The most unusual alternative museums in London. Secret places in London that you won't find in your typical travel guide

14.02.2019

Travel is The best way relax and enjoy new sensations and impressions. Every city in the world has a huge cultural heritage peoples who lived and live in it. Millions of tourists from all over the world form a completely chaotic stream of people hungry for novelty, and the service industry is responding to this. Now you can fly anywhere, but a real life hacker understands that all these travel agencies and excursion companies work with maximum convenience for themselves.

Everything is put on the conveyor: the next pack of guests is loaded onto buses, transported along a run-in route, they sell something along the way, and now you seem to have seen all the delights of the place where you arrived. But any Big City hides many secrets and mysteries that you will not be shown on a regular tour. These places may not be in guidebooks, but they are definitely worth seeing. In our series of articles, we will tell you about such places in various cities around the world, and the first on the list is London.

1. Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising (Museum of brands, packaging and advertising)

The entire history of consumer culture from 1800 to the present day in one place. This specialized museum contains more than 12,000 original items from the unique collection of Robert Opie. Here you can learn about how the brands now loved by many gained loyalty and recognition thanks to creativity to the packaging and advertising of their products.

Address: 2 Colville Mews, London, W11 2AR
Website: www.museumofbrands.com




2. Rolling Bridge (Transformer Bridge)

This is a true engineering marvel. At first glance, it may seem that this is not a bridge at all, but some kind of huge mechanical caterpillar that has come to life. Initially, the creators of the bridge solved a quite ordinary problem: they needed a pedestrian bridge, which at the same time would allow boats to sail under it. Agree, the decision turned out to be at least unusual. Even on video, the transformation of this design is mesmerizing. Imagine what it's like to see it live. This is what a creative approach to solving quite trivial problems means. It is not for nothing that Thomas Heatherwick, the creator of this transformer bridge, received the prestigious British Structural Steel Design Award.

Address: Paddington Basin, west London
About the project: rolling bridge
Wiki: rolling bridge




3. Ripley's London Museum

In fact, this is a whole network of museums scattered around the world, and one of its branches is located in London. What is interesting and unusual about it? Everything. The slogan of the museums is the phrase "Believe it or not", and the exhibits fully justify it.

The most unusual things from all over the world are collected here - dinosaur eggs, wax figures-copies of "non-standard" people, stuffed animals with the most incredible shapes and mutations. Exhibitions are complemented by various recreational activities: mirror maze, journey to black hole, laser show tests.

Address: 1 Piccadilly Circus, London, W1J ODA
Website: www.ripleyslondon.com




4. Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Sri Swaminarayan Temple)

The last thing you expect to see in London is a Hindu temple. However, it is there, and the dimensions and appearance he's not just surprised. The domes and chic of this masterpiece of architecture make people literally freeze in surprise. This is a rather young building (the temple was built in 1995), but it is truly unique. No other place in the world outside of India has a Hindu temple of this size. Once inside the temple, you can completely plunge into the atmosphere and philosophy of Hinduism.

Address: 105-119 Brentfield Road, London, NW10 8LD
Website: www.mandir.org




5. Apple Store (Apple Store on Regent Street)

We simply could not help but indicate this shrine for all fans of the apple company. On this moment it will not be possible to find an Apple Store in Russia - so far the company has limited itself to only the official online store. But in fact, each Apple store is unique and is truly a masterpiece of architecture, as it is located inside very extraordinary buildings. The London Apple Store is no exception, but the most architecturally outstanding in our opinion is the store on Regent Street. Just look at the photos. This place is worth a visit.

Address: 235 Regent Street, London, W1B 2EL
Website: www.apple.com/uk/retail/regentstreet




6. Crystal Palace Park (Park with dinosaurs)

It would seem, well, what can be interesting in a park, even if it is in London? Paths, trees, a beautiful zoo and, of course, dinosaurs. It was this place that gave birth to a fashionable trend to this day - a passion for dinosaurs. More than 160 years ago, the sculptor and artist Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins recreated the giant and not so monsters that once lived on earth in the form of statues, and they were built in full size, and the famous paleontologist Richard Owen advised the creator.

Address: London, SE20 8DT
Website: www.crystalpalacepark.org.uk







7. The Cartoon Museum (Museum of cartoons)

London has a huge selection of museums, but the cartoon museum is one of the most unusual. This is a small cozy exhibition, each visitor of which can feel like a child and touch wonderful world cartoons. The museum features over 5,000 cartoon characters and 4,000 comics. Moreover, the exposition also reflects the history of quite serious animated films that touch on topical social topics. The museum is also famous for its political satire- you can find not only an image in it winnie the pooh, but also, for example, a caricature of Elizabeth II.

Address: 35 Little Russell Street, London, WC1A 2HH
Website: www.cartoonmuseum.org




8. Thames Barrier (Barrier on the Thames)

An uninformed person is unlikely to recognize in these futuristic structures the dam that controls the river. You might think that aliens have landed here, or the military is testing some kind of weapon of the future. In fact, this structure is almost 30 years old, and it was built because of the threat of repeated floods that happened in the areas adjacent to the river earlier. It is definitely worth looking at this powerful defender.

Address: 1 Unity Way, Woolwich, London, SE18 5NJ
Website: www.environment-agency.gov.uk




9. Wooden escalator at Greenford tube station

The London Underground is one of the oldest in the world. Its first branch opened in 1863. Structurally, the London Underground has some of the longest escalators compared to underground communication systems in other cities and countries. Previously, wood was used to make these moving stairs, and at Greenford station one such wooden escalator is still in operation.

10 Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (Harry Potter Museum)

As you know, the iconic Harry Potter series was filmed in England, and in this case, Warner Bros. did, perhaps, the most pleasant of the possible actions that she was capable of: the film studio in which the film was shot was converted into a museum. In it, visitors can look at the scenery used in the filming and learn a lot about the filming process, the huge work of set designers, costume designers and artists, the development of special effects and stunt tricks.

Address: Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden, Hertfordshire, WD25 7LR
About the museum:

Shop "Monster Supply"

London is one of the most interesting cities in the world. This is the place where centuries-old history closely coexists with the latest achievements of world progress. The history of the city goes back over 2000 years. During this time, the city experienced ups and downs, fires and epidemics, was the capital of the most powerful empire in the world. Of course, in London there are countless historical sites which are worth visiting and which I think you have heard of, but there is another London with its little-known museums, shops and cafes, which will be discussed.
In central London on Hoxton Street there is a Monster Supply store. Inside, the store, which has been operating since 1818, looks like an old pharmacy. For the choice of the sophisticated consumer, the shop offers a wide range of canned human meat, canned human fears and other necessary monstrous goods. Here you can buy jars of hermetically sealed vague anxiety, marmalade from internal organs and brain jam according to an old Saxon recipe, wrenches for tightening the cervical vertebrae, professional floss for cleaning poisonous dragon teeth, blood for vampire baby food, which by the way can be taken in bottling and a bunch of other useful goods. Oddly enough, but in this store there are quite reasonable restrictions. For example, there can only be one giant in it, tasting of goods is prohibited, as soon as you can resist it, and if you knock on the store at night, they will open it only to vampires and only upon presentation of the appropriate document. In general, this wonderful store is really worth a visit.

One of the most unusual and, perhaps, strange museums London is the "Castle of Horrors" on Tooley Street. The facade of the building resembles an old factory, everything in this building, even the smells, make the visitor transport himself to medieval London. Among the expositions of the museum you can see old london, as it was before the fire that occurred in 1666. Particularly impressionable should not visit the torture chamber, where severed heads are presented, eerily similar to real ones. Here you can also see the working tools of the London executioners of that time, and some of them are demonstrated in action, of course. human body replaces the mock. There was also a theatrical show. Judges in robes and wigs walk around the halls of the castle, and a museum employee among the crowd of tourists constantly looks for "criminals" and puts them in the dock. The judge asks the "defendant" the name and place of residence and, not listening to excuses, passes the verdict "Guilty!". So in XVII century all passed court hearings London, and no lawyers or retrial for you. So after visiting this museum, you will definitely have something to tell your friends when you return to your homeland. By the way, before the trip, do not forget to take care of housing in advance and book a 4-star hotel in London by clicking on the link - http://www.planetofhotels.com/velikobritaniya/london/oteli_londona_4_zvezdi

If you like to sleep or just lie in bed, then the theater for the lazy is what you need. Instead of armchairs, there are comfortable beds, and in order to fall asleep faster, the actors read a bedtime story to visitors. At the end of the performance, the audience does not leave the hall, but stay in their beds until the next morning.

After visiting all the many sights of London, any tourist will get hungry, for this there are numerous cafes, bars and restaurants, but how can you leave England without visiting its famous pubs. One of these places is Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, one of the oldest pubs in London. At the entrance to the pub, there is a board with the names of 15 monarchs who ruled at the time when the pub already existed. There is an opinion among the local population that the monarchs often went to the pub. The countless narrow dark corridors leading to the bar counters and dining rooms can confuse even regulars. Dark narrow corridors, ebony paneling and ceilings, leather-bound books on the shelves - this is the interior of this pub. In the center of the hall there is a fireplace, above which hangs a portrait of a waiter who worked in this pub in 1829.
There really is something to see in London! And most importantly, in this variety, choose the most interesting, so as not to regret the time wasted in vain!

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Offers its visitors a journey into the world of the extraordinary. Along with good cafes and bars, guests can visit extraordinary museums in the UK. This - mysterious places visits not normally found in standard London travel guides but uh well worth a look.

This one is the only one in the world in which the main object of interest is various varieties of tea and coffee. The exhibits take us back to the days of the British Empire and colonialism, showing the commercial interest in the society of that time in these two products.

The museum was founded by Edward Brahma in 1992. Its exhibits trace the history of tea and coffee over the past four centuries: from the moment they were imported to Europe from Africa and the Far East.



The museum has over 3,000 books of cartoons and drawings of every kind and with an emphasis on political caricature. It was founded in 2006 and consists of over 1200 exhibitions. The exhibits trace the history of British cartoons, comics, drawings and animation all the way back to the 18th century. The museum offers visitors the opportunity to see contemporary designs as well as unique, very rare examples of drawing art.

3. Museum of Surgery


To many, this museum will look like a scene from a horror movie, but that's what the operations rooms looked like in the early 19th century.

The hall is equipped with benches for those wishing to be present at the operation, which in those days took place without anesthesia and antiseptics.


In addition to a large operating room, furnished according to the original of that time, the museum offers visitors an exhibition of the development of surgery in early medical practice and tools.





Another museum dedicated to medicine is located in an old English church. It contains exhibits of medieval medical instruments, as well as numerous documents from which one can learn about strange medical cases, such as the case of the Elephant Man. Here you can also see exhibits of celebrities: artificial teeth and kidney stones.



6. Museum of the British Association of Optics

Arriving in this city, tourists first of all visit Big Ben, the Tower, Westminster, British museum, National Gallery, London Eye, Greenwich and other attractions, the fame of which has already "thundered all over the world." But there is another London - one that not every guide will tell you about and not all guidebooks will write. The British capital is fraught with many surprises, and some of the most pleasant are unusual museums London. It would seem that everyone has already seen the treasures of the royal family, masterpieces of world art, funny beefeater hats, even the mummies of pharaohs. And still, London will find something else to surprise you with. Just surrender to the charm of this city and visit those places that, although not so famous, are full of original charm.

Museum of London Docklands

Strictly speaking, this is not a museum in the classical sense of the word, but a warehouse, but a warehouse with a two-hundred-year history, revealing the long period of London's prosperity. And this is demonstrated with the help of artifacts that are directly related to trade, migration and commerce in the British capital in different eras her life.

London Docks Museum. Statue of Robert Milligan

Discover a host of world-class art galleries including Sailortown, a recreation of 19th-century London, and London, Sugar & Slavery, which highlights the city's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. Yes, this is not the brightest page in the history of London, but historical details so valuable that they show different aspects city ​​and country life. The museum provides impartial facts to the judgment of visitors, and how to evaluate them and how to treat them is a personal matter for everyone. With its unique finds, unusual items and fascinating tours, the London Docks Museum is one of London's little-known yet treasured treasures.


London Docks Museum at night

Old Royal Naval College (Old Royal Naval College)

Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, this building is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. An object world heritage UNESCO, the Old Royal Naval College attracts filmmakers, artists and other artists with its exquisite beauty. It is also often held here wedding ceremonies, because the beauty of the painted halls, lawns and college chapel evokes somewhat conflicting desires - to enjoy the views and photograph them. Located within walking distance of Greenwich Pier and Cutty Sark DLR station, this property is the perfect place to start your day exploring Greenwich.


Old Royal Naval College

For more than half a thousand years this architectural masterpiece on the banks of the river, and the rare visitors to Greenwich were not interested in its history. And the interiors of the 18th century, for which the Old Royal Naval College is famous, will not leave indifferent even those who are more than cool about art.

Until September 2018, visitors to the Old Royal Naval College have a probably once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to "live through the drama" of the closing of the huge ceiling of the Painted Hall. For subtle natures, Stendhal's syndrome is practically guaranteed here.


Painted hall in the figure

Royal Air Force Museum London (Royal Air Force Museum London)

If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, why not head to the Royal Air Force Museum at Colindale and trace the history of aviation from the earliest flight to hot-air balloon to modern aircraft itself newest model?


Royal Air Force Museum London

This world-class collection of over 100 air aircraft, military aircraft and war memorabilia, will provide the whole family with a day filled with vivid impressions.


CR 42 Falco in the Battle of Britain Hall

Don't forget to visit the 3D cinema in the Milestones of Flight History hall, where impressive sound and light show immerse you in the days of the Battle of Britain. Toddlers will be interested in interactive gallery for children Aeronauts (Aeronauts), in which you can find various games, helping to adapt to flying and even teach them the technique. Opening hours of the institution - daily from 10:00 to 18:00, free admission and ample parking.


Avro Lancaster R5868 Share:

England. London museums for children: museums of science, natural history, history of London - games and experiments. Detailed story with photos.

The capital of England is famous for its democracy, so the main "adult" museums - the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum - can be visited completely free of charge. We will tell about free museums for young tourists and discoverers - those who are ready to bombard their parents with questions every second and dream of flying to the moon right in the morning.

Science Museum

Natural History Museum

Next door to the Science Museum is the Natural History Museum, which invites children and adults not only to wander through the majestic halls of the monumental Victorian building, but also to look into the tent in the courtyard, where colorful butterflies from all over the world flutter.

Museum of London History (Museum of London)

Unusual excursions: famous London shops

In London, you can walk for free not only in museums: there are also beautiful shops that have existed for 100-200 years. No, of course, you can not only walk there, but also buy the most fashionable clothes or most Tasty food, but just admiring the interiors and shop windows will also be nice.

The world-famous seven-story premium store Harrod's founded in the 30s years XIX century, and for the last 25 years belonged to Mohammed Al-Fayed, whose son Dodi died in a car accident along with Princess Diana. The store occupies an entire block in the luxurious Knightsbridge area, on the ground floor you can eat at the numerous stalls.

Unearthly beauty cakes, best tea from all over the world, kitchen utensils and crockery are sold in Fortnum & Mason. The famous store, opened on Piccadilly in 1707, has long become a symbol of English sophistication and taste. In The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, which is named after the diamond jubilee of the reign of Elizabeth II and which was opened by the "birthday girl" herself, you can join the traditional afternoon tea - tea drinking with sandwiches and scones.

The most designer store with the most fashionable brands of clothes and shoes Liberty's is located in famous building in Regent's Street, built from the timber of two ships and brought in " State List buildings of particular architectural or historical interest.

Although, by by and large, there are few buildings in the city center that do not have such interest ... Do not forget about comfortable shoes- London will provide you with everything else.



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