The Top Five Free London Museums

Something that truly astounds and delights me about this city is that this could just as easily be a list of the top five museums in London overall. Yes, there are some worthwhile ones that charge for entrance, but you could happily go to dozens without spending a penny.

1. The British Museum. Goes without saying that this is one of the finest collections of historical and cultural artifacts in the world. Check out the Elgin marbles, the Sutton Hoo buried treasure, and much more.

2. The British Library. If you want to access the collection stacks, you'll have to apply for a reader's pass. However, in their exhibition gallery, you can see Shakespeare's First Folio, the Magna Carta, and the birthday card where Lennon scribbled down the lyrics to "Hard Day's Night."

3. The Tate Modern. Four galleries filled with modern art, including Picasso, Duchamp, Bacon, Monet, Dali, and so on. Plus a whole lot of hipsters and disaffected art students.

4. The Victoria & Albert Museum. Has a global collection, like the British Museum, but focuses on art and design more than history. Home to a particularly fine collection of Asian and Middle Eastern works.

5. The Saatchi Gallery. Even more contemporary (read: inscrutable) stuff than in the Tate Modern. Expect LED lights, a room full of rocks, twisted plaster constructions, etc. All very weird, but very cool.

Caveat: many of these places do charge for special exhibitions. But with so much great stuff in the permanent collections there's really no need to venture outside them, unless there's a particular exhibit you're dying to see.