1. The Tower of London
Located on the north bank of the Thames next to Tower Bridge is the Tower of London, a UNESCO world heritage site. Constructed in phases after 1066, the Tower has fulfilled important state functions ever since: it was a Royal Palace, from which new monarchs began their coronation precession to Westminster Abbey; it became a prison in which the principal enemies of the state were incarcerated and often executed; it housed the state mint, armoury and menagerie; and it continues to house the Crown Jewels.
where? The Tower of London, London, England, EC3N 4AB. Nearest tubes: Tower Hill (District and Circle lines), Tower Gateway (DLR).
when? Mon to Sat: 9 am to 5.30 pm (Mar to Oct), 9am to 4.30 pm (Nov to Feb). Sun and Mon: 10 am to 5.30 pm (Mar to Oct), 10 am to 4.30 pm (Nov to Feb). Not 24-26 Dec or 1 Jan.
2. Buckingham Palace
The transformation of Buckingham House into Buckingham Palace started in 1825, overseen by architect John Nash (1752-1835), during the reign of George IV. Building finished in around 1840, at the start of Queen Victoria's reign. Buckingham Palace has thereafter been the home and place of work of the monarch. The Palace is 108 metres wide, 120 metres deep and 24 metres tall; it has 755 rooms including 52 official royal bedrooms and guest rooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms; it houses over 20,000 works of art and is visited by hundreds of thousands each year (including heads of state, diplomats and the recipients of honours); and it is made up of four wings which surround a central quadrangle.
where? Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA. Closest tube stations are Victoria, Green Park and Hyde Park Corner.
when? Since 1993, Buckingham Palace has opened its state rooms to the public for two months each summer (2012: 30 June to 7 Oct; 9.45am to 6.30pm).
3. The Science MuseumThe 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.
The Science Museum's most interesting galleries include 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 host of rockets, satellites, space probes and landers, notably the Apollo 10 Lunar Module),Energy—fuelling the future (the Museum’s latest interactive gallery),Launchpad (with over 50 hands-on exhibits aimed at 8-14 year olds), andWho am I? (a fun interactive gallery that looks at the brain and genetics).
where? The Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD. Tel: 0870 870 4868. Closest tube: South Kensington (District, Circle and Piccadilly lines).
when? Open 7 days a week from 10 am to 6 pm except 24-26 Dec.
4. The Natural History Museum
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 'earth lab', 'restless surface' and 'from the beginning'), the green zone (which includes displays on birds, creepy crawlies and minerals), the blue zone (which houses, amongst other things, dinosaurs, reptiles, fishes and mammals) and the orange zone (where the wildlife garden and new Darwin centre are located).
where? The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5000. Closest tube South Kensington (District, Circle and Piccadilly lines).
when? 10 am to 5.50 pm, seven days a week (not 24-26 December)5. The British Museum
The British Museum, opened to the public in 1759, holds over 7 million objects. They come from all corners of the world, and illustrate the evolution of human culture. The museum's treasures are arranged into different departments, with the Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan holding the most comprehensive collection of Egyptian antiquities outside Cairo's Egyptian Museum, and the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities alone holding over 100,000 objects. Highlights of the museum’s collection include the Rosetta stone, a colossal bust of Ramesses II, a Mummy of Cleopatra from Thebes, the controversial Elgin marbles, the Cyrus cylinder and the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos (one of the museum’s two wonders of the ancient world). The new glass covered courtyard (pictured) and circular library alone make a visit worthwhile.
where? Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG. Closest tubes: Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines), Tottenham Court Road (Central and Northern), and Russell Square (Piccadilly). Buses: 1,7,8,10,14, 19,24,25,38, 55,59,68,73,91, 98,134 and 168.
when? 10 am to 5.30 pm, seven days a week (not 24-26 Dec or 1 Jan); late openings on Thurs and Fri (till 8.30 pm)