“The estate of Haddon Hall was built in the 12th century and, since 1567, has always belonged to the same family. It is often called the only classic example medieval fortified..."
“Hatfield House, an estate in the town of Hatfield in the county of Hertfordshire, has served as the family home of the Marquess of Salisbury from the Cecil family for the past four centuries...”
“The garden at Hinton Empner Manor House was created by Ralph Stowell-Dutton, 8th (and last) Baron Sherborne (1898 - 1985). The creation of the garden began in 1930. The mansion, next to which...”
“Deal Castle was built by order of Henry VIII in 1539 - 1540. This castle was an artillery fortress, which was designed to stop a possible invasion from the Catholics...”
“Somerset House in London is a beautiful 18th-century building built in the neoclassical style. In the mid-16th century, on the site of the modern building there was a city residence of Edward Seymour, 1st...”
"Windsor Castle is the largest and ancient castle in the world - is one of the official residences of the Queen. The construction of the castle was started by order of William the Conquerer...”
“The Globe (or Globe) Theater in London is an exact replica of the theater under open air, originally built in 1599. William Shakespeare wrote most of his plays to be performed by...
“The Sherlock Holmes Museum is the home museum of the famous private detective Sherlock Holmes, a literary character created by Arthur Conan Doyle. According to the stories of Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watso..."
“Gainsborough's family estate in Lincolnshire has existed for over five hundred years. It is perfectly preserved from the Middle Ages historical monument England. The mansion was built by Sir Thomas Berg..."
“Westminster Abbey (full name St. Peter's Cathedral Church in Westminster) is located in London, west of the Palace of Westminster. The abbey is a functioning church, in which and in our...”
"The National Motor Museum, located in Bewley, Hampshire, has one of the world's most impressive collections of historical cars, as well as thematic books, journals..."
“The London Motor Museum is the only museum in Europe to have a unique collection of classic, original and modified cars from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. In addition to a huge collection...”
“Burton Agnes Hall is an Elizabethan manor house built by Sir Henry Griffith between 1598 and 1610 and designed by Robert Smythson. By suck...”
“Old Trafford is the home of the famous football club Manchester United. Visitors to the local museum can look at huge amount silver items that were collected by the club for...”
« Ancient history the city of York comes to life in its dungeons, which present to an appreciative public 10 different shows chronicling the darkest moments in the life of the region over the past 2 thousand years...."
Nowhere except London is there such a huge number of attractions, museums, and exhibitions that constantly attract tourists. There are numerous tourist sites and exhibitions of almost any type. They are constantly open to visitors, the flow of which does not dry out over time.
The main historical and archaeological museum in the UK and one of the largest in the world is British Museum in London.
It is constantly at the top of the ranking in terms of attendance among museums in the world. The British Museum is located in Bloomsbury, a historic district of London.
All visitors to the British Museum can view the historical and cultural treasures located here free of charge. 94 galleries are open to tourists, with a length of about 4 kilometers.
Naturally, it is impossible to get acquainted with so many exhibits in one or two days. Among the museum staff there are Russian-speaking guides who will help Russian tourists better understand historical facts, as well as cats.
6 cats are officially on the staff of the British Museum : they are decorated with yellow bows, I behave with dignity in the halls and protect museum values from rodent infestation.
History of the museum
Like many other collections in England, the British Museum arose from a private collection. During his lifetime, the famous English collector of antiquities, doctor and naturalist Hans Sloan drew up a will, according to which, for a nominal fee, his entire collection of more than 70 thousand exhibits passed to King George II.
Thanks to this, the English national fund was significantly replenished. This happened in June 1753. At the same time, antiquarian James Cotton donated his library to the state, and Count Robert Harley donated a unique collection of ancient manuscripts. The creation of the historical museum was approved by a special act of the British Parliament.
In 1759 the museum was opened to visitors in Montague House. At first, only selected people could become visitors to the museum. The museum opened for everyone only in 1847, when it was built modern building museum.
The British Museum collection has been constantly expanded. At the end of the 18th century, the museum acquired Greville’s collection of minerals, W. Hamilton’s antique vases, Townley marbles, and bought masterpieces from the Parthenon from Lord Elgin.
Some exhibits in the museum ended up in an almost criminal way: to this day, Greece and Egypt demand the return of some valuable relics (for example, the Rosetta Stone - a slab with text in the ancient Egyptian language) taken illegally from these countries.
In the 19th century, the British Museum in London began to grow and develop rapidly. At this time, it became necessary to divide the museum into departments, some of which were moved to another location. A numismatic department has appeared, where medals and coins are collected different countries related to different eras(including ancient Greek, Persian, ancient Roman).
The geological, mineralogical, botanical and zoological departments were separated into a separate Natural History Museum, which was moved to South Kensington in 1845. From 1823 to 1847, the Montagu House mansion was demolished, and in its place stood a modern building in the classicist style, created by the architect R. Smirk.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the number of artifacts from the Middle East increased due to archaeological excavations carried out in Mesopotamia. Since 1926, the museum has published its own magazine quarterly, which covers events taking place in the museum.
At the end of the 20th century, when preparations were being made for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the museum, exhibition halls. Under the leadership of Norman Foster, the space was redeveloped: new premises appeared, the galleries were updated, and an additional area was glazed.
Museum expositions
At first the museum was conceived only as a collection of antiquities from Greece and Rome, but gradually exhibits appeared different eras from other places for which all new departments were organized:
- The Greco-Roman collection in the British Museum is located in 12 rooms. It includes luxury items dating back to the times of the Roman emperors, Lycian sculptures, sculptures from the Temple of Apollo at Phigalia, remains of the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, etc.
- The Oriental Department of the museum displays collections of sculptures, paintings, ceramics and prints from South and Southeast Asia. There are Indian bronze statues of Buddha, monuments of hieroglyphic writing dating back to the 2nd millennium BC, ritual vessels Ancient China and other ancient oriental treasures.
- In the department of the Middle Ages and Modern Times you can see works of decorative applied arts from the times of early Christianity to the 19th century. There are many religious objects, dishes and jewelry made of silver, knightly armor and medieval weapons, collections of ceramic and glass products of the 18th-19th centuries, church utensils and the world's largest collection of watches.
- British Museum collection of drawings and prints artistic value and size is on a par with the famous Louvre. This department contains paintings by Botticelli , Van Dyck, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Durer, Van Gogh, Raphael and many others.
- The number of medals and coins in the numismatics department exceeds 200 thousand copies. Here are presented coins from the 7th century BC to modern examples, as well as coins made of precious metals. Also in the department are almost all the medals dedicated to important historical events countries, including medals at the London 2012 Olympics.
- In the ethnography department you can get acquainted with objects of everyday life and culture of the peoples of Australia, Africa, Asia and Oceania, America, starting with the discovery of these lands by Columbus, Cook and other famous navigators.
- The British Museum is also the largest library in Great Britain, numbering more than 7 million volumes of various publications, about 200 thousand items of manuscripts on European languages, more than half a million geographical maps and almost a million copies of sheet music. About 20 thousand technical and scientific journals. The British Museum library has 6 reading rooms for 670 visitors.
The museum regularly hosts thematic excursions; on Sundays, the “Young Friend of the British Museum” children's club operates, whose members have access to additional interesting exhibitions. “Nights at the Museum”, held 4 times a year, are popular here, as throughout the world. Each night has a specific theme, such as "Egyptian Night" or "Japanese Night".
Tourist information
The museum is open daily, its opening hours: 10-00 – 17-30. From Thursday to Friday, some departments work longer, up to 20-30.
Now the museum's fund is replenished mainly through donations from patrons or collectors. Some exhibits were purchased with parliamentary money. Entry to the British Museum is free, but it is considered in good form leave a small donation, for which special boxes are installed in the museum.
The British Museum is huge in area and in the number of exhibits on display, so you shouldn't try to get around it in one or two days. It is better to choose one or two exhibitions that are most interesting to you and devote your time entirely to them. Otherwise, visiting the museum will leave you with no positive emotions and new knowledge, but fatigue and a sore head.
Walking through the places where William Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde visited, and seeing the landscapes that inspired the Brontë sisters and Jane Austen, is a good goal for every book lover. The ZagraNitsa portal has collected a dozen locations from different corners United Kingdom, which all connoisseurs of good literature should visit
Whitby
The landscapes and architecture of the seaside town of Whitby in North Yorkshire inspired Irish novelist Bram Stoker to write one of the most famous Gothic works of all time, Dracula. Part of the action of the novel takes place in Whitby, and the city still does not forget about its connection with the legendary literary character. Twice a year, the Whitby Gothic Weekend, a gothic subculture festival, is held here, and in October the Bram Stoker Film Festival is held in the city.
Photo: en.wikipedia.org 2 The Elephant House, Edinburgh
The modest size of The Elephant House cafe in Edinburgh is difficult to match its popularity. There are always a lot of visitors here, and tourists do not miss the opportunity to take pictures at the entrance to the establishment next to the sign “Birthplace of Harry Potter.” It was here, in a small establishment, that JK Rowling, sitting at a table with her little daughter in a stroller for days, wrote her first novel about a boy wizard.
Take a seat in the back room to enjoy beautiful view to Edinburgh Castle.
Photo: annadrops.wordpress.com
British Library
The number of storage items is second only to the Library of Congress in the United States - there are more than 150 million copies of books, magazines, newspapers and manuscripts. Here you can find publications in almost all languages of the world and from different times: from the collection of King George III to modern works.
Photo: magnacarta800th.com 4 Baht
The English city of Bath is famous not only for its hot springs, but also as the place where the events of Jane Austen's novels took place. The writer lived here from 1801 to 1806 and was inspired by the city landscapes. In Bath, her memory is still honored and an annual Jane Austen festival is held. Guests of the event hold costumed meetings and literary readings Regency era.
Photo: bath360.co.uk 5 Broadstairs
The town in Kent was the inspiration for Charles Dickens. Here on the English Channel coast at the Bleak House Hotel the famous English writer stayed with his son and wrote the novel David Copperfield. Today there is a museum in Broadstairs in honor of Dickens.
Photo: flickr.com by Stuart Handscombe
6
Stratford upon Avon
The birthplace of the famous English playwright William Shakespeare - beautiful city United Kingdom. Here for all English lovers classical literature The Royal Shakespeare Theater operates and museums named after the great writer are open. It’s worth coming here if only to see the house where the playwright was born and spent his last days.
Photo: tracyzhangphoto.wordpress.com
7
Howerth
The English village of Hohert is an iconic place for all fans of the Bronte sisters' work. IN early XIX centuries, their family owned an estate here, which today houses a museum dedicated to them. The landscapes of West Yorkshire inspired writers to create the most famous novels, including Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Perhaps, looking at the ruined farm of Top Withens, you will recreate in your imagination the story of Heathcliff and Catherine, because it is believed that this particular area is the prototype of the Earnshaw family home and the main inspiration of Emily Brontë.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
8
Ashdown
A forest in East Sussex is where the world's most famous bear was born - Winnie the Pooh. Here, on the Cotchford farm near the forest, lived the English writer Alan Milne and his son Christopher Robin. Walking along the forest paths inspired Milne so much that he decided to write a series of stories about a bear who lives in the forest and his friendship with the boy Christopher Robin.
Photo: flickr.com by Mark Watts
Oxford University
This is not only one of the best in the world: its walls still remember the presence of Clive Staples Lewis, Oscar Wilde and Lewis Carroll, who studied or lectured here. Oxford also has an amazing library that is also worth a visit.
Photo: popsugar.com 10 Jamaica Inn, Cornwall
The English writer Daphne du Maurier was inspired by a trip to the hills of Bodmin Moor to create the novel about smugglers, The Jamaica Inn (which Alfred Hitchcock made into a film of the same name). While still a little girl, Maurier and her friend got lost in the forest while riding horses, and miraculously made it back to the hotel, which was called the Jamaica Inn. One of the rooms still houses a kind of museum with memorabilia of the writer.
Photo: flickr.com by Keith Smith
And what are the places in the United Kingdom associated with creativity? famous writers, do you know? Share with us in the comments!
Great Britain is a country of enormous cultural heritage, the number of museums per capita here is higher than in the whole world. There are collections and exhibitions for every taste and interest. We'll tell you about the most famous ones, what you can see there and how to get there.
Art Museums
London is the recognized capital of the world art market. That's why there are many art galleries here. The most interesting museums in Great Britain:
- The Tate group of galleries in London, Liverpool, Cornwall, and the most famous of them is the Tate gallery contemporary art- included in the top 10 most visited museums in the world.
- The Serpentine Gallery in London hosts the most interesting exhibitions of contemporary art.
- The National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh, which houses a superb collection of Western European art.
- London National Gallery, where you can see more than 2,300 works by European painters.
- Saatchi Gallery in London. Presented here private collection contemporary art by Charles Saatchi.
All art museums are open to free access and receive tens of millions of visitors every year.
Specialized museums
There are a huge number of thematic museums in England. These certainly include largest museum Great Britain - British. But we will talk about it later.
The largest natural history museum in London. It houses collections on botany, zoology, geology, and mineralogy. In total, the institution's funds number several tens of millions of exhibits. The museum is famous for the dinosaur skeleton installed in the lobby of the main building, as well as a large number of interactive exhibitions. For example, you can visit tropical forest, in space, feel an earthquake and much more. More than 5 million visitors come here every year.
Another interesting specialized museum is dedicated to maritime history. It is housed in a listed building, the Royal Naval College in Greenwich.
One of the most frequently visited is the Beatles Museum. About 300 thousand fans of this group come here every year.
For modern children, the most interesting will be the Harry Potter Museum - this is a real immersion in magical world novels by J. Rowling and films based on them.
Literary museums
England has given the world a lot famous writers, in whose honor interesting museums have been opened. So, the most famous literary museum Great Britain is considered the Charles Dickens House Museum. It recreates the atmosphere of a real Dickensian house, as well as the furnishings of a typical 19th century wealthy class home.
Another popular museum related to literature is the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Due to the popularity of the Sherlock series, the museum is experiencing a real boom in visitors.
Of course, it is difficult to imagine England without Shakespeare. In the town of Stratford-upon-Avon there is a house-museum of the great playwright. He was born and died here, and the museum recreates the environment in which Shakespeare's family lived.
Unusual museums
England would not be itself if it were not for the most amazing and eccentric museums. First place of the most unusual museums Great Britain is occupied by a museum of teapots - Teapot Island in Yolding. Here you can see almost 8 thousand teapots, as well as buy unusual teapots and souvenirs.
In the town of Maidstone there is a Dog Collar Museum, here you can see an exhibit from the 15th century and many more recent collars.
The unusual museum was created by architect John Soane. He collected huge collection various antiquities from Greece, Egypt, India and made incredible collages and installations from them.
The most famous of London's unusual museums is the Museum wax figures Madame Tussauds. Here are the figures of the most famous people peace. Visitors can take selfies with Trump or the Beatles and visit the cabinet of horrors.
If you wish, you can also visit museums of pencils, mustard, teddy bears or lawn mowers.
Top 9 UK Museums
Rating British museums is a thankless task, since choosing a museum is largely a matter of taste. However, there is a simple selection criterion - the number of visitors. According to this indicator, the top 9 includes the following institutions:
- British Museum.
- Victoria and Albert Museum.
- National Museum Scotland.
- Design Museum.
- Museum-bunker "War Rooms".
- Cruiser "Belfast".
- Coal Museum.
- Transport Museum.
- Art gallery Kelvingrove.
British Museum
The British museum rightfully occupies first place among British museums. It began its work back in 1753, and during its existence it has collected a huge collection of antiquities, art and household items. Including here an unprecedented number of exhibits with archaeological excavations Ancient Egypt, there is no such collection even in Egypt itself. Also here you can see many interesting exhibits from India, Oceania, Africa, the Middle East, a good collection of works of art, and household items. Admission to the museum is free, and more than 6 million visitors come here every year.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Another famous museum in Great Britain it is the Victoria and Albert Museum of Decorative Arts and Design. It is the world's largest collection of household items and decorative arts. The institution was opened in 1852 in the wake of the 1851 Universal Exhibition. Prince Albert wanted to display somewhere the items that were exhibited at this exhibition, as well as the DPI collection. The money raised from the World's Fair was used to construct the building. In 1899, on the initiative of Queen Victoria, the central building of the museum was built. In total, it occupies several buildings in South Kensington. Exhibited in the halls large collection silver and tin products, works of art, costumes. The museum has the largest collection of early British photography.
National Museum of Scotland
Another interesting UK museum is located in Edinburgh. It was originally conceived as a museum of antiquities. It contains a large collection of objects from archaeological sites in Scotland, as well as Ancient Egypt and in the East. But gradually the museum acquired other interesting exhibits. For example, an unusual exhibition dedicated to Elton John has been created here; in other rooms you can see a stuffed cloned sheep Dolly, as well as exhibitions related to scientific achievements, with the natural history of Scotland.
Design Museum
This newest museum in London became an innovation in museum affairs. Exhibited here best works modern designers, and for them this is a kind of form of professional recognition, a significant milestone in their career. And the inclusion of objects in the permanent exhibition is considered as a recognition of genius. Therefore, the museum not only allows you to see the most advanced design in the world, but also serves as a platform for professional communication designers.
Museum-bunker “War Rooms”
Another interesting museum in London is dedicated to the Second World War and the activities of W. Churchill. This is his bunker. Here you can see the prime minister's personal chambers, his office, his wife's bedroom, and the operational headquarters from where Churchill controlled military operations. The museum is interesting for those who want to learn more about the history of Great Britain and life famous people.
Cruiser "Belfast"
There is another interesting London museum on the Thames - the military cruiser Belfast, which is permanently laid up near Tower Bridge. This ship is a source of pride for the British. It played a key role in the famous and most important naval battles of World War II. During a tour of the ship, tourists can explore all the premises and get acquainted with it heroic story.
Coal Museum
There is an unusual institution in the town of Blainevon: it is a real coal mine turned into a museum. To go down into the mine, you need to put on real miner's uniform weighing about 5 kilograms. In the museum you can see how hard the work of miners is, get acquainted with their life and working conditions.
Transport Museum
There is another interesting museum in London, which contains about 1000 exhibits. This various types vehicles- from ancient to modern. There are many exhibits dedicated to the underground, of which London is rightly proud. The interesting thing is that you can touch some of the exhibits, climb into them, and you can also try yourself as a driver of a car or a locomotive, which children really like.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery
There is an interesting private museum, Kelvingrove, in Glasgow. This is a real Scottish palace, which houses a good collection of Western European art. There is also a wonderful collection of weapons and armor, antiquities and even an English fighter plane from the Second World War.
To learn the complex, confusing and surprising interesting story United Kingdom, touch the traditions and culture of its multi-ethnic population, it’s not enough to visit just London. Of course, you need to start getting acquainted with Foggy Albion from its capital, because the museums in London contain unique exhibits, and by walking along its streets you can see the most famous sights of London, which have long been business card UK. But Great Britain is famous not only for its fogs, but also for its many Mysteries and mysteries hidden from the eyes of ordinary tourists. In this article we will take you on a short journey throughout the UK and get acquainted with some museums in England, as well as Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
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American Museum in Bath 
The city of Bath, built by the Romans, can itself be called a unique open-air museum in England. But in addition to the Roman baths, in honor of which the city received its name, there are many interesting museums in England. One of these interesting museums in Great Britain is the American Museum. Here you can see a unique collection of quilts (about 200) from various 18th-20th centuries: 50 quilts can be seen in the textile department, the rest in the historical departments of the Museum of England. Also in the textile gallery you can get acquainted with objects of decorative and applied art of the Navajo Indians. Around the museum in Great Britain there are gardens and parks, which are also connected with the history of America and its first inhabitants, the Indians.