London Sights and Attractions from Reddit Thread

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Abney Park Cemetery / Nunhead Cemetery

  • Comment: “Abney Park, Nunhead Cemetery 🪦 great too.”

Battersea Park

  • Comment: “Battersea Park great walks in the day and night especially around riverside”

The Barbican

  • Comment: “The Barbican. Feels so different from the rest of central London and plenty of events, shows and art.”
  • Comment: “A little gem & largely unknown to the masses, Guildhall Art Gallery/Roman Amphitheatre in the City of London.”

Benjamin Franklin’s House (Craven Street)

  • Comment: “Benjamin Franklin’s house, Craven street, a street away from Trafalgar Square. Visited a few years ago. It’s a beautifully maintained Georgian house and his only residence left in the world still standing. Offers two tours - architecture or historical.”
  • Comment: “The historical tour is actor-led (playing the role of Polly Stevenson) and guided around the house and his life in London, with fantastic sound, lighting and projection effects in each room. It’s totally unexpected.”
  • Comment: “It was just the two of us when we visited one Saturday morning, which is criminal with how fantastic the experience was. We still talk about it now!”

Beekenham Place Park

  • Comment: “Beckenham place park. Possibly one of the best parks in London(/Kent)!”

Bunhill Fields Burial Ground

  • Comment: “Bunhill Fields burial ground just south of Old St tube is a lovely quiet spot. Such a contrast to the industry and modern buildings around it, it’s so very London.”
  • Comment: “It has a really interesting history as well. It was a mass burial ground for people who died from plague in the Middle Ages (Bunhill = Bone Hill), and it was one of most dangerously overcrowded cemeteries in the Victorian times which forced Parliament into changing how they buried the dead in London. It also has some mortsafe graves (which deterred body snatchers) and some famous people are buried there.”
  • Comment: “I was once walking down Bunhill Row and a fox walked next to me on the other side of the fence in the graveyard side staring at me. Genuinely one of the most unsettling things that’s happened to me.”

Cabinet War Rooms (Whitehall)

  • Comment: “The Longitude Exhibition at Greenwich. Fascinating. Also, better known but definitely worth mentioning is the Cabinet War Rooms in Whitehall.”

Capital Ring Walk

  • Comment: “The Capital Ring Walk. So many little gems to see that you’d never discover otherwise, and all the sections start and finish at Tube stations so it’s really easy to get to. Absolutely loved it, and would recommend to anyone.”

Chiswick House

  • Comment: “Chiswick House”

City Farm in Canary Wharf

  • Comment: “City Farm in Canary Wharf.”

Columbia Road Flower Market

  • Comment: “Columbia Road Flower Market”

The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs (Crystal Palace Park)

  • Comment: “The Crystal Palace dinosaurs. People think they’re a bit goofy, but the Victorians had a go, and that’s the most important thing”
  • Comment: “They have had money from the lottery and a heritage fund, the dinosaurs are getting restored!!”
  • Comment: “That place is fascinating - I read that what they thought they looked like was absolutely scientifically valid given the fossil record at the time. Specifically assuming the legs come out to the side, like many modern reptiles, as opposed to underneath.”
  • Comment: “Did all my swimming training at Crystal Palace. Some of our land training consisted of running passed those dinosaurs at 5.30 am. (Adopts a hushed tone) They watched us, I’m telling you … 👀”

Crossness Pumping Station

  • Comment: “The Thames Barrier and Crossness Pumping Station”
  • Comment: “Is Crossness reopened now? I know they were trying to gather money for renovation.”
  • Comment: “Yes! All back in business https://crossness.org.uk/"

Danger Mouse’s Postbox (Baker Street)

  • Comment: “Danger Mouse’s postbox. Such a national icon.”
  • Comment: “Wheres that?”
  • Comment: “Baker Street.”

The Design Museum

  • Comment: “Design museum”

Dennis Severs’ House (Norton Folgate)

  • Comment: “Dennis Severs’ House. It’s is incredible. I can’t wait to go back.”
  • Comment: “Go back at Christmas, they decorate traditionally too”
  • Comment: “Denis Severs house Norton Folgate”
  • Comment: “Denis Severs House Museum! It’s is incredible. I can’t wait to go back.”

Dr. Samuel Johnson’s House

  • Comment: “Dr. Samuel Johnson’s House - a very small but evocative place, definitely worth a visit. And he wrote the whole flipping dictionary up in his attic room! A must for any Brit, even if it’s just to quote Blackadder III as you look around.”
  • Comment: “Dulwich picture gallery is pretty epic”

Florence Nightingale Museum (St Thomas’ Hospital)

  • Comment: “Florence nightingale museum in St Thomas’ hospital. What I like about it, is that it’s in a working hospital.”

Freemasons Hall (Great Queen St, Holborn)

  • Comment: “Freemasons Hall, Great Queen St, Holborn. Free tours every hour in the hour by an expert in freemasonry. Truly exquisite architecture, artificers and props with rich history. Clear your mind, expel all the BS myths and actually learn something.”
  • Comment: “Some of it is a bit weird, but most is absolutely mind blowing, really makes you think about an almost hidden side of London, British history and the empire”
  • Comment: “The great hall has to be seen to be believed”
  • Comment: “No cameras… but it’s worth it”
  • Comment: “Freemasonry Museum on 60 Great Queen Street was interesting.”

The Grant Museum of Zoology (UCL)

  • Comment: “The Grant Museum of Zoology, one of the UCL museums. Three words: jar of moles.”

God’s Own Junkyard

  • Comment: “God’s Own Junkyard as a fun experience further afield. Lots of nice smaller breweries also in that part of London.”

Guildhall Art Gallery / Roman Amphitheatre

  • Comment: “Guildhall Art Gallery/Roman Amphitheatre in the City of London.”
  • Comment: “A little gem & largely unknown to the masses, Guildhall Art Gallery/Roman Amphitheatre in the City of London.”

Gunnersbury Park

  • Comment: “Gunnersbury Park with its restored Rothschild mansion, Georgian conservatory and boathouse, museum, lovely ponds, open spaces, meadows and woodland.”

Hampton Court Palace

  • Comment: “Hampton Court Palace! Many people, even locals, don’t know about it. It’s gorgeous and it has so many parts to explore.”

Highgate Cemetery

  • Comment: “Highgate cemetery”

HMS Belfast

  • Comment: “HMS Belfast! Fascinating amount of detail and amazing reproduction of life on board.”
  • Comment: “It’s a bit expensive (for the mostly free London museums) but it’s one of my favourites and people don’t mention it enough.”

Holborn Viaduct

  • Comment: “Holborn Viaduct, beautiful and clever piece of engineering.”

Holland Park’s Japanese Garden

  • Comment: “Holland Park’s Japanese garden.”

The Horniman Museum and Gardens (Forest Hill)

  • Comment: “Horniman Museum and Gardens… that fat walrus at the horniman is iconic”
  • Comment: “Horniman Museum, very far from the tourist path but worth it”
  • Comment: “That sounds like Huntarian, rather than the Horniman? (Note: correction about location of medical specimens)”
  • Comment: “I spent so many days as a kid going to Horniman Museum as a kid for their different arts and crafts workshops.”
  • Comment: “I used to live in Forest Hill and the hornimans was my favourite place 🥹 love that Walrus”
  • Comment: “Used to sit up in the gardens enjoying the views during sunset. Great place during COVID times.”

The Hunterian Museum

  • Comment: “Hunterian museum. fun medical mystery museum”
  • Comment: “+1 for the Hunterian. Fascinating, if a little macabre”
  • Comment: “I was put off slightly by the gentleman’s artfully preserved tackle floating in formaldehyde”
  • Comment: “Shout out to the elephantiasis foot”
  • Comment: “The tapeworms made me feel ill (worth a visit though)”

Isabella Plantation (Richmond Park)

  • Comment: “I will take Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park (and Richmond Park in general) over Kew Gardens any day. Kew is a bit too green for me, and I’ve always wanted more flowers there. Isabella Plantation is more colourful and beautiful.”

John Soane Museum

  • Comment: “John Soane museum is the best museum in London for me. Love it.”
  • Comment: “Sir John Soane museum is up there”
  • Comment: “John Soane’s Museum! A small but incredibly interesting museum housed in the home of early 19th century John Soane - it’s on Lincoln’s Inn Fields and it got everything from mummies and artefacts to a room of hidden Canaletto paintings. It’s also free to get into!”

Kew Gardens

  • Comment: “Kew Gardens”
  • Comment: “I’m a tourist and all but for us stumbling on Kew Gardens was special.”
  • Comment: “I will take Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park (and Richmond Park in general) over Kew Gardens any day. Kew is a bit too green for me, and I’ve always wanted more flowers there.”

The Longitude Exhibition (Greenwich)

  • Comment: “The Longitude Exhibition at Greenwich. Fascinating.”

The London Mithraeum

  • Comment: “The Mithraeum is such an underrated little gem, and it’s free!”
  • Comment: “The London Mithraeum and the Amphitheatre under the Guildhall Art gallery are pretty awesome if you like Roman Ruins!”

Leake Street Arches (near Waterloo)

  • Comment: “Depending on if you’re into graffiti and street art, Leake street arches near Waterloo is amazing, there is a street just south of it with restaurants and a cool pub. But there is a great American bar half way down the arches too. Great for seeing some amazing street art that is constantly changing.”

Leighton House Museum (Holland Park)

  • Comment: “Leighton House Museum near Holland Park is one of the most beautiful and interesting houses telling the story of renowned Victorian artist, Frederic Leighton.”

The Museum of the Docklands (Canary Wharf)

  • Comment: “Maybe not underrated but my favourite museum is the museum of the docklands in Canary Wharf and I never hear anyone talk about it”
  • Comment: “With the little Shanty town inside? It’s really lovely!”
  • Comment: “It’s so good. And has a really good section explaining the British slave trade.”
  • Comment: “Did this when I used to live round there, so good!”
  • Comment: “Is that the one that had(has?) the exhibition about executions? Very interesting!”
  • Comment: “Did you go to the executions exhibition? Was the best I’ve ever been to, I think about it almost every day.”
  • Comment: “My twin brother works there (though I haven’t been)”
  • Comment: “Came here to say exactly this - it’s a great day out!”

The Pergola (Hampstead Heath)

  • Comment: “The pergola in Hampstead Heath I discovered by accident a few years back and was shocked at how under-appreciated it was (I’d never heard anyone mention it in all the time I’d lived here). A total slice of paradise which makes you forget you’re in a major city. Has a different character in each season as well, being just as beautiful in the rain as it is in the sun.”
  • Comment: “Shhhhh! Don’t reveal this little gem!”
  • Comment: “You obviously have not been there in the last 5 years. It’s not quiet now.”
  • Comment: “Good shout! I lived in halls near there as a student in 1999-2001 and found them while wandering on the heath. The wisteria in bloom is insane. And there’s the Golders Green petting zoo on the other side!”
  • Comment: “It is absolutely ruined by insta Wannabees now mate - can’t walk 5 metres without walking into some floozy taking a million ‘holding my hair back and looking left’ photos.”

The Philpot Lane Cheese Mice

  • Comment: “The Philpot Lane cheese Mice”

Postman’s Park

  • Comment: “I love Postman’s Park in the city. Lovely little spot with some plaques dedicated to people who gave their lives helping others. Think George Cross, but before the GC was introduced. Closest tube is Barbican or St. Paul’s.”

The Postal Railway (Post Office Museum Railway)

  • Comment: “Post office museum railway. Get to go round in abandoned tunnels in a little postal train, crazy to think that’s how the post used to get around”
  • Comment: “My Grandad used to work in the tunnels and used to tell me how there is another London underneath. Especially around Barbican”
  • Comment: “My granddad was a policeman from the 60s - 80s and mentioned this too. He mentioned a nondescript door just south of the river somewhere which leads down to them.”
  • Comment: “I applied for a job here. It was such a fun job prospect. I wanted to dress up like a postman and drive the train!”
  • Comment: “My favourite celebrity sighting is seeing David Mitchell here, just felt so on brand.”

Rookery Gardens (Streatham)

  • Comment: “Rookery Gardens in Streatham”

Shad Thames (near Tower Bridge)

  • Comment: “I love walking near tower bridge, like near and down shad Thames? I think the building are so different. And then there’s that secret gate for steps down to the water”

Southwark Cathedral

  • Comment: “Southwark Cathedral, it’s right next to borough market which in my opinion is over-rated, but I feel like the cathedral is overloked, it’s way nicer than st pauls in my opinion and it’s free and generally a nice respite from the hustle of London Bridge.”
  • Comment: “A somewhat similar kind of place is st martin in the fields on trafalgar square.”
  • Comment: “St Martin’s also has a really nice cafe downstairs.”

St Martin in the Fields (Trafalgar Square)

  • Comment: “A somewhat similar kind of place is st martin in the fields on trafalgar square.”
  • Comment: “St Martin’s also has a really nice cafe downstairs.”

St Pancras Lock and Wildlife Park (canal side)

  • Comment: “St. Pancras Locke and the little Wildlife Park next door are also great spots. They’ve turned it into a really pretty little garden where you can watch the boats or wander through some of the reclaimed(?) canal Bank.”

Stave Hill (Bermondsey)

  • Comment: “Stave hill down in Bermondsey. But go in the dark, or at least stay until it is.”
  • Comment: “You’re in a quiet place in an ecological park. Loads of foxes. Then you stand in Stave Hill and you’re right across the river from the great temple to Mammon that is Canary Wharf. Turn round a little and you are only like a mile away from the other great temple to Mammon that is the City if London. Yet here you are in the peaceful darkness. It’s the dichotomy of it that is so striking.”
  • Comment: “Do take a camera.”

The Thames Barrier

  • Comment: “The Thames Barrier and Crossness Pumping Station”

Wapping Market (Shadwell Basin)

  • Comment: “Something that is both delightful and local. For example, Wapping Market in Shadwell Basin on a Saturday.”

Waterloo Bridge Viewpoint

  • Comment: “Middle of Waterloo bridge gives you a whole panoramic of London from the Big Ben to St Paul’s to tower bridge and beyond”

Wimbledon Common

  • Comment: “Wimbledon Common is incredible. Especially during blackberry picking season.”

Extracted from London’s Hidden Gems Underrated Attractions thread on Reddit.