6 Quirkiest London Museums
When you think of London museums your mind probably jumps to the Museum Row in South Kensington, or the British Museum and Library. This is likely true of most tourists and even locals. London’s famed for its wealth of history after all and its enterprising status as an empire for centuries led the crown and country to explore and study every corner of the globe.
But with such a large area to explore, both in London and the globe, it’s natural that some oddities would turn up. The main menu of museums are centrally located and have prime transport links for guests at the Park Grand London Paddington Hotel, but this is only part of the story. London’s passion for informing and educating reaches far beyond the central boroughs of the city, and into its fringes. Below are some of the lesser-known yet distinctly original museums in London, and why they’re worth a visit.
Horniman Museum
Based in Dulwich and founded by the son of a Victorian tea magnate, the Horniman Museum was built on the collection of rare and exotic instruments collected on the travels of Frederick Horniman. Housed in a purpose-built manor in the gaudy arts and crafts style, the museum was opened in 1901 and features exhibits on natural history, ancient history and a beautiful surrounding garden area.
Dennis Severs House
This Shoreditch based museum at 18 Folgate Street is unique in its approach to history. The house charts the story of one Huguenot silk weaver family’s life through the generations, spanning from 1725 to 1919, and portrays the different time periods through still life reconstructions of the house’s interiors. Paired with the soundscapes, this museum is equally worthy of a description as an immersive art exhibit.
Leighton House
Based in Holland Park near some of the best double room accommodation in London, Leighton House was home to Baron Frederic Leighton, an artist and sculptor who was known for entertaining Queen Victoria in his Orientalist and Aesthetic styled interiors. With collections of art and Middle Eastern design, Leighton House may have been home to the shortest-lived Baron of all time but survives through his wonderful opulence.
The Vagina Museum
Inspired by the penis museum in Iceland, the Vagina Museum is an up and coming art and science exhibit exploring gynaecological anatomy. Formerly a pop-up museum that toured the country, the Vagina Museum will in the next year open at a permanent residence in Camden, promising to tackle the stigmas and discomfort some may find when addressing issues of gynaecological health and individuality.
Keats House
Once home to the romantic poet John Keats, this Hampstead based museum depicts the house in which Keats lives in what is argued to be his most fruitful creative period. Between 1818 and 1820, Keats lodged here with good friend Charles Brown and wrote poems such as “Ode to a Nightingale” on the premises.
The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History
Based on Mare Street in Hackney, this bar and museum stretch the term “fine art” to its limits. Home to a range of strange oddities such as two-headed lambs, hairballs and famous surrealist art, its range of mythical trinkets and somewhat sordid celebrity objects, Viktor Wynd showcases a diverse, funny and sometimes alarming range of paraphernalia.