London’s Quirkiest Museums: 14 Weird but Wonderful Gems

SwipeOnDeck
Jul 1
3 min read

Updated: Jul 16

Tired of the usual museum lineup? London’s got a wild side—and these offbeat spots are proof. From medieval operating theatres to egg-shaped clown archives, here are 14 delightfully strange museums you can swipe, explore, and bookmark on Deck. Expect laughs, gasps, and genuine amazement.

🧟‍♂️ 1. The Cinema Museum – Kennington

Exterior view of the historic Cinema Museum building.

Tucked in a former workhouse hospital, this shrine to movie history is only open via guided tours. Imagine miles of old reels, vintage projectors, film posters, and even fragrant popcorn machines. A nostalgic trip for cinephiles and anyone who dreams in frames.

🏰 2. Dennis Severs’ House – Spitalfields

Interior view of Dennis Severs' House with vintage decor and table setting.

Rewind to the 18th century in this atmospheric home-museum of a fictional Huguenot family. Each room feels lived-in: a candle flickers, fruit rots, and dinner waits on a table set centuries ago. Perfect for immersive history lovers and the romantically curious.

🧠 3. The Brunel Museum – Rotherhithe

Interior view of the Brunel Museum with an exhibit of an underwater tunnel.

Celebrate Victorian engineering at the site of the world’s first underwater tunnel. Learn about Brunel’s audacious vision, explore the old engine house, and peek down through a pit that once belonged to tunnel builders. Great for tech geeks and industrial romantics.

🥼 4. Freud Museum – Hampstead

Exterior view of the Freud Museum, a red-brick house.

Step into Sigmund Freud’s former home and therapy rooms, complete with his famous couch and personal collections. The teddy-bear-filled study and calming garden make this a thoughtful stop for psychology fans and memoir lovers.

🐣 5. Sir John Soane’s Museum – Holborn

Interior view of the Cartoon Museum with framed cartoons on display.

An eclectic treasure trove of art, antiquities, and oddities collected by neo-classical architect John Soane. Every nook overflows with casts, paintings, and ancient artifacts—some displayed behind glass intentionally to confuse visitors. Intense, curious, and endlessly fascinating.

⚗️ 6. Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret – London Bridge

Interior view of the Old Operating Theatre with historical medical setup.

Europe’s oldest surgical theatre, hidden in a church attic. Witness 19th-century medical tools, leech jars, and even the original operating table. It’s morbid, educational, and perfect for medicine buffs with strong stomachs.

🧬 7. The Hunterian Museum – Lincoln’s Inn Fields

Inside the Royal College of Surgeons, this anatomical collection includes human skeletons, surgical instruments, and preserved specimens—some now off-display due to sensitivity. A historic and moving place for anatomy enthusiasts.

🧪 8. Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities – Hackney

Interior view of the Vintner Wynd Museum with a cocktail and curiosities on display.

Equal parts museum, bar, and curiosity cabinet. Expect two-headed lambs, shrunken heads, erotica, dodo bones, and celebrity feces. Dark, gothic, and wonderfully bizarre—ideal for late-night explorations and surreal conversations.

🤡 9. Clowns Gallery-Museum – Dalston

Exterior view of the Clowns Gallery with clowns posing in front.

Yes, egg-shaped ceramic heads painted like famous clowns—called the Clown Egg Register. Wander through props, costumes, masks, and historic clown memorabilia in this intimate quirky venue. Quirk meets tradition in Dalston.

🍆 10. Vagina Museum – Bethnal Green

The world’s first bricks-and-mortar vagina museum explores gender, health, sexuality, and culture through art and education. Expect bold exhibits, workshops, and myth-busting events. Empowering, educational, and unapologetically fun.

🎭 11. Cartoon Museum – Fitzrovia

Interior view of the Cartoon Museum with cartoon artwork on display.

Dedicated to British comic art and cartoons—both classic and contemporary. With interactive exhibits and gallery events, it’s ideal for animation lovers, comic nostalgic, and budding illustrators.

🧵 12. Museum of Brands – Notting Hill

A time-machine through consumer culture, with displays of vintage packaging, adverts, tins, toys, and household items from Victorian times onwards. Nostalgic, educational, and perfect for design lovers.

⚙️ 13. London Sewing Machine Museum – Holborn

Interior view of the London Sewing Machine Museum with vintage sewing machines.

A tiny, volunteer-run tribute to all things sewing. From antique machines to factory ephemera, it’s a needle in London’s museum scene—charming and niche. Great for craft lovers and history micro-enthusiasts.

🌌 14. Bethlem Museum of the Mind – Bromley

Interior view of the Bethlem Museum with statues and a staircase exhibit.

This museum chronicles the history of mental health care at Bethlem Royal Hospital. Rich with art by former patients, hospital artifacts, and honest storytelling—ideal for those interested in psychology, art, and mental health history.

💡 Dextr’s Tips for Exploring the Weird Side

Booking required? Definitely pre-book for immersive spots like Cinema Museum and Dennis Severs’.
Free gems? Museum of Brands, Clowns Gallery, and Sir John Soane’s are free (donations welcome).
Best late-night? Viktor Wynd doubles as a bar—perfect for weird chat over cocktails.
Educational pick? Old Operating Theatre and Hunterian offer gripping medicine‑history chills.