# Nerd activities in London

London has many sites that are well known and appeal to most tourists. There are also many less famous sites which may only appeal to those with a scientific or technical background. We present a selection of these sites here.

## Tech

* 51.515058-0.1425161 Microsoft Experience Centre (formerly Microsoft Store), 253-259 Regent Street, W1B 2ER (Tube: Oxford Circus ), ☏ +44 20 7660-0308. In a similar vein to the Apple store, the "Microsoft Experience Centre" stores are dedicated to showcasing the latest Microsoft products and services. A good chance to try the latest Surface computers. (updated Sep 2024)

## Pop culture

* 51.52376-0.158511 Sherlock Holmes Museum (Also known as 221B Baker St), 239 Baker St, NW1 6XE (Tube: Baker Street ), ☏ +44 20 7935-8866. 9:30AM-6PM daily. Discover mementos of the famous fictional detective. This was a lodging house used in the late 1800s and has three floors. The first floor contains Sherlock Holmes' study with Watson's desk and has bullet holes spelling the initials VR (for Victoria Regina, Latin for Queen Victoria), much to the chagrin of the landlady Mrs. Hudson. Next to that is Holmes' bedroom with a rogues' gallery containing photographs of several notable Victorian-era murderers, including Lizzy Bourdain. The remaining rooms upstairs have waxwork figures and artfacts referencing the novels, as well as their adaptations to stage and screen. Photography allowed, though filming requires permission. Prebooking is recommended to circumvent long queues. £15 adult, £10 child. (updated Apr 2022)
* 51.5309-0.12332 King's Cross Railway Station, Euston Rd, Camden, London, N1 9AL (London), ☏ +44 20 7431-4001, info@cp-plus.co.uk. The station where Harry and his friends boarded the train to Hogwarts. The magical entrance to platform 9 ¾ has been recreated at the station entrance for fans to have their photos taken, but figure on spending at least 2 hours in the queue with throngs of other fans. Reaching the actual platform 9 ¾ may require some magic; the filming was done between platforms 4 and 5, as the platforms 9 and 10 are separated by tracks. A Harry Potter souvenir shop is also in the station for fans to purchase memorabilia. Free.

## Science

* 51.4778-0.00153 The Royal Observatory, Flamsteed House (in the middle of Greenwich Park), ☏ +44 20 8858-4422. Daily 10AM-5PM, closed 24-26 Dec. The home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian line, this is one of the most important historic scientific sites in the world. It was founded by Charles II in 1675 and is, by international decree, the official starting point for each new day, year and millennium (at the stroke of midnight GMT as measured from the Prime Meridian). Now a detached part of the National Maritime Museum, it houses an impressive display and a planetarium built in 2007. There are several different star shows per day that are well worth the money, especially as it's now the only celestial performance of its kind around, after the London Planetarium completely converted to Madame Tussauds. Free for entry to the observatory, £15 entrance for the Meridian Line and Flamsteed House, planetarium shows separate £8 (combined tickets available). (updated Jul 2018)

## Museums

* 51.4975-0.1747221 Science Museum London (South Kensington), ☏ +44 870 870 4868.
* 51.495983-0.1763724 Natural History Museum (London/South Kensington-Chelsea, United Kingdom). Palaeontology is one of five major sections of this famous museum and is home to thousands of extinct specimens, large and small. Unlike most other museums of its size and genre, this one is completely free to enter. Home to Sophie, the most complete Stegosaurus skeleton found to date. (updated Dec 2016)
* 51.512081-0.1212795 London Transport Museum, Covent Garden Piazza (Tube: Covent Garden ), ☏ +44 20 7565-7299. In many cities, a local transport museum would be of very narrow interest - not London, however! London's public transport is iconic, and the story of how it developed from horse and cart through early buses, Tube trains and trolleybuses to the present day is well worth coming to find out about. There is plenty of opportunity to clamber aboard the historic buses and Tube trains on display. Also, because London's transport is so well known, the museum shop contains plenty of items that make interesting and original gifts and souvenirs. £18, concessions £17, accompanied children under 16 free.
* 51.519-0.12646 British Museum, Great Russell St, WC1B 3DG (tube: Tottenham Court Road ), ☏ +44 20 7323-8000, fax: +44 20 7323-8616, information@britishmuseum.org. Sa-W 10AM-5:30PM, Th F 10AM-8:30PM; Central Great Court remains open Sa-W until 6PM, Th F until 11PM. A vast repository of the world's cultures, controversially including hundreds of items from all over the world. Entire sections are devoted to Egyptian, Greek, and Middle Eastern artifacts, as well as the piece which united them all, the Rosetta Stone. Other items on everyone's list are the largest collection of mummies outside Egypt and the Elgin Marbles. The collection also includes some of the world's finest collections of Chinese and Sub-Saharan African art; perhaps the most famous of the latter are the Benin bronzes. A definite highlight of a trip to London. Temporary exhibitions are invariably excellent and meticulously researched, but can be expensive. It has a fine store, mainly selling replicas of items in the collection. Free. (updated Feb 2024)
* 51.517602-0.1387327 Cartoon Museum, 65 Wells St, W1A 3AE (tube: Oxford Circus ), ☏ +44 20 7580-8155, info@cartoonmuseum.org. Tu W F-Su 10:30AM-5:30PM, Th 10:30AM-8PM. A vast collection of cartoons and comics on display with special, often topical, exhibitions. £8.50, concession (60+) £5, students £3, under-18s free. (updated Oct 2022)
* 51.5016-0.0538 Brunel Museum, Railway Ave, Rotherhithe, SE16 4LF (DLR station: Canada Water ), ☏ +44 20 7231-3840, education@brunel-museum.org.uk. Daily 10AM-5PM. A museum dedicated to the works of the great engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel including a major exhibition about the founding of the London tube system. Also a fine collection of Victorian industrial paintings on show. £3.00 concs £1.50.
* 51.495831-0.1086629 Imperial War Museum. It's in the former Bethlehem Mental Hospital (and the origin of the word Bedlam) in Southwark. Founded to commemorate the efforts of soldiers from Britain and the Empire in World War I, it has expanded over the decades with exhibits on World War II, more recent conflicts, and rotating exhibitions. The museum contains a vast array of military exhibitions including an eagle statue from Hitler's desk, and replica-shell of Fat Boy, dropped on Nagasaki to end World War II. Free.
* 51.598889-0.23861110 RAF Museum (Tube: Colindale , which is a 25 minute ride from Central London). A must for any war buffs. It has extensive galleries detailing the history of the RAF and its aircraft. A sound and light show inside the museum focuses on the Blitz.

## Other

* 51.5177-0.10981 Gresham College, Barnard's Inn Hall, Holborn (tube: Chancery Lane . Between Fetter Ln and Furnival St), ☏ +44 20 7831-0575. Founded in 1597 as London's alternative higher education institution to Oxford and Cambridge, Gresham College continues to provide free public lectures every week during term time. Most lectures require no booking, with wonderful speakers delivering lectures on a wide range of interesting topics. free. (updated Apr 2024)
* 51.5048-0.113611 BFI IMAX Cinema, 1 Charlie Chaplin Walk (tube: Waterloo ), ☏ +44 870 787 2525. Set back from the riverside is the BFI IMAX, the largest cinema screen in the UK at 26 m wide and 20 m high. Shows family-friendly 3D IMAX films as well as action films that work well on the huge screen. Also hosts special all-nighters such as the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
* 51.529839-0.12805912 British Library, 96 Euston Rd, NW1 2DB (tube: King's Cross St. Pancras ), ☏ +44 20 7412-7332, Customer-Services@bl.uk. M W-F 9:30AM-6PM, Tu 9:30AM-6PM, Sa 9:30AM-5PM, Su 11AM-5PM. The official book depository of the United Kingdom, holding a copy of every book ever printed here and a wide variety of periodicals. No less than 150 million items are cataloged, and there is an unimaginable 625 kilometres (388 mi) of shelving! Visitors may not use the library unless they have proof of identity, home address, and a genuine need to use a specific item, but there is a free "Treasures of the British Library" exhibition chronicling the history of the written and printed word and displaying some of the library's best-known items, including two of the original manuscripts of the Magna Carta and Leonardo Da Vinci's notebook. Additionally, there are temporary exhibitions on historical or literary subjects, which charge admission. Popular ones can be very crowded at weekends. In the central atrium stands the King's Library (the library of King George III) surrounded by a glass wall, so visitors can occasionally see librarians retrieving books for readers. Tours of the library building run M W F-Su and cost £6. Call to book. Large items of luggage are not permitted in the building and cannot be stored in the cloakroom.
* 51.487222-0.12416713 SIS/MI6 Building, Vauxhall Bridge (tube: Vauxhall ). Imposing building on the waterfront with a huge number of CCTV cameras and looks more fortified than a prison. Quite a sight to behold and you're able to walk around the outskirts of the building but can guarantee that you're being watched when you do.
* 51.479-0.292714 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, TW9 3AE (Tube: Kew Gardens ), ☏ +44 20 8332-5655, info@kew.org. Open from 10AM everyday, closing times vary. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, these extensive, historic and beautiful gardens feature elements illustrating significant periods of garden and landscape art from the 18th to the 20th centuries, and a plant collection second to none in the world. Since their creation as a royal estate in 1759, Kew Gardens (as they are commonly known) have made a significant and uninterrupted contribution to the study of plant diversity and economic botany. The gardens cover 120 hectares (300 acres) and are over 1.5 km (0.9mi) long. They contain glasshouses, a conservatory, and numerous installations of buildings, art and of course exotic plant species. The Temperate House, which reopened in May 2018, is the largest surviving Victorian glass structure in the world. Peak months: Adult £19, concession £16, students £9.50, children 4-15 £5.50, and under 4s free. Prices include voluntary donation. (updated Sep 2023)
* 51.481476-0.28008715 The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, TW9 4DU (4 minutes walk from Kew Gardens tube station, clearly sign-posted), ☏ +44 20 8876-3444. Tu Th 9AM-7PM, W F Sa 9AM-5PM, Su M closed. All non-classified government documents can be read and photographed here, with a (free) reader's card having been obtained. There is also a small museum, which does not require the card to access. Free.

## Buy

* 51.513469-0.1284152 Orcs Nest, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR. A specialist games shop, stocking board and paper based games and books. (updated Apr 2024)
* 51.514975-0.1271023 forbidden planet, 6 Earlham Street London WC2H9RY. Board games, comics, graphic novels and clothing, part of a chain of 9 stores in the UK. (updated Apr 2024)
* 51.517824-0.1313754 Warhammer, 251, Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7QW. Shop selling model figures for the Warhammer games series. There are other stores in London suburbs. (updated Sep 2024)
* 51.542192-0.1472965 The Stables Market (next to the railway bridge across Chalk Farm Road, just past the Lock Market). Some shops open all week, but most stalls only Sa Su 9AM-6PM. This is the largest of Camden's market areas, featuring hundreds of stalls selling everything from African art to beds to fetish clothing to antiques. This is probably the best place in London for interesting clothes, including vintage, goth, cyber and general club-wear. Cyberdog is an experience just to look at, and the extreme basement contains some distinctly adult items. Burleska and Sai Sai are among a number of corest stockists.
* 51.5073-0.11576 Southbank Book Market, Queen's Walk (under Waterloo Bridge). Daily 10AM–7PM. Second-hand book sale near the bank of the Thames. A nice place to just browse for books (classic and modern), maps and prints.
* 51.512949-0.1342327 Gosh! Comics, 1 Berwick St, W1F 0DR, ☏ +44 20 7437-0187. Daily 10:30am-7pm. Comic and graphic novel specialist. (updated Oct 2022)
* 51.51039-0.1318 The Lego Store, 3 Swiss Ct, W1D 6AP (Tube: Leicester Square ), ☏ +44 20 7839-3480. The world's largest Lego Store, with a massive Big Ben (yes, they mean the clock tower and not the actual bell -- feel free to tut loudly) sculpture made of building blocks, a Tube entrance arc, and a full-scale Tube carriage model -- including Lego figures you can take a picture with! (updated Dec 2018)
* 51.492448-0.230529 X Electrical, 125 King St, W6 9JG (tube: Hammersmith ), ☏ +44 20 8563-7383, hammersmith@xelectrical.com. M-Sa: 10AM-6PM, Su: 11AM-5PM. A pawn shop specialising in musical instruments, amps, and hi-fis. Also has a retro video game collection with prices as low as £2. (updated Aug 2019)

## See also

* Literary London
* Harry Potter tourism
* Bletchley Park, historic site near London where codes were broken