L
ondon is a captivating city
with endless treasures to
uncover. You can always
rely on having a huge
number of activities at your fingertips,
from trying to spot the Queen at
Buckingham Palace to enjoying
breathtaking views on the London
Eye. Less dependable is the weather,
with a whopping 150 days of rain per
year on average. Therefore, if you’re
planning a trip to England’s capital,
it’s always best to be prepared and
earmark some great indoor activities.
Those familiar with London will
likely tell you to visit the “Big 5”: The
Natural History Museum, Science
Museum, Museum of London, British
Museum and Victoria & Albert
Museum. However, for those who have
been there, done that, or have extra
room in their itinerary, here are my
picks of London’s slightly more
off-the-beaten-track museums.
Of course everyone visits the British Museum,
but London is full of many other interesting
spots to fill a rainy day, too, writes
Nicola Burke.
All things shipping
My first hidden secret is the Museum
of London Docklands, the lesser-
known sister of the famous Museum
of London. Located within the West
India Docks, near Canary Wharf,
this was once the site of one of the
busiest ports in the world. Following
the decline of the shipping industry,
it wasn’t until the 1980s that the
land was regenerated into the new
financial services centre of London.
The museum itself has an easy layout
and the recreated dock scenes are a
highlight. If you’ve got younger kids,
be sure to drop in to Mudlarks on
the ground floor. Here you’ll find
interactive exhibits, from building
bridges with massive Lego, to
weighing out a ship’s cargo. There’s
even a soft play area for kids under
one metre tall. When you’ve finished
your visit, add some extra fun to the
journey by taking the Docklands Light
London's lesser-known museums
March 2015
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