Bruce Castle is a Grade I listed 16th Century manor house in 20 acres of parkland. I went to school…read morea few streets away and we visited this small white castle a few times. It is definitely well kept, and being as old as it is, it is full of history. The main exhibitions were on the World Wars, it was almost like an Army museum. This is a huge part of Tottenham Heritage, the one thing that stands, and in many ways, the Tottenham local should be very proud of it, Henry VIII actually funded certain parts of the building to be completed in his years as King.

Located close to Tottenham, the Bruce Castle Museum is an odd sort of place. It has a feel of a…read moresmall town museum, rather than one in the metropolis. The old house, still grand despite historical modifications, is charming, whilst also in need of some TLC (which in this case might mean tonnes of lottery cash). Inside the exhibitions are varied and interesting though perhaps a little worn around the edges. It seems as if all the historic items of interest and value stored by Haringey Council have been dumped here, and arranged wherever possible into some sort of coherent order. The variety is interesting, but means in truth there is a lack of quality exhibits in any one genre. There are small exhibits on local sport, the history of the house (including ghost story), local life during World War Two, the growth of Tottenham, picture-filled corridors on the ground floor and a larger exhibition space upstairs. The most interesting exhibit within the museum, and possibly the only one that would genuinely justify a visit is located on the ground floor. Where the rest of the museum is a hotch-potch of items the exhibit relating to Broadwater Farm Estate is excellent. Based on a university research project, the large exhibit looks closely into the building and development of the infamous housing estate associated with the 1980s riots. It is fascinating how badly conceived the estate was in the first place, then how poorly built. The levels of deprivation and crime, and the eventual riots are widely known, but what is excellently presented is the subsequent creation, development and success of a growing community unity. The story of the Broadwater Farm Estate may be best known for the violence, but that would be wrong. The colourful, dedicated and determined community leaders that brought the estate back from the brink are modern heroes, and their story deserves to be more widely known. Generally I would find it hard to recommend the Bruce Castle Museum to anyone who had not yet exhausted London's larger and grander offerings. But the permanent exhibition on the Broadwater Farm Estate is informative, thought-provoking and gives a sense of hope for the good nature of people, and a reminder of what communities can achieve when working together. It would be fair to say the exhibit would benefit from an update, but for those with an interest in London's built and social evolution will find it fascinating and easily worth the visit.

Kew Palace (on the grounds of Kew Gardens) was once a much larger complex, but most parts were…read moredemolished by various English kings as time went by - the only part left now is "Dutch House" with its striking red facade. It is open to the public, but only accessible if you buy a ticket for whole Kew Gardens, and that ain't cheap: almost €20. But since the gardens are spectacular and will occupy you for hours on end, it's totally worth it. Dutch House is smaller than it looks from the outside, most rooms are quite tiny. Some are fully decorated with vintage furniture, but compared to other, bigger palaces around the country, this one comes off as quite modest (see pictures). Dutch House is more like a "summer hideout". A visit should take you no longer than 30-40 minutes. A charming volunteer (well, it was on my visit) will greet you at the entrance and provide basic instructions on how to explore the house. When it's raining, umbrellas must be left at the entrance or be put into your bag. As you work your way from room to room, floor to floor, you will get a good impression of how employers and servants lived and worked in the 17th and 18th century. It is informative without being spectacular. But Dutch House is surely one of the major sights within Kew Gardens (along with the larger greenhouses and the pagoda), so don't miss it during your visit.

A small palace built in the grounds of Kew gardens by a well known family (can't remember who it…read morewas!). It's an extra fiver to enter on top of the enterance fee to enter the gardens. The palace is small buts it's a fine example of a country house. Do look out for the attic bedrooms where the plasterwork has been removed to expose the skeleton of the building. There are also samples of fine artwork and furnishings. To save money consider purchasing a season ticket via the Www.hrp.org.uk which gives you unlimited access to Kew palace, kensington palace, the tower of London, Hampton court and banqueting hall for just £39 for single membership. A good deal considering the tower of London alone costs around £17 to enter.

I really enjoyed my visit to The Banqueting House recently. On a scorching hot day in London, I was…read moredesperate to find an air conditioned place to hang out for a few hours so I decided to visit The Banqueting House and I am so glad that I did! It's a small place, but full of so much history. You will enter downstairs where you can pick up an audioguide to use throughout your visit. Once that's sorted, you move into an undercroft area where you can watch a film about the history of the house, which was quite interesting. The house was used as a performance space for royalty, so there is a small exhibition about these performances and the beautiful historic sets and costumes. I visited in the summer following Pride Month, so there was also a small exhibit about LGBT kings which was interesting as it's not something I've seen at a museum or palace before. The real magic happens when you finish in the undercroft and move upstairs where you encounter the breathtaking Rubens ceiling. It's stunning! Here you can use your audioguide which takes you through the history of the palace and the symbolism of the painting. Try and snag a spot on a beanbag so you can lay down and really get a good look. Overall, I had a great time here. The staff were so polite, the history was fascinating and well presented, and there are sparkling clean bathrooms and air conditioning, so it's the perfect place to spend an hour or two on your visit to London.

This museum is small and doesn't take long to visit. If you love history, architecture, and art…read more You will enjoy your visit. This is home to the only surviving in-situ ceiling painting by Flemish artist, Sir Peter Paul Rubens (and it is impressive!). If you only have a short time in London. I probably wouldn't put this on your top 10 list. But, if you have some extra time, I would definitely recommend a stop. When you first enter you can watch a short video on the history of the space. Then climb the stairs to the banqueting room. The ceiling painting is mind-blowing. They have bean bags you can lay in to take in the expansive beauty of the painting. The Banqueting House was built between 1619-1622 and designed by Inigo Jones. It was the first structure in England to be completed in a neo-classical style. Also, it is the only surviving banqueting house in England and the only remaining structure of the Palace of Whitehall. At the time banqueting houses were used to entertain (not just eat). Royalty would attend royal receptions, ceremonies, mosques in these grand buildings. The Banqueting House was also the last place Charles I walked through on his way to be executed just outside.

Our visit to this remarkable house revealed a treasure trove of history, ambition and humanity. We…read moreappreciated having Will as our guide, whose knowledge enlightened and enriched our experience. The grounds add quiet splendour in which to relax -- the ambience of the whole place makes it a real gem.

I visited Strawberry Hill on a school trip, and it was a really educational experience! The house…read moreitself is so interesting to look at and walk through, and our tour guide was very knowledgeable. The commute there from London was a bit rough, but it was a cool experience to see.

Marble Hill House in Twickenham is such a lovely spot. The house itself is free to explore, with…read morebeautiful history and charming gardens all around. The surrounding park is perfect for a stroll, with plenty of space for picnics, walks, and dog walkers. A quiet, pretty spot!

Marble Hill House is an elegant 18th century villa which borders on the Thames very near to…read moreRichmond.It has been recently transformed with hand painted Chinese wall paper in its dining parlour.The property was originally built for Henrietta Howard the mistress of George 11.

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.

Definitely worth a visit, possibly despite and maybe because it retains a fairly amateur feel to…read moreit. There isn't that much to see, a lot of what there is is geared to giving schoolchildren a feel for what life was like way back then. Staffed a lot by volunteers, if you are luck you will get one old enough to remember schools not too dissimilar from this who will be prepared to chat (if you let him)

London Ragged Schools were for the city's poorest families and provided children with basic…read moreeducation, meals and work. The London Ragged School Museum is a modern-day realisation of this aspect of East-End Victorian life, drawing from the work of Dr Barnado, in the form of including a typical school classroom and a dining room. There are historical re-enactments and workshops so a good place to take children during the school holidays. Check the times before you go- they have school bookings all the time, but are only open to the public on wednesdays and thursdays. You can also hire the venue out for partie.

This is quite a nice hall actually! There was a huge fire a few years back and so it was out of…read morebusiness for quite some time but it has been fixed up and looks good as new! I have been here several times and I used to be a part of the West Wickham Pantomime Society and this was the venue for our panto's. It's nice a spacious and is ideal for any sort of rehearsals, shows, parties and events. There isn't anything that stands out about it but it has rather a personal meaning to me.