London Day Four - Morning Museums

We had another wonderful traditional English breakfast at the hotel and then it was off to more museums. We walked up the street and explored the Knightsbridge neighborhood near Hyde Park where we saw the Royal Albert Hall, The Albert Memorial, the London Imperial College, the Prince's Gardens, Ennismore Gardens and other interesting sights as we headed back to Cromwell Road and our destinations of the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Once again like all the museums in London these two wonderful institutions had free admission. They also had some superb architecture both inside and outside.

There certainly was a lot to see in the Natural History Museum with an extraordinary range of specimens on display. I liked the skeleton of a large blue whale hanging from the ceiling in the hall. Lots of dinosaur bones throughout the museum.

Right next door was the Victoria and Albert Museum which turned out to be our favorite museum that we saw in the London. It is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design. It was really like nothing we had ever seen before. We could have spent much more time there. It also houses the National Art Library which is a public library containing the largest collection of books dedicated to fine and decorative arts.

The sculpture wing was spectacular as was their amazing collection of glass and ceramics. Over and over again we were in awe of this collection. A great fashion collection too. Also musical instruments, jewelry, theatre, furniture, textiles, etc.

We had lunch in the Victoria and Albert Tea Room which was amazing. The restaurant there was highly recommended by our Monograms host at the hotel. It was a good call.

Then it was back to the hotel to rest.