Things to do in West London

The Science Museum, situated close to the Natural History and Victoria and Albert museums in south Kensington's museum district, is a great family day out.

Arranged over seven floors, with 30 galleries displaying around 300,000 items, the Museum attracts about 3 million a year, making it the country's fifth most visited attraction.

Museum Highlights

The Science Museum's most interesting galleries are:

• Flight (where you will see the world's best preserved Antoinette monoplane and a Gypsy Moth),
• Making the Modern World (where you can find the Puffing Billy, Stephenson’s Rocket, a Model-T Ford and Crick and Watson's DNA model),
• the Energy Hall (complete with a number of functioning engines, including the large Corliss steam engine),
• Exploring Space (with a piece of moon rock and a host of rockets, satellites, space probes and landers, notably the Apollo 10 Lunar Module),
• Engineering Your Future (an interactive gallery aimed at teens,
• WonderLab (where you can immerse yourself in a spectacular interactive gallery),
• Who am I? (a fun interactive gallery that looks at the brain and genetics), and
• Information Age (where you can explore six zones dedicated to communication).

Latest galleries

Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries features three thousand objects and covers an area equivalent to 1,500 hospital beds, Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries is the magnificent new home for the most significant medical collections in the world.

Showcasing extraordinary medical artefacts from the collections of Henry Wellcome and the Science Museum Group, including the world’s first MRI scanner, Fleming’s penicillin mould, a professional pianist’s prosthetic arm and even robotic surgery equipment, the galleries explore our relationship with medicine and health through more than 500 years of history.

More attractions

The museum is also home to an IMEX cinema, several simulators and high quality temporary exhibitions (currently 'Mission to Mercury' and 'Stephen Hawking At Work').

Toddlers and children under six will have fun exploring The Garden, a small soft-play area found in the museum's basement.

Amenities include a large shop selling science-inspired souvenirs and gadgets, two cafes, a shake bar and a diner (a waiter-service family restaurant).

The Science Museum is West London's best family day out.

where? The Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, West London, SW7 2DD. Tel: 0870 870 4868. Closest tube: South Kensington (District, Circle and Piccadilly lines). MAP

when? Open 7 days a week from 10 am to 6 pm during school holidays and Wednesday to Sunday during term time, except 24-26 Dec.

£$€¥ Free

With more than 70 million specimens, housed in the breathtaking Waterhouse building, the Natural History Museum is home to the largest and most important natural history collection in the world.

The museum's collection is arranged into four galleries: the red zone (whose exhibits include 'volcanos and earthquakes', 'restless surface' and 'from the beginning'), the green zone (which includes displays on birds, creepy crawlies and minerals), the blue zone (which houses dinosaurs, reptiles, fishes and mammals) and the orange zone (where the wildlife garden and the recently added Darwin centre are located).

Move aside Dippy!

When the museum underwent significant renovation works, the 105-foot long replica Diplodocus skeleton in the main hall was replaced by a 4.5-tonne, 126 year-old skeleton of a blue whale (pictured).

The reason for the change was to emphasise conservation: blue whale numbers plummeted to a few hundred in the 1960s, but have now recovered to about 20,000.

Collection highlights

Particular highlights from the Natural History Museum's collection are:

• the blue zone's dinosaurs, and in particular a moving and roaring 25-foot replica of a Tyrannosaurus rex (pictured),
• the 10 tonne, 25-metre long replica blue whale found in the large mammals hall,
• the Volcanoes and Earthquakes gallery, with the Natural History Museum's famous earthquake simulator,
• the new Treasures Gallery, displaying dinosaur teeth, an emperor penguin egg collected by Captain Scott's Antarctic expedition, a first edition of Charles Darwin's 1859 work On the Origin of Species, and the skull of the now extinct Barbary Lion.

Other attractions

The Museum's current exhibitions include 'Our Broken Planet: How We Got Here And How To Fix It'. This exhibition is scheduled to run until the Summer of 2022, and explores how humans have impacted the natural world.

The Natural History Museum is West London's top attraction for children.

where? The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, West London SW7 5BD, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5000. Closest tube South Kensington (District, Circle and Piccadilly lines). MAP

when? 10 am to 5.50 pm, seven days a week (not 24-26 December)

£$€¥ Free to enter, although some temporary exhibitions may have an admission charge.

The Victoria & Albert Museum is the world's leading museum of design and fashion.

Its collections are spread over seven levels, occupying 51,000 square metres, in an impressive Aston Webb designed building on south Kensington's museum mile.

The V&A's 145 galleries are arranged around five major themes: Asia, Europe, Materials and Techniques (eg ceramics, contemporary glass, fashion, furniture, jewellery etc), Modern and Exhibitions.

Collection highlights

The most famous of the Museum's two million exhibits include

• the 10.5 x 5.3 metre Ardabil Carpet (produced in 1539-40, with 26 million knots, and widely recognised as the finest Persian carpet in the world (pictured)),
• the 1590 10 x 11 foot Great Bed of Ware (made famous in Shakespeare's plays),
• the Orchid and Heanage Jewels (the latter given as a gift by Elizabeth I in 1595),
• five of Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks,
• Adam Ant's Prince Charming Costume and a catsuit worn in 1972 by Mick Jagger,
• the 1903 Cartier Manchester Tiara,
• Wedgewood's 1790 Portland Vase, and
• an 11-metre high Chihuly glass chandelier in the Museum's entrance hall (pictured).

Other attractions

The Museum's current major exhibitions include 'Beatrix Potter: Drawn To nature', which runs until January 2023 and costs £14 to enter, and 'Known And Strange: Photographs From The Collection', which is free to enter.

The Museum also boasts excellent cafeterias (don't miss the main cafe housed in a series of opulently designed rooms, and the Garden cafe, a hidden oasis in the centre of the museum) and a gift shop.

The Victoria and Albert is the place to visit for all those who consider themselves stylish!

where? Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, West London SW7 2RL. Tel. +44 (0)20 7942 2000. Closest tube South Kensington (Piccadilly, circle and district lines). MAP

when? Daily 10am to 5.45pm (10pm on Fridays). Closed 24-26 Dec.

£$€¥ Free, although some temporary exhibitions and displays may have an admission charge.

West London's Wembley Stadium is the most famous sporting venue in the world.

Rebuilt between 2002 and 2007, the new stadium’s defining characteristic is a 133 metre-high arch which replaces the old stadium’s twin towers.

The new stadium, designed by Foster & Partners, cost £757 million. It contains 166 executive suites, and has a capacity of 90,000 for most sports and 105,000 for concerts.

Sporting and other events

Wembley hosts the finals of the FA Cup, League Cup, play-off finals and the Community Shield, each year. It also hosted the 2013 finals of the Champions League and the 2012 Olympic Football competitions, as well as hosting England’s home football matches and other sporting events including the rugby league Challenge Cup final and NFL’s International Series.

The most famous match to be held here was England's 4-2 victory over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup Final (attendance: 96,924).

Wembley is also the venue for the country's largest music concerts given by acts such as Queen, Take That, Oasis, U2, Coldplay, The Killers and Robbie Williams.

Visitors can watch a match or concert, or take the Wembley Stadium tour where you can walk in the footsteps of the sporting legends who have graced this stadium. This 90-minute experience sees you visit the changing rooms, pressroom, stands and royal box, as well as seeing you walk out pitch side on to the famous turf.

Wembley Stadium is the best thing to do in West London for those who love sports.

Wembley town

Wembley's other attractions include the Wembley Arena (a 12,500-seater world famous music venue which has hosted the Beatles, Rolling Stones, ABBA and Bob Dylan), and the London Designer Outlet (where you can get big discounts on highstreet fashion brands and aspiring new designers). You should also check out the intricately carved Neasden and Ealing Road Temples.

The town is connected to the Stadium by the 50-metre Marks Barfield designed White Horse Bridge.

where? Wembley Stadium, Wembley, West London HA9 0WS. Closest transport links: Wembley Park Station (Jubilee and Metropolitan lines), Wembley Stadium Station (Chiltern line) and Wembley Central Station (Bakerloo line and London overground train line). MAP

when? The Wembley Stadium tour can be each day of the week, 10am to 3pm, except on match days. Advance booking is highly recommended.

£$€¥ Tours cost £22 for adults and £15 for children, with concessions priced £15. Tickets for England matches generally range from £25 to £100.

Visit Kew Gardens, in south-west London, to see the world’s largest collection of living plants situated in over 300 acres of botanical gardens and glasshouses.

With over 300,000 species in all, Kew was awarded UNESCO world heritage status in 2003.

The Palm House

The best known of Kew’s glasshouses is the iconic Victorian Palm House. Built in wrought iron between 1844 and 1848, this curvaceous 110-metre long structure rises to a height of 66 feet at its central dome and contains 16,000 panes of hand-blown glass.

The Palm House recreates a rainforest climate and houses banana, rubber and cocoa plants, mango, starfruit and jackfruit trees and the African oil palm, double coconut palm and rare Madagascan triangle palm.

More glasshouses

Kew Gardens boasts a number of other impressive glasshouses:

• the waterlily house (Kew’s hottest environment, displaying the large Victoria cruziana—giant waterlily—in its large central pond),
• the temperate house (the largest surviving Victorian glasshouse in the world, housing plants such as lemon and lime trees, tea bushes and a 58-foot high Chilean wine palm),
• the modern alpine house (specially built in 2006 to draw in cool air), and
• the bonsai house (home to a number of 150 year-old specimens).

Lakes, pagodas and more ...

Also found in the grounds are a number of lakes, pagodas (Sir William Chambers’ 1762 Great Pagoda is the most famous), temples, arches and gateways, together with over 20 different formal gardens (for example the Japanese, rock and rose gardens).

The Treetop Walkway and Hive

One of Kew's recent additions is a 200-metre aerial treetop walkway. At a height of 18 metres, the walkway allows visitor to study the ecosystem of the forest canopy. Unsurprisingly, it is also a hit with children.

Another recently added attraction is The Hive, a 17-metre tall recreation of a bees' hive made of 170,000 aluminium parts and 1,000 LEDs. This multi-sensory experience allows visitors to understand the secret lives of bees.

May 2019 saw the opening of Kew latest attraction for children: a huge playground to the north of the estate called The Children's Garden.

Other attractions

Kew has a number of coffee shops and eateries. The cafes are good value and, perhaps unsurprisingly, have committed to using eco-friendly ingredients and packaging. The Orangery's self-service restaurant is well-appointed, while the new multi-sensory Family Kitchen & Shop is a good place for pizza and ice cream.

The Arboretum is another idyllic spot for a family stroll, while the Lake crossing, installed in 2006, is always popular, particularly in Autumn when the surrounding trees are in stunning colour.

As Kew Gardens is about 45 minutes from central London, a full day should be allowed to make the most of your visit. A day out at Kew Gardens is a must for nature lovers.

where? Kew Gardens (aka The Royal Botanic Gardens), Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB. Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 5655. Email: info@kew.org. Closest stations: Kew Gardens (district line and overground) and Kew Bridge overground station. MAP

when? 10am to 7pm in the Summer, but closing times vary throughout the year and should be checked in advance. Kew Gardens is open seven days a week (not 24-25 December).

£$€¥ Adults: £15 at peak times of the year and £11 outside of peak times when bought in advance; Children 4-15 £5 in peak months and £4 off-peak.

Opened by Queen Victoria in 1871, the Royal Albert Hall is a circular concert hall with a capacity of 5,272. It is predominantly used for classical music concerts.

The Proms

The Hall is best known for holding the annual Summer Proms (or Promenade Concerts), an annual series of classical music concerts. It ends with the 'Last Night of the Proms', held on the second Saturday in September, which involves patriotic flag-waving to songs such as Land of Hope and Glory and Rule Britannia.

The Hall also hosts popular music concerts (by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Eric Clapton, Shirley Bassey and, more recently, The Killers), opera, ballet, sporting events (the tennis ATP Champions Tour Masters event has been played here since 1997) and other functions and ceremonies (the Queen, Churchill and Mandela have all spoken at the Hall).

Dodgy acoustics?

Built by the Lucas Brothers predominantly of Fareham red brick in a design influenced by Roman amphitheatres, the Hall’s glass and iron domed roof is 135 feet high.

The exterior is notable for the mosaic frieze running around it depicting “The Triumph of Arts and Sciences”, whilst inside the Hall is finished in red velvet and contains the UK’s second largest organ (with 9,999 pipes and 147 stops).

Unfortunately, the acoustics of the Hall were not good, with it often being said that the Hall was the only place where “a British composer could be sure of hearing his work twice”.

This problem was not rectified until the installation in 1969 of fibreglass sound diffusing structures that resemble mushrooms or flying saucers (pictured).

Popular Culture

The Albert Hall features in The Beatles song A Day in the Life and in the mocking wartime song, sung to the tune of the Colonel Bogey March, ‘Hitler Has Only Got One Ball/ The Other is in the Albert Hall'. In December 2015, medical records for Hitler were unearthed which revealed that he did have right-side cryptorchidism (or an undescended right testicle).

The Royal Albert Hall is a wonderful attraction for music lovers.

where? Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore West London SW7 2AP, United Kingdom. T. +44 20 7589 8212. Closest tubes: South Kensington (District, Circle and Piccadilly Lines) and High Street Kensington (District and Circle Lines). MAP

£$€¥ Tickets for proms start at £6.

Located on a five-acre site on the Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, Harrods is the world’s most famous department store.

Established by Charles Henry Harrod in 1834 as a humble greengrocers, Harrods now covers 1 million square feet of retail space over seven levels, making it the biggest shop in Europe.

Harrods has over 12,000 employees working in 330 departments, including jewellery, sporting gear, bridal, pets (which includes a pet spa), maternity, furniture, and musical instruments. Its motto is Omnia Omnibus Ubique, which means ‘All Things for All People, Everywhere’.

All people, that is, who can afford its luxury brands. In 2012, its revenue was £650 million, generated by 15 million visitors. Harrods is now owned by the Qatar Investment Authority, having been sold by Mohamed Al-Fayed for £1.5 billion in 2010.

Visitors should dress smartly (you will be turned away if you are in Bermuda shorts, if you are showing midriff, if you are carrying large baggage, or if you are excessively sweaty!). Most people tend to wander around those departments that tickle their interest, with the beauty and Christmas departments and food halls being popular choices.

Harrods also offers over 30 eateries, enticing you to stay for a bite to eat. Restaurants include The Grill, Gordon Ramsay Burger, Kerridge's Fish & Chips and Harrods Social by Jason Atherton.

A visit to Harrods is a must for those coming to West London.

where? 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, West London, SW1X 7XL, United Kingdom. T. +44 20 7730 1234. Closest tube: Knightsbridge (Piccadilly line). MAP

when? Monday to Saturday: 10am to 9pm; Sunday: 11.30am to 6pm.

The Saatchi Gallery, now housed in the Duke of York’s HQ on the King’s Road, is a 70,000 square foot exhibition space devoted to contemporary art.

The Gallery was opened in 1985, after Charles Saatchi donated his collection of mainly American art, and has displayed the works of Andy Warhol, Damian Hirst, Lucien Freud, Tracey Emin and Donald Judd.

The gallery's temporary exhibitions attract about 600,000 per year, and exhibitions scheduled for 2002 include 'Bob Marley One Love Experience', 'Vision & Virtuosity By Tiffany & Co' and 'In Focus: Women's Sport Through The Lens'.

The gallery is focused on work by unseen young artists or internationally acclaimed artists whose work has not previously been exhibited in the United Kingdom. The high-ceilinged exhibition spaces offer a great backdrop for the works of art on display.

The Saatchi Gallery is one of West London's best hidden gems to visit.

where? Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York's HQ, King's Road, West London SW3 4RY. Closest tubes: Sloane Square and Victoria. MAP

when? 10am to 6pm 7 days a week. Opening hours might very depending on the exhibition, please see the website for details.

£$€¥ Free, although some temporary exhibitions may charge an admission fee, which can start from £5.

Kensington Palace, found at the western end of Hyde Park, is a royal residence now home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (aka Wills and Kate).

The building was constructed in 1605, with the royal connection dating from 1689, when William and Mary bought the property (then known as Nottingham House) and commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to improve it.

Both William and Mary died in Kensington Palace, as did George II in 1760. Thereafter the Palace has been used for lesser royalty, with more recent residents including Charles and Diana and the Duke and Duchess of Kent. The current inhabitants—the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, to give William and Kate their formal titles—spent £4.5 million renovating their 20-room apartment complex.

Kensington Palace's most popular attractions include the King’s State Apartments, in particular the Cupola Room (where Queen Victoria was christened in 1819), the Queen’s State Apartments (once used by Queen Mary II for relaxation), and the magnificent Sir John Vanburgh designed 1704 Orangery.

Outside, don’t miss the tranquil and secluded sunken garden. First planted in 1908, it features ornamental flower beds, ponds and fountains surrounded by a walkway of arched lime trees called the Cradle Walk.

The historic parts of Kensington Palace are open to the public throughout the year. The palace is also home to the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, which displays ceremonial and court dress dating back to the 18th century.

Kensington Palace is a wonderful West London attraction for history buffs.

where? Kensington Palace, Hyde Park, West London. Closest tubes: High Street Kensington (district and circle lines) and Queensway (central line). MAP

when? Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm Nov-Feb and 10am to 6pm Mar-Oct. Opening days and times can vary, so check in advance of your visit

£$€¥ Adults: £20 ; Children: £10; Concessions: £16; Family tickets from £35.

Portobello Road is a street in Notting Hill famous for its Saturday antique and clothes market and for being the setting of many of the scenes in the Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant movie Notting Hill.

Portobello started life as a fresh food market in the late 19th century, with antiques becoming the focus in the late 1940s. These days over 100 antiques dealers sell everything from glass and silver, to watches, books and crystal.

The Antiques Section is found from Chepstow Villas to Elgin Crescent, with fruit and veg between Elgin Crescent and Talbot Road, New Goods between Talbot Road and the Westway and fashion and second hand goods beyond.

Bargain hunting works up an appetite, and there is no shortage of stalls, cafes and restaurants offering coffee, snacks and light lunches. Arrive before 11 am if you want to avoid the worst of the crowds.

And watch out for the rich and famous who choose to live in Notting Hill. They include Bjork, Robbie Williams, Claudia Schiffer, Jamie Oliver, Stella McCartney and Damon Albarn.

The thing to do in West London for celebrity spotters and those that love the hubbub of a busy market.

where? Portobello Road, West London W10 5TA. Closest tube: Notting Hill Gate (central, circle and district lines); Ladbroke Grove (Hammersmith & City line). MAP

when? Though the market is open every day except Sunday, Saturday is the best time to visit.

£$€¥ Free.

(1) Hyde Park

Hyde Park, when taken together with the adjacent Kensington Gardens, is the largest all of London's parks. Highlights include visiting the Park’s memorials (including the recently added Diana Fountain, designed to express Diana's spirit, represented by fast-flowing water, and made from 545 pieces of Cornish granite), its formal gardens (in particular the rose gardens), the Serpentine lake (where you can take a dip in summer or hire a pedalo), Speaker’s corner (where you might catch some spirited political or religious debate), and the Serpentine Art gallery.

(2) The Design Museum

The newly relocated Design Museum, housed in the old Commonwealth Institute building on Kensington High Street, is the only UK museum devoted to contemporary design and architecture. With a permanent exhibition devoted to items such as the anglepoise lamp, the humble chair, London buses and the Concorde, this place has got something for everyone. Current exhibitions on display include 'Football: Designing The Beautiful Game' (until August 2022) and 'Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems' (until September 2022).

(3) Twickenham Stadium

Twickenham Stadium is the home ground of the England rugby team. With a capacity of 82,000, it hosts England's home matches together with other important games such as the Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge and the Middlesex Sevens. The Stadium also hosted the finals of the 1991, 1999 and 2015 Rugby World Cups. Though the stadium isn't much to look at from a distance, the steep banking of its seats creates a fantastic atmosphere (visiting teams might describe it as intimidating). The stadium also hosts a number of pop concerts each year, most recently U2 in July 2017 (as part of their Joshua Tree tour).

(4) Chelsea Physic Garden

Founded in 1673, the Chelsea Physic Garden was established by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries and is one of the oldest gardens in the UK (after the Oxford and Edinburgh Botanic Gardens). It occupies four acres on the Chelsea Embankment, close to the Thames, and grows around 5,000 different edible, useful and medicinal plants found in glasshouses, borders and rockeries. Specimens include the UK’s largest fruiting olive tree: in 1976, seven pounds of ripe olives were harvested! Tickets are £12 for adults and £8.50 for concessions. Children under 5 go free.

(5) Tea at the Ritz

The Ritz is one of the world’s most opulent and famous hotels. It offers 111 rooms, 23 suites, a number of restaurants and bars (including the Rivoli bar, designed tog give the impression you are walking in to a golden jewellery box) and its own casino.

Tea at the Ritz, held in the hotel’s Palm Court, is a special treat. Compete with finely cut sandwiches, freshly baked scones with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve and a wide selection of delectable pastries, diners are also given a choice of 18 different loose leaf teas. If you have trouble choosing, why not consult the hotel’s own tea sommelier? Entertainment is provided by the hotel’s pianist and harpist. £67 for adults (£89 with champagne); £40 for children. NB: booking essential; men must wear a jacket; and jeans and sportswear are banned.