Less-known museums (and cool S. indian or other cafes) in London?

[Sadik]

DP & I are going for a few days next week. Plan is one day for all the Greenwich museums/Cutty Sark, and another day for Kew. That leaves us two half days, ideally not too far from Paddington station. Alone I'd do art galleries & bookshops, but neither really DP's cup of tea. Any great recommendations very much welcomed!

Also, we both love food from different cultures, & don't get a lot of variations where we live, but probably more towards the cafe / low key end of the spectrum rather than more upmarket. So again, any recommendations either for specific cafes/restaurants or areas very welcome.

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A less known museum is the Horniman Museum in South London, Forrest Hill, a bit of a trek but worth it!

www.horniman.ac.uk/plan-your-visit/around-the-horniman/

Lots of new and free sky gardens to see panoramic views of London
https://www.thecityofldn.com/directory/the-garden-at-120/

https://skygarden.london/ ( you can book but it is free and most days you can just walk in ( and get the lift up)

The newest viewing gallery (free)
horizon22.co.uk/

The main gallery with the walrus is closed at the moment so I'd wait until it is re-done to go

The museum of London at Canary wharf is good. Or the Freud museum? Or the Dickens one, which is in his house?

Hormonal has a great view, Eltham Palace is well worth a visit. Museum of London also fab.

This may not be your thing but it's fun www.novelty-automation.com/

I also loved Sir John Soane's place www.soane.org/

The Churchill war rooms are really interesting. Right next to st James park. You have to pay to get in and there’s not much for small kids so it’s perfect for two adults. Easily 2-3hrs walking around

Daunt Books on Marylebone high street isn't far from Paddington. You might also like Little Venice for a pretty walk right next to Paddington.

If you find decent southern Indian food, please let me know. It's my favourite!

In Greenwich, you might like to wander along the river a bit to the Trafalgar and Cutty Sark pubs - both are interesting and historic - try to get a window seat in the Trafalgar. Try to make time for a mooch around the wonderful park as well, right next to the excellent Maritime museum.

Fashion & Textile Museum (Bermondsey) - small but great exhibitions
Museum of the Home (Shoreditch)
Dennis Severs House
Japan House Kensington - if the exhibition of silicone food is still on it’s amazing and you can buy Japanese food as well

Florence Nightingale museum at St Thomas' Hospital, stones throw from Westminster and South Bank.

Ganapati in Peckham is heaven for South Indian cafe style food & not too far from Greenwich. Highly recommend the chilli chocolate cake if it’s in the menu

https://www.ganapatirestaurant.com

These are all brilliant, thank you so much everyone.

Museum of the Home was on my possibles list so good to hear it's worth a visit.
Sky gardens sounds a great call if we've got a bit over-museumed
And any we don't make this time we can line up for another visit!

Drummond street for Indian food.

And Remus - DP will be particularly grateful for your pub suggestions!

Tooting was always the place to go for South Indian and Sri Lankan food.

Another vote for Ganapati; also Sagar has several restaurants and is brilliant, very chill and low-key https://www.sagarrestaurant.co.uk/

Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury
Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green (I think it's called something else now).
Wellcome Medical Galleries above the Science Museum and the Wellcome Collection on Euston Rd

Lots of amazing south asian restaurants in Uxbridge

The Old Operating Theatre, Grant Museum of Zoology and the Huntarian are all in Central London. They're not open every day though, so check before you go.

Shameless place marking, need to organise a day out for DH and me before he goes back to work.

If you're going to be in Greenwich, you could visit the fan museum. Very niche! I enjoyed it.

Agree with the pp about the Foundling museum. The Cartoon Museum is also interesting.

If you have time to go slightly further out, the Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner is worth a visit.

Horniman: don't bother, it's not worth it for visitors to London unless you're in the area.

Eltham Palace: ditto.

Museum of London: has been closed for years while they build at a new location. Due to open 2026.

Museum of the Home: I wouldn't bother. The expansion into the basement hasn't added anything of value and you have to walk through the uninspiring new galleries to get to the rooms sets, which were always the good bit. Having said that, there are lots of foreign food restaurants along the main road.

Edgware Road is near Paddington and has lots of Middle Eastern restaurants and cafes.

Leighton House Museum in Kensington: not big but has some amazing interiors. Not open every day though.
https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/museums/leighton-house

Dennis Severs House in Spitalfields:amazing, highly recommended. But not sure of opening times and you'd need to book. Lots of food stalls in Spitalfields market. And of course Brick Lane for Indian food.
www.dennissevershouse.co.uk/

Absolutely! (Haven't been for a while but sounds like it's still going strong)

"Wellcome Collection on Euston Rd" Seconded!

I've not been, but intend to. Men like it too - it's got a teeny train: https://www.postalmuseum.org/

Also, if you're going to Kew, enjoy, and please don't bother to eat there. Pop outside and visit the best teashop I know in London: https://theoriginalmaidsofhonour.co.uk/ I recommend the steak pie and a Maid of Honour for pudding.