Lady’s Guide to Secret Museums in London

Today I want to share my favorite secret museums in London with you. From niche collections to historic houses, these museums are great places to dive deep into a specific subject, life, or genre.

Secret Museums in London

I miss the Travel Photographer of the Year exhibition every time. Some years it’s because I’m traveling too much, and others it’s because London has entirely too many world-class museums.

I’m always torn over how to allocate my weekends among so many amazing collections, and the travel photography gets lost in the shuffle. So do too many other secret museums in London. And there are a lot.

Charles Dickens Museum

Take the Charles Dickens Museum, for example. Tucked away on an unassuming street near Russell Square in Bloomsbury, it often gets passed over in favor of its gargantuan neighbor, the British Museum.

But its intimate rooms and Dickens paraphernalia warm my bookish heart and bring me closer to the soul of the city every time I visit.

Sir John Soane’s Museum

Not far away is Sir John Soane’s Museum, a miniature version of the British Museum with its basement full of antiquities and quirky private collection.

Visiting this London museum is like stepping into a combination of a private house and world-class museum. It’s definitely one of the best secret museums in London.

The Wallace Collection

Speaking of which, The Wallace Collection in Marylebone has one of the best assemblages of 18th-century French paintings in the world.

Add to that an impressive collection of battle arms and a great cafe, and it’s worth a special trip to the neighborhood.

Hampstead Museums

Even Hampstead, a residential neighborhood, has its share of secret museums in London.

The Freud Museum has the psychoanalyst’s famous couch on display (yes, the couch), and Keats House is where the famous poet wrote “Ode to a Nightingale”. They’re two of many Hampstead museums that are worth a special trip.

The King’s Gallery

Back in central London, many people visit Buckingham Palace without ever knowing that the adjacent King’s Gallery has exhibitions on all year.

I’ve been to many exhibitions at The King’s Gallery, and it’s one of my favorite secret London museums. From 17th-century portraits to textiles and ornate furnishings, there’s a lot to see from the Royal Collection.

Serpentine South Gallery & Serpentine North Gallery

Many people also wander through Hyde Park unaware that two of the city’s best contemporary art museums, the Serpentine South Gallery and Serpentine North Gallery, are on its grounds.

The latter is housed in a restored 1805 munitions depot designed by Pritzker-Prize winning architect Zaha Hadid. It features her signature striking curves and is stunning to see.

Both galleries have temporary exhibitions on throughout the year. The Serpentine South Gallery’s annual outdoor summer Serpentine Pavilion makes it unique among secret museums in London, too.

University and Library Exhibitions

But the hidden gems aren’t just museums. Many of London’s universities and libraries regularly offer exhibitions in their halls.

I once came across an exhibition at Imperial College that contrasted medical endeavors over the past hundred years. The British Library has great exhibitions covering all things literary, too.

Secret London Museums

And that’s why it’s so hard to find time to see the Travel Photographer of the Year exhibition in London. With so many others going on at the same time, the competition is fierce.

But I finally made time to see it at the Royal Geographical Society over the weekend, and I’m glad I did. The only problem is that it made me want to travel even more. So much for finding time for other secret museums in London!

More London Museums

If you want to learn more about London’s museums, you can take a look at my blog posts about the best museums in London and the top small museums in London. I’ve even written a London museums itinerary you can follow.

I hope they inspire you to get out and see the wealth of collections the city has to offer.

Find this post helpful? Buy me a coffee!

New here? Join thousands of others and subscribe to the A Lady in London blog via email.

Pin it!