Lesser-spotted Museums

In yet another new section, I thought I would highlight a few of the smaller, yet no less fascinating and illuminating museums that are on our doorstep.

These are often free and tend to squirrel away some of London's greatest cultural wealth. If you haven't yet had a chance to check any of these out or haven't heard of any of them, again I would be only too pleased to accompany and enlighten any of you...

The Wellcome Collection is a well established hive of curiousities and they are playing host to a new exhibition on identity and our perceptions of ourselves and others.

Naturally this is FREE.

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The Sir John Soane's Museum is the former abode of said Mr Soane, a Professor of Architecture who determined to turn his home into a place where amateurs and students in architecture and, indeed, the rest of the public, might enjoy his collection of art and antiquities for no cost, forevermore.

There is even a free audio guide by everyone's favourite know-it-all, Stephen Fry.

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Something else that I find myself banging on about here and there is the history of the Jewish immigrants in London. In the midst of this, I am often want to bring up this little jewel tucked away just off Brick Lane.

It is called 19 Princelet Street and is now open as a museum to multiculturalism and immigration. It was originally a Huguenot house, who were the first immigrants into London from France, and since that time it has housed all the different minorities who have passed through this area from the Irish to the Jews to the Poles to the Bengalis.

One of the most fascinating stories about the building relates to the former caretaker David Rodinsky. You can read an overview of this here or there is a fascinating book by Rachel Lichtenstein (with the help of Mr London, Iain Sinclair) on the subject.

Entry is FREE but because the building is so frail, it is only open to the public on limited days. There is a long-term, ongoing fundraising project going to save this slice of London history which you can contribute to as well.

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A short walk from Princelet Street is the former home of Dennis Severs, an American who was drawn to London by 'English light'. He moved in to 18 Folgate Street and began a process of turning each of the rooms of his delapidated Georgian terraced house into it's own time capsule.

On his death he bequeathed the house to the Spitalfields Trust and requested that it be open to visitors who respect his intentions behind creating this and transport themselves back to another time. Silent tours and story-readings take place regularly in this beautifully and pain-stakingly recreated home.

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Another museum dedicated to recreationism of homes of previous epochs is The Geffrye Museum on Kingsland Road. Mapping the changes in furniture, textiles and artworks from the 17th century to the present day, the museum also has beautiful gardens to wander round in and a series of exhibitions and events.

It currently has 3 special exhibits on including an informed piece on ecologically improving our
homes.

FREE

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And finally...who'd of thought there would be a National Trust house right in the heart of 'ackney? Well, there is and it is a house from the Tudor age. Sutton House was built in 1535 by a courtier of that player of a king, Henry VIII.

Nearly 500 years of history in this house have seen a succession of occupants but the house itself has retained most of it's original features and is a simple stroll away from many of our front doors.

Admission is less than £3.