London is home to nearly 200 museums<\/strong> ranging from well known venues such as the Natural History Museum<\/strong> and the British Museum<\/strong> to unusual museums that many local Londoners don\u2019t even know about.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whatever your hobbies or interests, chances are there\u2019s a museum for you from textiles <\/strong>and cartoons<\/strong> to medicine<\/strong> and mail<\/strong> \u2013 there\u2019s even a museum dedicated to sewing machines<\/strong>. Yes, there really are that many unusual museums in London!<\/p>\n Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I have been or could be if you click on a link in this post compensated via a cash payment, gift or something else of value for writing this post. See our full disclosure policy<\/a> for more details.<\/em><\/p>\n Over the years we\u2019ve slowly made our way to most of London\u2019s quirky museums<\/strong> and while we still have a few to tick off, we\u2019re happy to share some of our favourites here.\u00a0<\/p>\n One thing to note, the fantastically quirky and popular Pollock\u2019s Toy Museum<\/a><\/strong><\/strong> with its huge collection of old toys<\/strong> has had to move from its permanent address in Scala Street. During 2025 the museum worked with two venues on smaller-pop exhibitions showcasing a selection of their collection. They are still looking for new location.<\/p>\n Located near Notting Hill, the London Museum of Brands<\/a><\/strong> tracks the history of consumer culture<\/strong> from Victorian times through to the present day. It\u2019s one of my favourite unusual museums<\/strong> in London and one that I think is (sadly) often overlooked.\u00a0<\/p>\n What started as a private collection by Robert Opie \u2013 who one day decided to save a packet of Munchies from a vending machine \u2013 has grown into a huge collection <\/strong>of wrappers, magazines, newspapers, song sheets, railway timetables, commemorative items and more from across the last 200 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n Everything is displayed in museum\u2019s Time Tunnel<\/strong>, starting in the Victorian era through to the Edwardian era, onto the Great War and through history until you get to the present day.\u00a0Altogether it\u2019s a fascinating look at social change, culture and lifestyle through British history.<\/p>\n Museum of Brands<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Anyone with a love of fashion should head to the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey<\/a><\/strong>. The museum was founded by flamboyant fashion designer Zandra Rhodes<\/strong> and is the only museum in the UK dedicated to showcasing contemporary fashion and textile design.<\/p>\n The museum hosts a range of temporary exhibitions<\/strong> covering a broad range of textiles and designers. Current and past exhibits have included the Fabric of Democracy<\/strong> (exploring printed propaganda textiles) and the textile designs of Andy Warhol.\u00a0<\/p>\n Workshops, talks and events are regularly held here too. It\u2019s an especially great option for teens in London<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Definitely one of the most unusual museums in London is this space dedicated to the history, culture and craft<\/strong> of the fan.\u00a0<\/p>\n Located in Greenwich, the Fan Museum<\/a><\/strong> is housed in a pair of Grade II listed Georgian houses. <\/p>\n It was founded in 1991 by Dicky and H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Alexander \u2013 H\u00e9l\u00e8ne has spent her lifetime collecting fans and now has over 5,000<\/strong> dating from the eleventh century to the present day. Additional fans have been subsequently been added to the collection making the museum home to the world\u2019s largest collection of fans<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The permanent exhibition<\/strong> of this unique London museum explores fans through the ages covering 1,000 years of fan history and culture from flat vellum rectangles used during the Middle Ages through to ornate folding fans from the 18th century. Also on display are a rare Elizabethan-period fan and a Faberg\u00e9 fan with gold work and enamelling.<\/p>\n One of my personal favourites is the Old Operating Theatre<\/a><\/strong>, the oldest surviving operating theatre in Europe. <\/p>\n Dating back to 1822<\/strong>, and housed in the attic of St. Thomas Church, this is where the poorest of patients came for treatment. Pain relief<\/strong> was limited to alcohol, opiates and chloroform as well as a wooden cane to bite down on when the pain became too much!<\/p>\n The operating theatre was only rediscovered in 1956<\/strong> and opened as a museum six years later. <\/p>\n Today it\u2019s a fascinating insight into medicine<\/strong> and medical procedures from time gone by. On display in the herb garret are herbs and old medicine packages, an impressive collection of scary-looking medical instruments<\/strong> used during procedures including cupping, bleeding and skull-driving, and information on the history of the church<\/strong> and hospital itself.<\/p>\n Old Operating Theatre Museum<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n This wonderfully weird London museum really is a hidden gem<\/a><\/strong>, dedicated to the history of the sewing machine<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Created by Ray Rushton, a collector of sewing machines, the museum houses some 700 machines<\/strong>, made for both domestic and industrial use. These aren\u2019t any old sewing machines, however, among the collection is a machine gifted to Queen Victoria\u2019s daughter<\/strong> and the very first machine by Singer.\u00a0<\/p>\n Make sure to check ahead if you want to visit, however, as the museum is only open on the first Saturday of every month<\/strong> between 2pm \u2013 5pm.<\/p>\n The London Sewing Machine Museum<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Anyone with an interest in cartoons and animation<\/strong> should head straight for the Cartoon Museum<\/a><\/strong>, home to over 6,000 original cartoon and comic artwork<\/strong> as well as over 8,000 books and comics<\/strong>. The permanent collection includes wartime cartoons, modern satirists including Ralph Steadman and original Rupert Bear artwork from 1921.\u00a0<\/p>\n The permanent exhibition is less suited to young children<\/strong> than the museum\u2019s name might suggest but they hold regular temporary exhibitions and special events<\/strong> throughout the year, many of which are aimed at children.\u00a0<\/p>\n This really is one of London\u2019s more curious museums<\/strong> and probably best suited to anyone with an interest in modern medicine<\/strong> and \/ or anyone keen to visit as many of London\u2019s unusual museums as possible!\u00a0<\/p>\n Located in Paddington, it\u2019s one of London\u2019s smaller museums and is dedicated to the life and work of Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming<\/strong>, the man responsible for accidentally discovering penicillin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n On display in the Alexander Fleming Museum<\/a><\/strong> is a reconstruction of Sir Fleming\u2019s laboratory, some of his personal belongings and a video explaining how a chance discovery after coming back from holiday led to a lifesaving drug that revolutionised the medical world and ushered in a new era of antibiotics<\/p>\n A serious contender for London\u2019s top weird museum<\/strong> is the magical House of Dreams<\/a><\/strong>, created by artist and designer Stephen Wright<\/strong>. Located in East Dulwich, this terraced house<\/strong> has been transformed into the most fantastical of destinations, decorated top to bottom, inside and out, with mosaics and found objects.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll spot dolls <\/strong>and teeth moulds, tinsel and family photographs, colourful plastic bottles<\/strong> and so much more embedded into the walls and floors, and on display among the items of furniture. Alongside the thousands of items<\/strong> are hand-written memory boards that recall important event in his life.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s extremely quirky and utterly unique. Make sure to book well in advance as the House of Dreams<\/a><\/strong> is only open to visitors on certain dates (roughly once a month).\u00a0<\/p>\n Located in Forest Hill, south London, the Horniman Museum<\/a><\/strong> is truly one of the best museums to visit in London with kids<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n It\u2019s well known for its collections of anthropology and musical instruments<\/strong> as well as its aquarium and butterfly house. But what it\u2019s most famous for is its over-stuffed walrus<\/strong> on display in the main Natural History Gallery on the ground floor.<\/p>\n Apparently, when Victorian taxidermists first received the walrus they were confused by the strange-looking creature<\/strong> and its heavy folds of skin. Having never seen a living walrus, they thought the wrinkles should be smoothed out and so stuffed the skin until he was fit to burst.<\/p>\n As well as the permanent exhibitions, the Horniman regularly hosts temporary exhibitions<\/strong> on a whole range of subjects. Past exhibitions have examined the history of hair as well as our relationships to cats and dogs. The museum hosts excellent activities<\/strong> during the school holidays too, including their ever-popular Spring Fair.\u00a0<\/p>\n Although London\u2019s canal routes are no longer used to transport goods<\/strong> many are still navigable waterways with colourful canal boats<\/strong> used as homes or even businesses: one of the most unusual bookshops in London<\/strong> can be found on a barge and another canal boat has been transformed into a puppet theatre.<\/p>\n You can learn all about London\u2019s canal networks at the London Canal Museum<\/a><\/strong> in Kings Cross<\/a><\/strong>, central London. Discover how they came to be built, learn about the lives of the workers and cargoes, and understand how the canals work.<\/p>\n Another weird museum in London worth visiting is the Leighton House Museum<\/a><\/strong>. The former home of leading Victorian artist<\/strong> Sir Frederic Leighton, the house is nothing short of extraordinary. From the outside it looks like a very nice Kensington townhouse but inside the home is a \u201cprivate palace of art\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Inspired by this travels, Leighton transformed his home into a rich, opulent reflection<\/strong> of his life and work. The most famous room is the Arab Hall<\/strong>, created following a visit to Syria in 1873, and decorated using antique tiles from Damascus. <\/p>\n The museum has recently undergone an \u00a38 million restoration project and has reopened with a new wing previously closed to visitors.<\/p>\n I love London\u2019s Postal Museum<\/a><\/strong>, a fascinating space dedicated to the origins and history of the humble letter.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fittingly, the museum is located across from the enormous Royal Mail<\/strong> depot in Kings Cross and is formed of three parts. The main museum follows the history of the postal service<\/strong> with lots of interactive elements, quirky facts and even the chance to dress up.\u00a0<\/p>\n Then there\u2019s Sorted!<\/strong> a brilliant play space where children under the age of 8 can play at working in the postal service; sorting mail, working at a post office, delivering letters and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n The final section is the Mail Rail<\/strong> and this really is a highlight of this unique museum. <\/p>\n From the 1920s until its closure in 2003, trains transported letters<\/strong> and parcels 6.5miles across London along underground tunnels. The train line linked six sorting offices with mainline railway stations and delivered four million letters every day! <\/p>\n Today, two new trains have been adapted from the original design and take visitors on a 15 minute trip, 21 metres underground.<\/p>\n If you only visit one of London\u2019s more unusual museums, make sure it\u2019s this one.\u00a0<\/p>\n You\u2019d think that a museum dedicated to cockneys would be located in the East End of London <\/strong>but you\u2019ll find this one \u2013 the only one of its kind \u2013 in Epsom. The Original Cockney Museum<\/a><\/strong> is the work of George Major, the Pearly King of Peckham<\/strong>, who long had a dream of opening his own museum.<\/p>\n The unique museum celebrates the history and heritage<\/strong> of the cockney tradition: discover what it means to be a Pearly King or Queen, test your Cockney rhyming slang<\/strong>, and learn what life in London was like in the 19th century.<\/p>\n This small museum<\/strong> is great fun and a must for all cinephiles. Dedicated to showcasing the history of the silver screen, the ![\"Weird](\"https:\/\/globetotting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/4-min-1.jpg\")
The most unusual museums in London<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nMuseum of Brands<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Fashion and Textile Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Fan Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Old Operating Theatre\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The London Sewing Machine Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The<\/strong> Cartoon Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Alexander Fleming Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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House of Dreams<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Horniman Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
London Canal Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Leighton House Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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The Postal Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Original Cockney Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Cinema Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n