Free London Attractions In Kensington

As one of the oldest and largest cities in the world, London offers many different attractions.  As a centre of fashion and music the city is a major player in global pop culture, and attracts trend setters and fashion followers every year.  However, for those that like culture in a more classic and timeless form, London is also home to some world class museums and art galleries.  Many of these are concentrated in the area around Exhibition road in south Kensington previously known as Albertopolis, in recognition of the role Prince Albert played in the 19^th century in driving the development of the area.  For the serious culture vulture, a Kensington hotel London cannot really be bettered as a base from which to explore some of these classy exhibitions.  Not only are several of these attractions within walking distance if you stay in a Kensington hotel London, the majority are also free to enter, perhaps freeing up some of your budget to enjoy a better class of accommodation.  Before we take a look at three of these top free attractions in London, it is worth having a look at the options for Kensington hotel London accommodation provided by operators like Millennium hotels.      

The Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and Science Museum are all located on Exhibition Road, and are all free to enter.  While it contains many collections that are strictly of academic interest, The Natural History Museum is also a great place to go for a family outing, thanks in no small part to the dinosaur collection.  Indeed, the entrance to the Natural History Museum is guarded by the massive 32 m long skeleton of a Diplodocus.  The well thought out dinosaur exhibition also includes an impressive animatronics Tyrannosaurus Rex, while the skeleton of a more modern giant, namely a blue whale, is also on eye-catching display. 


Dinosaur skeleton at the Natural History Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum is perhaps less well suited to those with smaller children, but should not be missed nonetheless.  The Victoria and Albert Museum is in fact the largest museum in the world dedicated to decorative arts and design.  Thanks to the scale of this impressive collection it can take several days to properly explore, and features artefacts from ancient Japanese swords and Chinese ceramics through to an exhibition of some half a million photographs taken over a period of 160 years.  With 4.5 million objects on display, The Victoria and Albert Museum may well be a place that you wish to visit several times during your stay in Kensington.

The Science Museum encompasses seven floors of educational exhibits, many of which are interactive.  Like the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum has something of interest for those of all ages.  In addition to some well thought out displays, including the evolution of the engine from the steam power of the Industrial revolution onwards, the Science Museum is also home to an IMAX cinema.  While entry to the Science Museum is free, both the IMAX cinema and some of the interactive rides inside, like the flight simulator, do attract a charge.