What are the most popular visitor attractions in London? Is it the Natural History Museum, Tate Modern or the British Museum? Well, the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions has the answer.
The organisation today released its latest annual survey of the most visited UK sites, which showed 146.6 million visits had been made to its member sites in 2023. Here we explore the most visited attractions in London, and reveal the secret treasures you can’t miss.
1) The British Museum
Visitor numbers in 2023: 5.8 million (up 42%)
It’s astonishing to see the immense hike in visitor numbers to the BM after a frankly god-awful year in which it was revealed that someone had been quietly pinching small artefacts from its stores for years, it lost its director and deputy director, and it came under fire for accepting a massive long term donation from oil and gas company BP.
Apparently none of that has changed the affection in which the public holds it, which is good because aside from the most famous (and often contested) items, there is so much here to see and wonder at, with 2 million years of human history represented.
Among the obvious stuff (Rosetta Stone, Rameses II, mummies etc) there are some extraordinary treasures worth hunting out. The Oxus Treasure, for example - a gobsmacking collection of 180 objects in gold and silver from the Achaemenid Persian period, which were found by the Oxus river about 1877–1880.
Or the items from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, which remains one of the most important finds ever discovered in Britain. And hardly anyone realises that if you flick through the catalogue online and make an appointment to see something, you can visit the prints and drawings room and get right up close with works by, say, Michelangelo, or Picasso. For no reason other than wanting to see it.
Don’t miss The Lion Hunt of Ashurbanipal is a set of breathtaking Assyrian stone reliefs depicting a ritual royal lion hunt, taken from the palace in Nineveh and dating from around 645 to 635BC. The beauty and intricacy of the carvings is astonishing. Despite being highly stylised, the artist or artists have captured the movements of the furious, suffering lions exquisitely. It can be found in room 10a, on the ground floor.
What’s on now? Legion: life in the Roman Army – find out what it was really like for the ordinary men who signed up to fight, and the women, children and enslaved people who accompanied them across the empire. To June 23
Book ahead for Michelangelo: the last decades – an exhibition looking at the last 30 years of the great artist’s life after he returned to Rome to complete the Sistine Chapel. Opens May 2
2) Natural History Museum
Visitor numbers in 2023: 5.6 million (up 22%)
Some 4.6 billion years of the planet’s history can be explored in this extraordinary museum, which isn’t just about dinosaurs (though it does have actual dinosaurs, which is why it’s SO busy during school holidays). They have a curator of molluscs! From giant fossilised marine reptiles to glow-in-the-dark minerals; from a vast slice of giant sequoia to a stuffed kangaroo complete with joey in her pouch, there is more here than you can imagine. Worth buying advance tickets to skip the inevitable queues.
Don’t miss I mean, you can’t miss it, but Hope, the skeleton of a vast blue whale that hangs from the ceiling in the museum’s great hall in a feeding dive is a thing of beauty and wonder. Imagine that thing swimming happily through the deep, and be transported. But also, there’s an earthquake simulator. Which is cool. You can find it on floor two in the red zone.
What’s on now? Wildlife Photographer of the Year - the natural world captured by some of the greatest (and luckiest) photographers
Book ahead for Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre - they survived a mass extinction event, and colonised every corner of the earth. They’re beautiful - and sometimes they’re really weird. Opens May 24
3) Tate Modern
Visitor numbers in 2023: 4.7 million (up 22%)
It seems strange to think that Tate Modern, one of the world’s great collections of contemporary art, is less than a quarter of a century old – and during that time it has proved among the most popular attractions in the UK. It has also expanded from one iconic site into two, with a glorious second building offering more of its collection to visitors. While not quite at it’s pre-Covid peak, numbers rose a fifth last year, with crowds flocking to the great installations in the Turbine Hall, the dedicated performance space in the Tanks, the temporary exhibitions and a permanent collection that contains all the big hitters from Picasso, Monet and Bacon to Kusama, Hepworth and Warhol (and many, many others).
Don’t miss Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms have proved a walloping success - punters adore these two immersive and very Instagram-friendly rooms full of light and reflections. As the museum says, “Step into infinite space”, but step quickly as it’s only on until April 28.
What’s on now? Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind – a wonderful opportunity to delve into the work of, as described by her other half John Lennon, “the world’s most famous unknown artist”. To September 1
Book ahead for Expressionists – this explores the friendship of a group in the early 20th century, who rallied around Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Münter to shake up modern art. Opens April 25
4) Southbank Centre
Visitor numbers in 2023: 3.1 million (up 8%)
It may be the sheer variety and volume of events happening at the SBC that brings it so close to the top of the list. With six resident orchestras and concerts nearly every night of the week from them and visiting international bands, the Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall are at the centre of the classical music scene, and frequently host gigs by contemporary artists. The Hayward Gallery is world-renowned for contemporary exhibitions, and it even has the National Poetry Library, though it’s likely that it’s the SBC’s wifi, coffee and welcome for anyone who wants to pull up a chair in one of its many open spaces that accounts for its popularity.
Don’t miss Aurora Orchestra, which performs from memory, and Chineke! Orchestra, which is open only to players of colour, are both pioneers in their field. Look out for their performances, you won’t be disappointed.
What’s on now? When Forms Come Alive at the Hayward Gallery – this show looks at 60 years of sculpture that evokes or is inspired by movement and life. To May 6
Book ahead for Yuja Wang and Patricia Kopatchinskaja - superstar pianist Wang returns following last year’s sell-out performance (June 7) and glorious violinist Kopatchinskaja will collaborate with Aurora Orchestra on Everyday Nonsense, an ambitious, absurdist music-theatre production that includes works by Cage, Ligeti, Brecht and Mozart. Opens April 24
5) V&A
Visitor numbers in 2023: 3.1 million (up 28%)
The world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design has put on a string of crowd-pleasing shows for years with subjects ranging from Alexander McQueen to David Bowie, and 2023 was no different, with Chanel, Hallyu! The Korean Wave and the opening of the second phase of its new photographic centre all proving successful. It’s always great to wander the galleries (all seven miles of them!), weaving between the best sculptures this side of Italy and exploring objects that span 5,000 years and the entire world. And on a sunny day (remember them) what better than to sit out in the courtyard and relax. It isn’t just in the V&A’s South Kensington headquarters that things were happening last year – over in Bethnal Green, the Young V&A opened in July, a wonderful, welcoming child-focused venue from babies to teenagers, which brought in more than 405,000 visitors in just six months.
Don’t miss The Raphael Cartoons, depicting the lives of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, are a joy. These seven paintings are considered among the great treasures of the Renaissance, by one of its greatest masters, and are on display in room 48a.
What’s on now? Diva. A show celebrating the larger-than-life performers who have created and subverted the role of the diva on stage and screen from Marilyn to Whitney, Callas to Elton. To April 7
Book ahead for Naomi: In Fashion, yes the V&A is exploring the 40-year-career of one of the original supermodels. With more than 100 outfits on display this promises to explore her “life in clothes”. Opens June 22
6) The National Gallery
Visitor numbers in 2023: 3 million (up 14%)
Well if it’s good enough for James Bond… The superspy, played by Daniel Craig, met Ben Whishaw’s Q in front of one of the gallery’s great Turner paintings, The Fighting Temeraire, in a memorable scene from 2012’s Skyfall. While the painting about a knackered old warship being dragged out to pasture had knowing nods to the ageing 007, Bond could have made a day of it and taken in a glorious collection that runs from Botticelli and Leonardo to Rembrandt, Monet and Van Gogh. Truly a treasure trove in Trafalgar Square and one that celebrates its 200th anniversary in just a few months. A real cause for celebration.
Don’t miss Where to start? Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, The Hay Wain by Constable, Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian, Gentileschi’s self portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria? Everyone will have their favourites, but a must involves heading to room nine to gaze in awe at Leonardo’s The Virgin of the Rocks.
Whats on now? There are currently no temporary exhibitions, so take the chance to refamiliarise yourself with the permanent collection.
Book ahead for The Last Caravaggio – This brings to London the last work by the infamous Italian artist. The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula will be displayed alongside the gallery’s own Caravaggio: Salome with the Head of John the Baptist. Opens April 18
7) Science Museum
Visitor numbers in 2023: 2.9 million (up 27%)
The place kids adore with its rocket ships, IMAX screen, gaming consoles and Wonderlab – and it’s impossible for adults not to get swept up too; many will have to be dragged out of galleries such as Exploring Space and the Energy Hall.
Don’t miss the full-sized replica of Eagle, the lunar lander that took Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon. Also on display for the first time in the UK is a sample taken from the asteroid Ryugu, which is 4.6 billion years old.
What’s on now? Turn It Up: The Power of Music – this fascinating show looks at the science and secrets of music and the impact it has on us. It includes the MiMU gloves used by artists like Ariana Grande to make gestures that control music software live on stage. Until May 6
Book ahead for Future exhibitions are yet to be announced, but watch this space
8) Tower of London
Visitor numbers in 2023: 2.7 million (up 28%)
The White Tower, an extraordinary example of Norman architecture, is always a breathtaking sight, and 2.7 million came to see it last year. The Crown Jewels are obviously a massive draw, and then there’s the beefeaters in their fetching crimson garb and the ravens, who hold the site’s fate in their claws (supposedly). There is so much more, from the Line of Kings display to the 18th century executioners block with an axe that may date to Tudor times.
Don’t miss St John’s Chapel in the White Tower. This was built as an early place of worship for William the Conqueror (though it was only completed after his death) and is a stunning example of Norman church architecture.
What’s on now? Created in the 17th century, the Line of Kings displays the tournament armour of Henry VII and gilded armours of Charles I and James II among other historic pieces made for noblemen and soldiers. Ongoing
Book ahead Medieval Mayhem – one for the kids with a 15-minute show described as “fairytales and frolics” with medieval Londoners. From March 29
9) Somerset House
Visitor numbers in 2023: 2.7 million (up 16%)
Right in the heart of London, overlooking the Thames, is this imposing Georgian building with its labyrinthine hallways. But behind this neo-classical facade is all manner of things to explore with numerous galleries, a screening room, restaurants and bars and who knows what else. In the winter, punters can skate on the ice rink in the courtyard, which hosts gigs in the summer. Somerset House has fully embraced the arts and describes itself as the home of cultural innovators, which means there is usually something arty and fun to wade into.
Don’t miss The Courtauld. Found in the north wing of the building, this is an absolute treasure trove with works by artists including Manet, Van Gogh (Self-Portrait with a Bandaged Ear!) and Cezanne. There is also the wonderful Modigliani Female Nude.
What’s on now? Cute. This bonkers yet brilliant exhibition explores how ‘cute’ took over contemporary culture from emojis and internet memes to plushie toys. To April 14
Book ahead for The Sony World Photography Awards return to Somerset House and are promising a “refreshed curatorial approach, bringing awe-inspiring photographs to life”. April 19
10) Royal Museums Greenwich
Visitor numbers in 2023: 2.5 million (up 56%)
On a sunny day there can be few better pleasures for visitors to London than taking a Thames Clipper down the river to Greenwich, enjoying a stroll around the park, before scratching the cultural itch and taking in its museums. Who doesn’t love the Cutty Sark? Well even for those who aren’t bothered by this restored clipper ship there’s so much more to see from the Queen’s House to the National Maritime Museum and the Royal Observatory.
Don’t miss The Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I. Paintings don’t come much more iconic than this, and it’s on permanent display in the Queen’s Presence Chamber in the Queen’s House – the site where Elizabeth was born.
What’s on now? There is currently a fascinating exhibition on the vital work of the women in the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in saving lives at sea. It has photography, personal testimony and a film. To December 1
Book ahead We are waiting on details of future exhibitions.
