Believe it or not, museums are FREE in London! Although the city can be expensive to live in, there is nothing like a free museum. The first museum I visited in London was the Wellcome Collection. This museum is full of amazing art and scientific information. There are a lot of areas to explore: exhibits, cafes and coffee stops, a library and even extraordinary reading rooms. The reading rooms are full of books, fun bean bag chairs, cool light fixtures, and more (the reading room on the top floor is pictured in the cover photo). At the museum, I saw the Medicine Man, Electricity, and The Body exhibitions. One of the first things I noticed while exploring this exhibits was the depth of the information they provided. The signs and information packets were very detailed; some of the descriptions were even beyond my understanding. Something else I noticed while walking the halls of the Wellcome Collection is the amount of information. They packed so many pieces into such small exhibits. Aside from small reading areas included in exhibits that provided books on the topic, they also maximized space by putting photographs in convenient pull out drawers. The amount of information packed into the space they have proved to be true about the other museums I’ve visited. At the Maritime Museum in Greenwich, the exhibits included lots of information, utilizing the space in the center of rooms, not just provided information along the walls.

Another common theme I saw between the museums I’ve visited is that they all include a lot of hands on activities. At the center of the Maritime Museum there was a large open area with a map of the world on the floor; it was part of a game for kids to follow the map around the world with the different events and happenings descried in the exhibits. The Bank of England Museum also stood out for its hands on learning experiences. They had a game to try to open an advanced lock, a simulation of trying to control the inflation rate, a computer game trying to navigate financial storms, and more. The Wellcome Collection had designated areas for drawing and coloring, welcoming children and adults to draw any reactions to the exhibits and posting them on the wall. The interactive activities made for an engaging experience.

The Wellcome Collection, Maritime Museum, and the Bank of England Museum are just three of the many museums to explore here in London. I am hoping to go to the National Gallery, Tate Modern, and Natural History Museum next!