Ideas for history geek

[bryceQ]

I love to visit museums / churches exhibitions particular pre 20th century history. I've got a day in central London next week, any ideas of where I might not have been.

I'll caveat by saying I've visited quite a lot of places!

From memory I've been:
The Temple
Westminster Abbey
St Paul's
Portrait and National Gallery
War rooms
Kensington Palace
Hampton court
Tower of London
Huntarien museum (sp?)
Postal museum
Transport
Charles Dickens
Imperial war museum
British museum

Greenwich is too far for the time I have next week.

Any hidden gems? Don't need to be big ones! Or new exhibitions?

It's in Ladbroke Grove/Notting Hill so not technically central London but the Museum of Brands is an interesting one.

Denis Severs house near Spitalfields, John Soanes Museum , Leighton House in Holland Park.
The Wallace collection is also good, and Sonerset House often has interesting exhibitions as well as their permanent collection.

The Horniman museum - it's out at Forest Hill but not too hard to get to.

Oh, and check out the British Library for exhibitions.

Ohhhh I'm sure I saw a medieval women exhibition. That's right up my street.

I've been to Dennis Severs a few times. Love going there.

I've lived in London for 16 years, I have visited a fair few!

The Mithraeum
Museum of the Home (previously the Geffrye Myseum)
Museum of London Docklands

Well, you haven't mentioned Southwark Cathedral (gorgeous), or the museum / priory of the Order of St John in Clerkenwell? The Handel House museum? If the weather were better there's a waymarked walk following the route of the Roman city walls. Are we getting warm?

Do you like pubs? I've always fancied a riverside pub walk taking in the ancient riverside pubs east of the centre - Town of Ramsgate, Captain Kidd, Prospect of Whitby, The Narrow (mmmm Gordon Ramsay lunch), The Grapes (Sir Ian McKellan's pub, complete with Gandalf's staff behind the bar). But that's getting close to Greenwich....

Oh and for modern history, HMS Belfast is absolutely sensational.

Or you can swan around in Hampstead dahling, and see what exhibitions are on in Burgh House? I'll stop for now.

I've always had a soft spot for the Geeffrye Museum in Hackney, known as 'the museum of the home.'

Lots of wonderful stuff to discover!

The Foundling Museum in Brunswick Square

Not quite what you asked about but have you thought about purchasing a Treasure Trail? The ones we've done (not London) have highlighted local history that we weren't aware of

Do a Secret London Walking Tour. I did one in Kensington and absolutely loved it for the history. Have done several others too and the Inns of Court one was very interesting too.

Or The Museum of Brands, Lancaster Road W11, which showcases the Robert Opie collection

I’d go to st brides church

Shakespeare's Globe?

Second Southwark Cathedral, and also Westminster Cathedral (no, not meaning Abbey, different place).

If you're in Southwark, Crossbones Cemetery is interesting if it's open.

All-Hallows-by-the Tower - the oldest church in the City, complete with a Roman pavement in the crypt.

St-Dunstan's-in-the-East, a ruined (partially Wren) church which was bombed in WW2 and which is now a small park.

Guildhall Art Gallery (small but pre-Raphaelite-tastic with bonus Roman amphitheatre underneath), followed by St Bart's Smithfield (either via the Barbican or Postman's Park to taste), followed by Charterhouse Square, followed by St John's Clerkenwell (previously mentioned); that must be one of the best ways to get a sense of medieval London. Or maybe the Wallace Collection? OK I really am stopping now.

I'm so glad I asked thank you! Tons to keep me going this year

Oh do let us know what you get up to, even if something listed on here already. We can have a vicarious trip

Lots of guided walks on walks.com. Some are very historical and show lesser known streets etc. I used to love doing them.

Lots of guided walks on walks.com. Some are very historical and show lesser known streets etc. I used to love doing them.

The Young V&A
The Florence Nightingale Museum

No good for this week as quite far out, but have you ever visited Chislehurst Caves? They are fascinating.