrye has a lot going for it. Not too big or too small, it makes for an hour very well spent. Also, it's in Hackney, which means that few people make the trek, and you can expect to take your time, and read the wall text in silence. Unless of course, you're me, and find yourself stranded in line the one day all the neighbourhood's parents chose to bring the little family along. Arg. You can expect a lovely succession of interiors from the 17th century onwards, along with explanations and hypothetical schedules the house's families would have followed. Every two interiors or so you'll get a little corner focusing on specific objects, which you can interact with. Their various audio booth are inventive (a house-master describing his day, or a selection of music from the time period) but not necessarily practical. The focus on a time period's changing economy, and, of course, the repercussions on social classes are fascinating and a great insight into British society. A member of their staff invited us to an interactive game through which people discovered the history of London, it sounded great but we were quite shy, if that's your thing, stay put. Tidbit: on your right, on the windowsill, are large fan-like panels for you to consult: they highlight the use and origins of some items in the room.

    Geffrye Museum
    Helena S.

    My favourite museum in Hackney - it's based in an old almshouse and takes you through the history of home interiors, from the 17th century to now. It gives a lovely feeling that you are nosying into people's homes, in a time travel-like way. It's really worth seeing the restored almshouse rooms too, one from the 1780s and one from the 1880s, lit with gaslight. Check the website tho cos these aren't always open. The café is excellent, and you can lounge in the reading room/gallery or catch the sun in the garden out back.

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    17 years ago

    Alas, I never found it! After leaving the correct tube station, I wandered and got a bit lost. Next trip.

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    18 years ago

    Another good museum with lots of history. Nice gardens good for half term trips

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    Geffrye Museum Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Geffrye Museum

    The Geffrye takes us through the history of the English domestic interior from the 17th century to the present day.

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    Jack The Ripper Museum - Police Office at Jack the Ripper Museum

    Jack The Ripper Museum

    4.1(19 reviews)
    1.5 miWhitechapel

    I waited for a while to write this review as I wanted to parse this experience a little more in my…read moremind. In general, this place was reasonably well designed to tell the Jack the Ripper saga at a level for the casual observer. In other words, for those who want to learn the historical significance of the events on a basic level, it was perfect. I was afraid that it might be overly gimmicky and touristy. And there was some dramatic effect pervasive in the audio guide (extra cost), but it was not overdone. While the museum is housed in the Whitechapel neighborhood where the murders occurred, the structure itself has no documented connection to any of the homicides or murder suspects. The museum is well chosen, however, as it features five floors where they stage scenes relevant to the telling of the Ripper saga. The ground floor was informational, while the next level was set up as one of the first murder scenes where a victim was found. The second floor (third level) was staged as the apartment of one of the prime suspects Walter Sickert. There were actually a period overcoat and derby in that room to try on for a photo op. The third floor was set up to be a likeness of the police station with actual police artifacts from the investigator who was working the case. The top floor was constructed as a shanty apartment from one of the last victims. The basement (last in the tour on the recommended sequence) was a scene from the Ten Bells Tavern which seemed to be a seminal hunting location for the Ripper. The museum was well presented and the audio guide and displays presented the right amount of drama to tell the story without crossing the "hype" border. If you want to leave out most of the drama, you could forgo the audio guide. I thought it was a nice added dimension. But the artifacts and the signage by themselves give a very good basic history of the events associated with the Ripper. The backgrounds of the victims were quite interesting. Likewise fascinating were the identities and backgrounds of the lineup of suspects that had been pegged as possible culprits by various contemporaries as well as scholars and JtR buffs since that time. What particularly interested me was the status of Whitechapel within London's social environment at that time. It was clearly very different from the current standing of the community, which has really only changed in the past 20 or 30 years from what I could glean. This area was clearly rife to present opportunities for a psychopath like the Ripper to find his victims. These unfortunate women were victimized first by society and by their own poor choices before becoming ultimate victims for the Ripper. It was an intriguing dive into London's social history. Because of the iconic and enduring nature of the mystery behind these killings and its inextricable tie to the City of London, this museum is probably worth seeing if you have the time (and I emphasize the word "IF"). Given the number of worthwhile sights in London, I'd be hard pressed to urge most people to prioritize it. This was my fifth or sixth trip to London, and the third in which I've had my wife with me, so we were in a situation where we were on second tier sights, making this one easier to prioritize. We were also staying in Shoreditch. Hence, the proximity was working in our favor as the museum was walkable. On the other hand, if you are a crime buff or a mystery buff in addition to being interested in social and cultural history, you might elevate this sight to a must-see. It is done well enough to be both entertaining and informative.

    I didn't take a lot of pictures of this great little museum because that would ruin it for those…read morewho like these types of places. Nice little souvenirs to take home. Museum takes you through the whole Jack the Ripper murders. Mind you it is a three story museum and more information in the basement. Lots to look at, and it brings you closer to what happened.

    Photos
    Jack The Ripper Museum - Police Office at Jack the Ripper Museum

    Police Office at Jack the Ripper Museum

    Jack The Ripper Museum - Recreation for Discovery of Victim at Jack the Ripper Museum

    Recreation for Discovery of Victim at Jack the Ripper Museum

    Jack The Ripper Museum - Bedroom at Jack the Ripper Museum

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    Bedroom at Jack the Ripper Museum

    Dennis Severs' House - House exterior. No photo inside. £15

    Dennis Severs' House

    4.1(30 reviews)
    0.7 miSpitalfields

    This was such a unique and fantastic "still-life drama" visit. If you are looking for an obscure,…read moreyet artsy experience, this is the place to see. Each room is pretty narrow and you'll be walking up about 6 flights of stairs so wear comfortable shoes. You'll use all of your senses when you walk through this house and, imagined how people lived during the early 18th century based on economic means. Costs 10 GBP per person for a general visit and they take cash only. I used an Uber to get here and decided to Google Maps my way through the town of Shoreditch afterward which, was also a fun adventure.

    I really wanted to love this experience. I loved the idea of it all - a home frozen in time,…read morestripped of anything modern, oozing history and story and questions. I even loved the way I discovered it: I just zoomed into our hotel's location and moved the map on my screen to see what was nearby and intriguing. On the whole, it was an interesting experience. There were a few other people making their way through the floors of the residence, and some of them (one group in particular) clearly wanted to be anywhere but inside those walls. Still, we took our time with each room, trying to put ourselves in the time, forget the world outside, become immersed in the experience. There are four floors, and you're not supposed to talk, which made finding the right "next room" a bit of a challenge. I think I tried to enter rooms out of order on three of the four floors (and only got the fourth floor right because there was only room available). They have people working the space, but none of them pointed in the right direction or gave even the slightest hint that you were headed the wrong way until you'd already committed to walking into a room. Each room had a different "story" attached to it. You walk in, take a moment to gather your senses and get a feel of the place (no modern technology, so everything's candle and fireplace lit), then you're meant to understand everything that was going on right before you walked in. There are small cards scattered throughout the dioramas, which encourage you to ponder a certain piece, question the placement of a chair, or absorb a scent. They go out of their way to ensure accuracy and make the rooms feel authentic. Yes, that really IS a bedpan with something that looks suspiciously like wee floating in it (I couldn't bring myself to check on that one). Maybe I was just too tired to really appreciate what they did there. I am glad that we went - it was different and maybe a bit odd - but I don't know that I'd recommend it to anybody who doesn't have an appreciation for history or strange. They don't allow photos (follow their Instagram page if you're interested in getting a sneak peek of the space), so you're going to have to rely on your ever-fading memories and snapshots in your mind. Or maybe that's just me.

    Photos
    Dennis Severs' House - The house itself.

    The house itself.

    Dennis Severs' House - Dennis Severs' House London

    Dennis Severs' House London

    Dennis Severs' House - Dennis Severs' House facade

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    Dennis Severs' House facade

    The Old Operating Theatre

    The Old Operating Theatre

    4.4(25 reviews)
    1.9 miLondon Bridge
    £

    Very interesting - see the old operating theatre, diseased lungs and brains in jars, crazy medical…read moreimplements. Definitely insightful. To get into the place you have to climb up a very steep, claustrophobic winding staircase which would be impossible for some people.

    I love, and I mean LOVE, a medical history museum! Because…read morefolks...they aren't all well-known, but they aren't unusual to find. And you should definitely seek one out, if there is one in a city you are visiting. They tend to be small, but also the most interactive types of educational museums spaces. The Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret is not open everyday (unlike what Yelp says), which makes sense for the size and type of place. Despite it's location near Borough Market and the large London Bridge metro station, it seems it is small enough...far enough off the main drag...and with the smallest little sign indicating it's location...that it has weekend-only hours. Sort of....long weekend....Thursday - Sunday 10:30am -5pm. These are the days and hours as they appear on google AND the museum's own website. So be aware. The actual museum is in the attic of the building that houses it, and requires an ability to go up several stories worth of a very narrow spiral staircase. It is not accessible, and there are no toilet facilities on site. So be aware. I appreciate the stair-traffic-control they do, with alternating red and green lights on the top and bottom so you know when you can go in whatever direction without a mid-spiral traffic jam. Upon paying for entrance, you get a scratch card with a person's illustration on it, and you scratch off a series of information bits as you go through the museum and see their icon. Love it! And there are different ones, so if you have a couple people in a group, you'll learn about different people! There is a children's area with coloring pages and interactive parts... It is all really just....so cool. You should go and experience it, if you have the physical capacity to get yourself to the entrance. I don't want to spill too much of what you will see there....but loads of history along with historical medical instruments, an operating theater, and other various medical-adjacent and old time-y pharmaceutical-y things...it's...fantastic. Well worth your time and money and some fun souvenirs, should you be in to that as well. Highly recommend!

    Photos
    The Old Operating Theatre
    The Old Operating Theatre
    The Old Operating Theatre

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    Clink Prison Museum

    Clink Prison Museum

    3.0(51 reviews)
    1.8 miLondon Bridge, South Bank
    £

    This is a bit of a strange little museum located down a popular alley between Shakespeare's Globe…read moreand 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.

    The museum is interesting and good to kill a half hour to 45 minutes if you're into getting a…read moreglimpse 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.

    Photos
    Clink Prison Museum
    Clink Prison Museum
    Clink Prison Museum - Exterior

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    Exterior

    Geffrye Museum - museums - Updated May 2026

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