Science Museum

London Transport | Westminster | South Bank | City of London | British Museum | Science Museum | St Pancras | Art Deco

The Science Museum is undoubtedly the best museum of any kind anywhere in the world. My first visits as a toddler left me with an almost limitless passion for science, technology and the amazing things mankind has designed, invented, created...at least one visit should be a compulsory part of every school curriculum, preferably avoiding the recently added joyrides. Whilst Samuel Johnson's adage that when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life may not have specifically referred to this phenomenal institution, it certainly should have been. It contains the most fantastic range of gadgets, widgets, artefacts, machines, toys, models... As I grew up my focus moved from the model trains with wheels that turned when you pressed a button, to the incredible collection of real aircraft in the top gallery (including Alcock and Browns Vickers Vimy which was the first to cross the Atlantic and remains a constant source of inspiration and fantasy), the intricate model ships from every age, space rockets, ancient computers...the list is endless. I continue to grow up, my fascination remains. Even those lacking a thirst for scientific knowledge should find the basement gallery of domestic appliances a constant source of amusement with a collection of apple peeling machines, tea makers and other devices which would have made Heath Robinson proud. It did go through a phase of charging admission, but is now once again "free at the point of demand" and probably should be given the same status as the NHS in terms of funding priority!