Tourism

Visitor Attractions in Westminster

Please use the links below to find out more about key, and unique attractions in Westminster, including London Zoo, the filmstar handprints in Leicester Square, and exciting attractions on and around the River Thames.

Top Visitor Attractions in Westminster

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the Queen. A key visitor attraction, it’s magnificent state rooms are open to the public in August and September each year. The Queen's Gallery is open all year round, and The Royal Mews are open from late March until the end of October.

London Zoo, the most famous in the world, opened its doors to visitors in 1847. Home to more than 650 species, the zoo supports animal conservation, and caters for leisure and educational visits.

Part of a world-renowned institution, Madame Tussauds London is a contemporary wax-work museum representing an exciting range of modern and historic personalities and interactive displays.

Tate Britain, on the bank of the Thames, is home to the national gallery of British art from 1500 to the present day. Its interactive website allows visitors to tour the galleries and book tickets to forthcoming events.

The National Gallery is home to one of the greatest collections of European paintings in the world. Designed to be socially inclusive, the gallery still offers free entrance and extended opening hours. You can also click here to find out about the National Portrait Gallery.

Four of London's nine Royal Parks are located within Westminster; St. James’s Park at the very heart of London, Green Park with its mature trees and grassland, Hyde Park which provides facilities for leisure activities and sports, and Regent’s Park with its fantastic landscape.

The location for every Coronation since 1066, Westminster Abbey is a 3000 square metre architectural masterpiece built during the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries. The Abbey is an Anglican Church that is still in used by worshippers today. Together with the adjoining Houses of Parliament and 10 Downing Street, it forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Royal Academy of Music galleries display material from the Academy's important collections of instruments, archives, manuscripts and images. This is a 'living museum', acting as a showcase for the work of performers, composers, instrument makers and scholars from a wide range of musical and other relevant disciplines.

New Visitor Attractions in Westminster

The Churchill Museum is the first major museum dedicated to the life and achievements of Sir Winston Churchill. The museum combines cutting-edge technology; rare and significant historical objects; and thousands of images, film and sound recordings to tell the story of Churchill's ninety-year life. This permanent exhibition is housed within the unique historic setting of the Cabinet War Rooms, the secret underground headquarters that were the nerve centre of Britain's war effort.

The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace is a permanent space dedicated to changing exhibitions of items from the Royal Collection. It was reopened by The Queen on 21 May 2002 and is now open to the public on a daily basis.

18th century Somerset House, is home to the celebrated collections of the Courtauld Institute of Art, Gilbert Collection and Hermitage Rooms. A place for enjoyment, refreshment, arts and learning, Somerset House provides an exciting year-round programme of events for visitors of all ages, including a winter ice rink.

The Handel House Museum celebrates the life of the composer George Frideric Handel, who lived here until his death in 1759. The Museum displays portraits of the composer, and runs an interesting series of events including live music performances.

Originally designed in 1825 as a grand entrance to Buckingham Palace, Wellington Arch is now open to the public for the first time in its history. It offers spectacular views of London's skyline and surrounding Royal Parks.

Leicester Square Handprints and Plaques:

Leicester Square is one of the busiest, liveliest public places in the whole world. With its 7 cinemas, the Square is a popular visitor attraction hosting many film premiers and special events. Click here to see a list of film star handprints and plaques that are currently on display in Leicester Square.

Riverside Attractions

Flowing through central London, the River Thames is an artery of visitor attractions. The sweeping stretch of the river as it flows past the Palace of Westminster has the imposing 19th century column of Big Ben on the north bank facing the British Airways London Eye, an icon of 21st century design on the south bank.

Some of the River's most exciting attractions include;
The Tate to Tate river service linking Tate Britain in Westminster and Tate Modern in Southwark, as well as river tours and walks. Please click here to find out more about ways of getting around Westminster and the Thames.