Quirky London tourist attractions

[Subeccoo]

Hey all
I know London very well and usually only visit family there but my 16 yo ds and I have a few days there next week and we want to do some stuff.
We've done all the usual tourist stuff, so looking for some hidden gems?!
DS loves anything geeky. He's obsessed with Japanese culture too. Art is good, museums if they're really engaging... Anything goes really!
Anyone got any good ones?

Subeccoo

The design museum is nice. You can walk through Holland Park after and there is a Japanese garden.

designmuseum.digitickets.co.uk/tickets

I was wondering about the museum of brands.

do you like caves?
chislehurst caves are great.

as are the hell fire caves in west wycombe.

Japan Centre www.google.com/search?q=japanese+shop+london&oq=japanesecshop&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0i13l2j0i13i457j0i402.6617j1j7&client=tablet-android-samsung-nf-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:rln,rc_ludocids:2273624134350077098,ru_gwp:0%252C7,ru_lqi:ChRqYXBhbmVzZSBzaG9wIGxvbmRvbkiAlf6t1JWAgAhaKhAAEAEQAhgAGAEYAiIUamFwYW5lc2Ugc2hvcCBsb25kb24qBggDEAAQAZIBFmphcGFuZXNlX2dyb2Nlcnlfc3RvcmWaASNDaFpEU1VoTk1HOW5TMFZKUTBGblNVTnBPQzFRV21OUkVBRaoBDBABKggiBHNob3AoAA,ru_phdesc:8n1fAc58HuU,trex_id:sA3iqd

Forbidden Planet forbiddenplanet.com/stores/

Camden Market

i'm not sure it will interest your ds but we loved the museum of childhood in Bethnal Green

There is a Japanese roof garden at the University of London in Russell Square. It's pretty small but a nice garden.

If you like roof gardens (you said you have been to Sky Garden) there is Crossrail Garden at Canary Wharf.

The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology is fascinating. It's small but packed with items

Japan centre to pick up unusual crisps/snacks then somewhere for ramen like Bonedaddies or Tonkotsu in Soho. A Japanese cafe like Cafe Kitsune for their sandwiches or Tsujiri for the matcha ice creams.

If you like food markets, then Maltby street nearby Borough is interesting. More artisan food in the arches and also antiques to look at.

Hidden City walking tour - adult DS and I did one together, and it was brilliant.

I was looking at the Whitechapel Gallery, and a Jack the Ripper walking tour, but haven’t done them

@gardeninggirl68

i'm not sure it will interest your ds but we loved the museum of childhood in Bethnal Green

I took a then 8 year old and a 16 year old girls they really enjoyed it. They do have some things which they remembered from their childhood. Lego etc are timeless. Also the dolls houses are gorgeous

Brunel museum.

Museum of the home is one of my favourites. I've missed it while it was shut.

Japanese food hall in town (Panton Street, I think) or Japan Centre in High St. Ken. Design museum is there too.

Fashion & Textile museum - current exhibition is chintz - might be a hard sell to a teenage boy!

Food in Spitalfields market is quite cool and you could have a wander round the city (or buy one of the many self guided walking tour books! - we did quite a few over lock down. Very interesting).

Museum of Childhood is shut for refurb.

DH and I did a candlelit tour of Denis Severs house. You weren't allowed to talk or make any unnecessary noise. Of course we got the giggles and had to leave ASAP

I took some teens on the train to Bletchley Park = huge hit.

It sounds crazy but Tooting is good for food.
It's excellent for curry houses and the covered markets are stuffed with small food outlets in a range of styles.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/london.eater.com/platform/amp/maps/15-best-restaurants-tooting-london-suburb-guide

And there are also food shops, selling unusual ingredients.

I'm trying to think about what you could do to make a trip to Tooting plausible as part of an itinerary.

Maybe the imperial war museum, then on to Tooting to eat?

Or the second-hand shops and bourgeois charm of northcote road (Clapham junction), then bus to Tooting?

And there's a lido in Tooting Bec. So, perhaps swimming, then a bus back for food?

I'm sure you know about the wellcome institute.

I'm trying to think about what geeky friends of my children do ...

Agree with Museum of Brands then walk through Holland Park for the Kyoto garden, then Japan house In Kensington (not been there myself)

My teens enjoyed walking the perimeter fence at Heathrow more than anything else.

Lots of recommendations already covered, but food wise, for great okonomi-yaki try Abeno just by the British Museum: www.abeno.co.uk/

Climb the Monument

www.themonument.org.uk/

Jeff Wayne's War of the World's VR experience is the best thing I've ever done

the ghost bus? always wanted to do it

I'm trying to think about what you could do to make a trip to Tooting plausible as part of an itinerary.

Just skip it? Nothing wrong with Tooting but for a day trip? nope

Has anyone been to the Canal Museum?

was going to go for the halloween boat ride but covid, maybe this yr.