Buckingham Palace
is a must-see: tours of some of the state rooms are available on a
limited basis, but at any time of year the changing of the guard
happens several times a day and is unmissable.
http://www.changing-the-guard.com/Iconic Big Ben,
the bell tower that is a centrepiece to the Houses of Parliament, is of
course an essential. Tours of Parliament are also available to a
limited extent, mostly in the summer.
www.parliament.uk The British Museum specialises in world art and artefacts; highlights include the Egyptology collection and the Elgin Marbles.
www.britishmuseum.org Tate Britain
was established in 1891 to house the UK’s collection of British art
from 1500; Tate Modern was opened in 2000 as a home for the British
collection of international modern art. On opposite sides of the
Thames, there’s a ferry service between the two museums that also
offers an excellent view of some of the city’s most iconic buildings
along the riverbank.
www.tate.org.uk The National Gallery,
in Trafalgar Square, has an unrivalled collection of European painting
in its permanent collection. Around the corner, the National Portrait
Gallery, featuring portraits in many media of the most famous people in
British history, is also terrific.
http://www.nationalgallery.org.ukhttp://www.npg.org.ukThe Victoria and Albert’s collection is devoted to art and design. Across the street, the
Natural History Museum and the
Science Museum are self-explanatory.
www.vam.ac.ukwww.naturalhistorymuseum.org.ukwww.sciencemuseum.org.uk .
The Tower of London
is a massive fortress, originally dating from 1080, in the centre of
the cit – one of the best places to learn about British history (not to
mention to see the Crown Jewels of England).
http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/
