 “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life,“ wrote Dr Samuel Johnson. I totally agree with Sam’s sentiment. London has an extraordinary ability to keep surprising you - especially when you step away from the bigger attractions and into its smaller, more personal museums. These are places you might walk past a dozen times without noticing. Former homes. Quiet townhouses. Buildings that still feel more like someone has just popped out for a stroll than formal museums. Here are five small London museums I love – and that you may not have visited yet, starting with the aforementioned Dr Johnson’s former home. Dr Johnson’s House Dr Samuel Johnson is considered one the greatest literary figures of the eighteenth century and is perhaps best known for his monumental A Dictionary of the English Language, published in 1755. He worked on the Dictionary while living at 17 Gough Square - a beautifully preserved 17th-century townhouse tucked away in the courts and alleys off Fleet Street. It’s the only surviving part of the original Gough Square development, and stepping inside feels like slipping through a crack in time. This incredible four-storey townhouse has retained many of its original features, including historic panelling, an open staircase, wooden floorboards, coal holes and even the original eighteenth-century front-door security system, complete with a heavy chain, corkscrew latch and spiked iron bar. Burglars consider yourselves warned! What I particularly love about Dr Johnson’s House is how immersive it feels. You’re encouraged to sit on the chairs and window seats, to pause, to linger – and to imagine Johnson pacing the rooms, wrestling with definitions and deadlines.  Handel Hendrix House Apart from being famous musical marvels, what have George Frideric Handel and Jimi Hendrix got in common? By a remarkable coincidence, they lived next door to each other on Brook Street in central London, albeit two centuries apart. Handel moved into 25 Brook Street in 1723, at the height of his fame. A couple of centuries later in 1966, Hendrix came to London and he lived in a flat at 23 Brook Street for couple of years with his then girlfriend, Kathy Etchingham, while the Jimi Hendrix Experience took the UK by storm. The Handel Hendrix House is now a museum, combining both residences and carefully recreated to reflect life in their respective centuries. You can wander from baroque London to swinging sixties London in the space of a staircase, with plenty of music to accompany you along the way.  Benjamin Franklin House Benjamin Franklin could never be accused of underachieving. Despite only having two years of formal education, he not only went on to become a founder of the United States, but he is considered to have helped advance the Age of Enlightenment through his experiments with electricity, his inventions, writings, and his extensive activities as a printer and philosopher.  At 36 Craven Street, just off Trafalgar Square, is the world's only remaining home of Benjamin Franklin. He lived here for 16 years between 1757 and 1775, and during that time the house effectively became the first unofficial US embassy in London. It opened as a museum in 2006. Today, the house is a museum and uses live interpretation, sound, lighting and visual projections to bring Franklin’s London years to life. One small warning: it’s a tall, narrow, five-storey house with uneven floors and stairs. You may be stepping back into the eighteenth century, but mind your footing while you do. Sir John Soane’s Museum Sir John Soane’s Museum may be the smallest of the National Museums, but it’s an absolute treasure trove. Soane is considered one of England’s greatest architects, and he built and lived in the house, until his death in 1837.  The house is preserved exactly as Sir John left it, offering visitors a wonderful opportunity to journey through the rooms, learning about his life and his vast curated collection of over 30,000 architectural drawings, models, sculptures and paintings. It feels like a brilliant, eccentric mind made physical – a place you could visit ten times and still notice something new on each visit. 2 Willow Road If modernist architecture is more your thing, 2 Willow Road in Hampstead is well worth seeking out. Designed and lived in by architect Ernő Goldfinger and his family, the house was built in 1939 and is one of only two modernist houses in the UK open to the public. Now a National Trust property, it offers a rare chance to see modernist design principles applied to everyday family life. Knowledgeable guides are on hand to explain how a philosophical and artistic movement became a way of living.  The house is due to reopen on 5 March 2026, and visits must be booked in advance – so a little forward planning is required. These small museums are reminders that some of London’s richest stories are tucked away behind unassuming front doors.
And if a few of them sound familiar, that’s no accident. Many of these places, and plenty more like them, crop up in my book, Why is Downing Street Painted Black?: and 364 Other Fun London Facts, where I explore the quieter corners of the capital and the stories they tell. After all, as Dr Johnson knew, London rewards curiosity - and there’s always another door worth pushing open. My book can be ordered here.
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Little Corners of America in London.Every year, over three million Americans hop across the pond to explore London. That makes the USA our biggest group of overseas visitors. So I thought it was about time I tipped my hat to our most loyal guests and dedicated a blog just for you fine folks. If you happen to be in London over Thanksgiving, we might struggle to furnish you with pumpkin pie or a turkey the size of a small car, but you’ll be happy to learn that London has plenty of little corners that will chase away any homesick blues. Step onto American soil If you visit the National Gallery, keep an eye out for a bronze statue of George Washington standing proudly on the grass outside. It was a gift from the people of Virginia back in the 1920’s. Rumour has it that after the Revolutionary War, Washington vowed never to set foot on British soil again – so to honour this promise, the statue stands on a pile of American soil shipped over from Virginia.  Visit the home of Benjamin Franklin Sticking with the Founding Fathers theme, just a short stroll from Trafalgar Square you’ll find Benjamin Franklin House - the world’s only surviving home of the great man himself. In 1757, the soon-to-be Founding Father arrived in London as a representative of the Assembly of Pennsylvania and rented rooms at 36 Craven Street. It was effectively an eighteenth century Air BnB – except Franklin stayed for 16 years. If you pay the museum a visit you’ll step back in time and learn how this Pennsylvania envoy became a London local. Sip a cocktail in the longest surviving American bar in town The Stafford Hotel claims to be one of the finest luxury hotels in Mayfair, one of London’s most prestigious neighbourhoods. It offers a quintessentially British experience, so you might be surprised to learn that it’s got an American connection. During WWII, the American military were based nearby and The Stafford became their informal club. Today the USA connection lingers in the form of the American Bar – one of the longest surviving American bars in London. Its dress code is quite smart though – so no sneakers allowed! If you do visit, raise a glass to Nancy Wake. She was an intelligence agent and the most highly decorated British servicewoman during World War II. She was also the Gestapo's most-wanted person - codenamed 'The White Mouse'. She lived her final years at The Stafford and could often be found in the hotel's American Bar, enjoying a gin and tonic. The hotel created a special cocktail, "The White Mouse," in her honour.  A little bit of Texas in St James’s Keeping with the booze theme – or “liquor”, as you Yanks like to say – if you wander over to Berry Bros & Rudd, one of London's oldest wine merchants, you’ll see a plaque dedicated to the Republic of Texas. Back in 1836, when Texas briefly declared itself a republic, it set up a legation (not quite an embassy) here. Between 1842 and 1845, a few rooms at Berry Bros. doubled as the Texan outpost - so for three years, a part of a London wine shop was technically a bit of Texas. The wine shop has 2.5 acres of wine cellars underneath St James’s Street and I’ve been lucky enough to be given a tour of the shop and its cellars by one of the Berry family. The shop features a number of times in my Fun London Fact’s book “Why is Downing Street Painted Black? – and 364 Other Fun London Facts” and a whole chapter dedicated to American connections in London. (Blatant plug over)  So, if you’re planning on crossing the pond for a London adventure and fancy joining one of my weekend walks (note, they’re not every weekend!) or want to book a private tour – I’d love to show you round our wonderful capital city!
A few months ago I was interviewed by Tansy Harcourt for The Australian weekend magazine. It was a full page spread in their Travel section and I was asked various questions about how I came to be a tour guide, favourite spots, advice for Aussies visiting London, where I've been on holiday overseas and things like that. I also took the opportunity to 'big up' a few destinations closer to home; places we've been to in the last couple of years year like Wales, the Lake District and the Peak District in Derbyshire. I also mentioned that aside from our large museums and galleries, London has many smaller museums which are well worth a visit; such as Handel & Hendrix in London, the Charles Dickens Museum, Benjamin Franklin House and Dr Johnson's House. For the interview they wanted me to provide a portrait. The ones I sent evidently didn't cut the mustard, so whilst doing a walking tour around Hampstead, I asked the group (about 20 people) if anyone would mind taking a photo of me (not at all embarrassing). A guy called Tony, very kindly stepped up to the challenge, and the end result was accepted ...so a big thanks to Tony.    Where is it? Like a large number of the properties on the Monopoly board, Whitehall and Northumberland Avenue are both in Westminster, and as they’re slap bang next to each other, have covered them both in one sitting. They’re actually pretty much as close to central London as you can get as they both meet at the roundabout at the south end of Trafalgar Square, which is officially the centre of London. Whitehall runs south from Trafalgar Square, morphing in to Parliament Street before reaching Parliament Square (although on my map, I’ve called the whole thing Whitehall). Northumberland Avenue has a similar starting point and cuts south easterly for about 350 metres towards the River Thames.  What’s the Story? Whitehall takes its name from a 16th century palace originally built by King Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor; Cardinal Wolsey, on the site of York Place. When Henry VIII removed Wolsey from power in 1530 he took the liberty of acquiring the palace, changing the name to Whitehall (thought to be the colour of the stone), from which point on it became a Royal Palace, used by subsequent Monarchs until it burned down in 1698. Over the years it grew considerably, boasting some 1500 rooms and was one of the largest palaces in Europe. The Royal Court moved away and gradually, the area became populated by government buildings to such an extent that ‘Whitehall’ is now a byword for government. Northumberland Avenue was in the 17th century the grounds of a large mansion built at the beginning of the century for Henry Howard (1st Earl of Northampton) and in 1642 became Northumberland House when the wonderfully named Algernon Percy (10th earl of Northumberland) married one of Howard’s distant relatives and moved in. In the late 19th century, the house was demolished to make way for the avenue that exists today, largely lined with super duper hotels. How do I get there? As both Whitehall and Northumberland Avenue are situated in the centre of London, you have no shortage of transport links. There’s an entrance / exit to Charing Cross Underground station at the north end of Whitehall / Trafalgar Square, but Embankment and Westminster Underground Stations are just a few minutes away. What’s it like now? Much of Whitehall is dominated by government buildings of one sort or another such as the MOD and the Cabinet Office. You’ll also pass Horse Guards and Downing Street and probably find yourself fighting through crowds of tourists and kids on school trips. Northumberland Avenue is perfectly nice, if not a little bland. You’re more likely to walk down it en route to somewhere else. Where would I stay? My suggestions are always based on places I’ve actually been to, generally to pick people up who have booked me for a private tour. Being the kind of area that it is, you’re unlikely to find much budget accommodation. Nestling in between Whitehall and Northumberland Avenue you’ll find the Royal Horseguards Hotel and the Corinthia London, both luxury hotels. On Northumberland Avenue itself you’ll find the Club Quarters Hotel, Citadines Trafalgar Square and The Grand at Trafalgar Square, whilst heading towards Big Ben and Parliament Square you have the London Marriott Hotel County Hall and the Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge. Both of these last two suggestions are on the south side of Westminster Bridge. If you’re looking for something close to Westminster Abbey, then just by St James’s Underground Station are St Ermin’s Hotel and Conrad London St. James and for those looking for something a bit kinder on the wallet, then I’ve also been to the Hub by Premier Inn, London Westminster.  What’s of Interest? How long have you got? Horse Guards A mid 18th century stables for the Household Cavalry (or Queen’s Life Guard) who still stand guard each day between 10am and 4pm. They’re also the only ceremonial guards left standing where tourists can actually have their photo taken with them, and as such are guarded by armed Police. That’s right; the guards are guarded by guards. They do their own ‘change’ each morning, separate to the more famous ‘Changing The Guard’ at Buckingham Palace, and if you get there at 4pm you can watch the final inspection. Household Cavalry Museum If you walk through the courtyard, under the arch on to Horse Guards Parade, then the Household Cavalry Museum is on your right, and as you’d expect, explains the history of the regiment. The museum is actually housed inside the stables and a nice touch is that they inserted a glazed partition so you can watch a sort of behind the scenes of the Queen’s Life Guard either preparing for their hour long shift, or returning. Horse Guards Parade A ceremonial parade ground where on the Queen’s official birthday (she has two), she inspects her troops at ‘Trooping the Colour’. It also hosted the beach volleyball during the 2012 London Olympics. You get a nice view across to St James’s Park, the back wall of Downing Street to your left and the Grade I listed 18th century Admiralty House to your right, juxtaposed against a concrete block of a building called ‘the Citadel’ which was actually built at the start of WWII as a top secret bunker. Banqueting House On the opposite side of Whitehall to Horse Guards is Banqueting House, a large colonnaded building which was built in 1622 and is the only surviving part of the old Whitehall Palace. It was where King Charles I had his head chopped off in 1649 and if you go in (which you can for a small fee) the entire ceiling (or at least a canvas made to look like the ceiling) was painted by Flemish artist and diplomat Peter Paul Rubens in 1636. Women of World War II memorial Due to the presence of the MOD and the Old War Office building, Whitehall has its fair share of ‘dead white men’ statues, so rather than mention all of those, thought I’d bring to your attention my favourite; the Women of World War II memorial, which stands over 20ft tall and is adorned by a large number of uniforms worn by women in various roles (mostly previously occupied by men) during WWII. It was only unveiled in 2005 and I think its really simple, evocative and poignant. Downing Street Downing Street was built in 1682 by Sir George Downing, but only a small section survives. It is quite possibly one of the most famous, but also innocuous streets in the world, and since 1732, No. 10 Downing Street has been home to the Prime Minister. No. 11 is used by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, known by everyone else as the ‘finance minister’. Up until 1989 you could merrily wander down Downing Street and have your photo taken standing outside No. 10. Not surprisingly, you can now only glimpse the street from behind huge gates under the watchful eye of armed Police. Security was further stepped up when the IRA tried to mortar bomb No. 10 from the parade ground behind in the early 1990s. The Cenotaph Originally built by Edwin Lutyens to commemorate ‘the Glorious Dead’ of WWI, the Cenotaph is now used to remember all wars in which British servicemen and women fought. If you visit in November, the base will be buried beneath wreaths of poppies laid for Armistice Day. Churchill War Rooms As you cross King Charles Street you’ll see signs for the ‘Cabinet War Rooms’, although they’re now called the ‘Churchill War Rooms’, one of the branches of the Imperial War Museum. Secreted beneath the Treasury Building, the underground complex of rooms and corridors were used by the British government as a command centre throughout WWII. To cut a long story short, at the end of the war in 1945, the doors were shut and everything was just left as it was. They still have maps with pins stuck in the same place as they were 75 years ago, meeting rooms set out and the bedrooms of government ministers and their families. It’s a fascinating museum, and well worth a visit, particularly if you have an interest in WWII and / or Winston Churchill. Big Ben and Houses of Parliament This is what everyone knows it as, but Big Ben is actually the bell inside what only recently became the Elizabeth Tower and the adjoining building is officially the ‘Royal Palace of Westminster’. The old palace burned down in 1834 and the current late 19th century gothic revivalist building was designed by Charles Barry. The history of the building actually spans over 900 years, which you can learn all about on the tours they run of our UK parliament, which begin in the magnificent medieval great hall. If you want to get a photo that encompasses the whole building and Big Ben, then you’ll need to cross to the other side of Westminster Bridge. Jewel Tower One of the few surviving parts of the old Palace of Westminster; a 14th century stub of a moated building which as the name suggests was once a lock up for valuables. Over its considerable history its had a number of other uses, so why not pop in and find out, courtesy of English Heritage who manage it. Westminster Abbey Undoubtedly on most peoples must visit lists, Westminster Abbey is a World Heritage Site with over a thousand years of history, a treasure trove of artefacts, the resting place for over 300 of the great and the good (or not so good) of British history, the scene of every coronation since 1066, 16 Royal weddings and loads more. Basically, the place is oozing history and if you can, check out the brand new ‘The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries’ which amongst other things offer absolutely stunning views down the entire length of the Abbey. Also, if you want to experience the building without paying to enter or attend a service, pop along to Evensong.  Whitehall Gardens We’re very lucky in London with the sheer number of parks and gardens we have at our disposal, and in Whitehall Gardens which runs along Embankment between Whitehall and Northumberland Avenue you’ll find what is quite possibly (especially during the summer months) one of my favourites. I know very little about flora and fauna but even I can tell this garden is chock full of an amazing array of shrubs and flowers. A few years ago I happened to be wandering through Whitehall Gardens with a couple of botanists from New Zealand who spotted four plants and flowers indigenous to their country that they’d never seen outside of New Zealand. Benjamin Franklin House Located on Craven Street (just behind the Sherlock Holmes pub) is the only surviving Benjamin Franklin residence in the world. He lived at the address for 16 years. Now a small museum, groups of visitors are shown around by an actress pretending to be his landlady. Also, if you walk to the far end of the street, you’ll pass the house that Herman Melville lived in, and see a smallish green shed on the side of the road selling snacks. It’s actually a listed building and one of the few surviving cabmen’s shelters in London; small huts that started popping up in the 1870s so that cabbies could tie up their horses (note the bar running around the side) and get out of the rain. Southbank If you wander across either Hungerford Bridge or the adjacent Golden Jubilee Bridge to the other side of the River Thames you’ll find yourself in an area known as the Southbank. Badly bombed during WWII, the concrete brutalist architecture attests to post-war redevelopment. The Royal Festival Hall was the first building to be built in 1951 and the other arts and concert venues followed and are known collectively as the Southbank Centre. If you walk in the opposite direction back towards Westminster bridge you’ll pass the London Eye, the London Dungeon, the Sea Life Centre and within St Thomas’s Hospital, the Florence Nightingale Museum. Eating and Drinking It’s a touristy area which means the majority of pubs and cafes should probably be avoided. However, if you’re a Sherlock Holmes fan, just off Northumberland Avenue is a pub called ‘The Sherlock Holmes’. It’s pretty bog standard and will be brimming with tourists, but if you go upstairs, then there’s an entire recreation of the apartment that Holmes shared with Watson which was actually an exhibit in the 1951 Festival of Britain. If you’re near Westminster Abbey and need a quick snack, then Pickles Sandwich Bar on Old Queen Street seems to be one of the few non-chain establishments in the area. Close by is the Two Chairmen, a pub which has a dining room upstairs, serves good food and although a 2-minute walk from both Westminster Abbey and the Churchill War Rooms, is located in such a place that you’re unlikely to find too many tourists in there.  Women of World War II memorial, Whitehall  Horse Guards  The Cenotaph  Big Ben at night  Westminster Abbey  The Jewel Tower |
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