Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The lobby of V&A museum.

As usual, we are going to continue with the next place I visited in London, that is Victoria and Albert Museum or much popular with V&A. Victoria and Albert Museum is a museum dedicated to decorative art and now become the world’s largest museum by housing a permanent collection of over 2.3 million objects. My visit to V&A just after short visited to the Natural History Museum for the first time. So the visit to this museum is around 4 hours (of course it’s not enough).

The history of this museum was closely related to the Science Museum as they share the same buildings in their early establishment in 1852. As the collection of arts getting larger and larger the Science Museum needs to separate itself to another location and ended up where it is now.

V&A is a very important museum of arts, even though there are many other art museums and galleries all across London and all around Europe. From its early stage, V&A actively collecting art from other countries includes Europe, North America, Asia, and North Africa. At some points, V&A still have their samples preserved in good condition compared to their original pieces.

Some of the laquerware from all around the world.

Here in V&A, they collected all types of arts from sculptures, paintings, ceramics, glass, textiles, woods, silvers, jewellery, ironwork, prints, photographs, furniture, and many others (yes, all types of arts). That’s what makes V&A one of important museum here in London. It’s opened up your eyes to the whole world of arts, and why it is so important to the development of human cultures.

As usual, you can join in any of their free museum tours conducted by knowledgeable friendly staffs or volunteers. This will speed up your learning process about the topics that they will share. As this museum is so big, you might, unsure where you should start and where it should end, unless you planned it in advanced.

With a total size of 12.5 acres (5.1 ha), V&A consist of 145 galleries - make sure you check the floor plan carefully, if you are looking for something specifics. Here, there are many things to see and learn about. Instead of just looking at the art pieces, here in V&A there always many things to do. Other than special exhibition, there are also courses, family events, workshops, talks and resources for you to learn more about the arts (library of books and items). The whole museum itself is result of beautiful architecture with lots of art on it.

Museum tour with Jeremy Strachan, educative and entertaining.

Important piece from Shah Jahan dynasty, India.

As usual, you are encouraged to visit their website to know more about V&A before you visit it. This will allow you to maximize your experience during your visit. You also can communicate with them if you have any question - so, they will be able to assist you (in case you require something not available on the exhibition).

At the end of the visit, what I can say is - I need to come back to V&A to see more of the things that I missed on my first visit. I also included another photo album of this museum on my fanpage, you can visit it through the link. Wish I have more time on my next visit to V&A.

Kindly share if you have anything to share about this museum in the comments section below, or send it to my email (check the contact form on the web view).

Coloured tiles from Islamic cultures.

Miniature pieces.

One of many sculptures.

11-metre high, blown glass chandelier by Dale Chihuly.

Science Museum, London

At the entrance on the Science Museum

The Science Museum is another major attraction in London all together with few other museums that located nearby where it is located. Even though I thought I could not visited on my short visit to London, I actually stopped in this museum for 2 hours to get the ideas how is it looks like.

Same as any other museums, the Science Museum has a long history and how in ended on where it is located now. Start as part of the Royal Society of Arts and the surplus items from the Great Exhibition in 1851 in the same building that today known as Victoria and Albert Museum. It also was known as the Museum of Patents in 1858, and the Patent Office Museum in 1863. As the collection of the Art Museum became larger, the Science Collections were separated on 26 June 1909 and start to be known as the Science Museum.

One of the giant steam engines at the Energy Hall.

The Science Museum, where it is located today was designed by Sir Richard Allison, and open in a few stages over the period of 1919-28. The construction that has begun in 1913 was temporarily halted by the World War 1. However, it was resumed and keep on expanding with additional blocks to accommodate more galleries until 1980. The last additional Wellcome Wing was added in 2000 to extend it to the Queen’s Gate.

Same as many other major museums in London, this museum is very big. It is important to study a little bit about the museum before the visit. If there are any specific things that you want to see, it is more important to know where it is located (which gallery and which floor). It is also important to check on their website for gallery closures to make sure the item that you want to see is open to the public – or else you can contact the museum to get a permission.

Material used in producing products.

Interesting Invention - what is it?

On my short visit to this museum, what I can see is the different approaches of presentation in the exhibition. There are so many items in every gallery (and most of them are so important in order for us to understand about the development of certain technologies). There are few places where I wish more information to be provided (however, I can do extra research about it from the internet or some of it already available through this museum own online resources).

There are many interesting features available that also adds different experiences here in the Science Museum as there are many hands-on items to the IMAX 3D theatre. Different styles of presentation in order to enhance understanding of the viewers for the related topics. All of these features make it suitable for visitor of all ages - and make it guaranteed suitable for a family visit.

Historical item.

Time gallery exhibition.

There are many galleries available with different topics and different kind of approaches and for more details you can see it from this link. As I only visited a small part of the museum, I can’t tell the details of the whole museum (but base from the part that I visited) and at the same time I did go through their website to know more about this museum - and that’s how I know they have good online resources.

I do love science as I do love nature (as I spend more time at the Natural History Museum) and I wish to spend a whole day here if I can - maybe in my next visit. Here I also have some photos I posted at my fanpage. There is also few other post that you might find interesting of my visit to KewGardens, NaturalHistory Museum and Royal Institution.

If you are in London, don’t miss your chance to visit this museum as this is one of important attractions – located in the main attraction area. You also can make your donation to the museum, donate an object, join volunteering and many more to contribute to this museum. All the details can be found in their website www.sciencemuseum.org.uk. If there is any information you want to add to this article please feel free to write in the comment or send it to me through the request form (only available on the web view).

Royal Institution, London

The building of Royal Institution in the Albemarle Street.

There are lots of things that I want to do when I visited London (but I only have a short period of time). After taking a look at several places around the city, it was decided that other important places to visit in London will be Royal Institution of Great Britain (often abbreviated as the Royal Institution or Ri). There is another different organization that known as Royal Society - that actually different, as Royal Society more dedicated as learned society.

There are few important things that we need to visit this special place; for its histories of science development and also for notorious remarkable yearly events that introduce by Royal Institution that known as Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. Since my visit was in May, I can only visit for the regular lectures that also interesting. The lectures held in its historical lecture hall; where Michael Faraday first introduced in 1825. Today, you need to become a member and then book in advance for the ticket ballot – it’s more like a lottery now!

The invention of Davy lamp safe coal miner’s life.

Different type of lamps.

The Royal Institution was founded in 1799 by the leading British scientist of that time. The main purposes of the establishment are for diffusing the knowledge, and facilitating the general introduction, of useful mechanical inventions and improvements; and for teaching, by courses of philosophical lectures and experiments, the application of science to the common purposes of life.

The other thing that really inspiring me here is the Michael Faraday’s Lab in the Faraday Museum in the basement of the Royal Institution Building in the Albemarle Street. This is where Michael Faraday conducted his research about electromagnetism and electrochemistry that leads to many other discoveries. The truth is, his lab was not as good as the lab that we have today, but the impact of his research can be seen in every electrical and electronics devices today.

The Michael Faraday's lab in the basement of the building.

Status of important RI figures.

Thermos flask invented by James Dewer.

Michael Faraday was one of many other scientists and researchers from Royal Institution that contributed countless science knowledge that transform the way how our lives today. The invention of Davy lamp safe many lives of coal miners. While many other inventions and knowledge shared improved science and technology drastically.

Other than the museum, we still can walk around the historical buildings – where there are rooms that use as libraries, the alley that also located books and showcases the presentation by previous researchers explaining about electromagnetics, chemicals, anatomy and so on. There are many other things that happen here (at the time of my visit). For more details of the events, you can visit their website to get the tickets (for lectures); the admission to the Faraday Museum is free.

Historic lecture hall.

Same as my previous visit to Kew Gardens and Natural History Museum, my visit to Royal Institution has also come together with its own photo collection at my fanpage; make sure you visit it. It’s supposed to be another main attraction here in London since its contribution to advancements in human science and technology. All I can do is sharing part of my visit and hopefully it will inspire others to know more about it.

Natural History Museum, London

The Natural History Museum as you get to its front entrance.

Another worth visit in London is to Natural History Museum, located in South Kensington. Not only housed a huge collection of specimens, this museum also collaborated in many scientific research, especially related to nature and conservation. Located on Exhibition Road, next to two other popular museums (Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum) in London, Natural History Museum lure its own unique visitors from all around the world.

Natural History Museum previously was known as British Museum (Natural History) until 1992. Even though the legal separation from the British Museum was happening earlier in 1963. That’s part of the story of the Natural History Museum, even though, as we know the beautiful Alfred Waterhouse building was opened in 1881 - and the museum keeps on expanding its collections together with its roles in educating the public and research.

The gigantic blue whale skeleton at the Hintze Hall.

This moa (Dinornis novaezealandiae) was identified by Richard Owen only by its single fragment of bone (before it was completed).

There are many reasons why people are attracted to this museum, especially if they watched the documentaries by the BBC or National Geographic. More than that, educator and students also need to see by themselves all the specimens on display in order to understand more about the nature (especially when it comes to dinosaurs and specimens outside of their geographical areas).

Here at this museum, everyone is dedicated to give their best in their field start from its first Superintendent in 1856 the palaeontologist Richard Owen. Richard Owen was known to be very detailed in identifying all the specimens to make sure it is original. From there the Natural History Museum keeps on expanding its function and change the way we look at the museum.

Giant gold nugget.

The mineral collections from the Earth Hall.

The best experience starts soon after you see this magnificent museum’s building. Rather than just huge, it is carefully designed with beautiful façade and animal sculptures will make you astonished. If you can, make sure you visit this museum during the weekdays, as during the weekend or public holidays it will be long queues of people from all around the world. But that’s not all, there are many other surprises of the building’s architectures that will amaze you before you even see any of its exhibits.

Since its establishment in 1881 until today, this museum specimen now comprising of some 80 million items with five main collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology. Only some of these specimens will be shown in its exhibitions, while most of the specimen being kept for conservation and research purposes. If you are lucky, you might be able to see some of them if there’s any special exhibitions during your visit.

Life size blue whale replica at the Mammal Hall. 

Other mammal replicas in the same hall.

Same as the previous visit to Kew Gardens, it is important for you to make sure what is the main things you want to see in this museum? One day visit won’t be enough for you to explore the whole collections displayed on their exhibition halls; unless you just wandering around without any attention to the collections.

You can check their floor plan in advance and at the same time, check the interior of the museum through Google Maps to get an idea which is where - so it will help you to decide which areas is more important. You also need to check their website for more details about the current exhibitions (as sometimes there will be additional information regarding closure of exhibitions too).

The dinosaur is one of the important specimens here.

Skeleton of Triceratops horridus at the dinosaur area.

I need to visit this museum twice when I visited London recently (first visit was two hours and the second visit was around four hours: still I missed few areas). As I need to speed up my observations, I took as many photos as I can for future reference (and I put it in the fanpage album so we all can see it). The light condition in the museum also is too dim, so taking photos is a little bit tricky!

There are many things happening around here at the Natural History Museum. Not all of it you can see during your visit, the details of these activities are posted on their website. You might want to see about the usage of new technologies in order to unravel many things that we still don’t know about the nature. Then, with the latest technologies too, the information will be shared with the public - you need to check the 3D skeleton ofthe blue whale.

There are many other interesting information available on their website, where you also can become a member to get membership benefits. If you are interested in nature and sciences, Natural History Museum is one of the place you should visit. I hope I have shared some important information here and the rest is up to you. If you have any question or information to share, don’t hesitate to share it at the comments section below or email it to me at wikipelajar(add)gmail(dot)com.