What's the best way to get from the Paddington Station to these London museums?

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*(first of all, I only recommend this if you're happy to quickly selectively skip around the top attractions in a museum before moving on to the next one. Each one of the 5 museums you've mentioned is huge, with enough for two or more full days' visits by someone very interested, and a full day each for someone moderately interested)*

If you really don't mind skipping to see the best stuff and then heading on, after your very busy day in South Kensington as DJClayworth suggests, you could:

  • Take the tube to the British Museum early in the morning, selectively walk around the bits you're most interested in
  • Either walk (20 mins, not much to see) or get a bus (any bus) down High Holborn to St Paul's
  • Take a quick look at St Paul's Cathedral while you're there, it's pretty spectacular, but probably don't go in today...
  • Continue with a short 10 minute walk south along the Millenium Bridge (pedestrians-only, good views of the river)...
  • ...which takes you right to the door of the Tate Modern.

It also works going the other way, Tate first; it's a question of where you want to be in the evening.

The British Museum and Tate Modern aren't as close to each other as the South Kensington museums, but they're still pretty close and it's rather nice that the route between them can go via St Paul's and the Millenium Bridge without really adding any time.

Upvote:1

I would google the transport for London site and if using a phone that does apps, see if they have an app. It has an walking option but I am more likely to just use an online map and check out their time compares to what I actually use, for which I use google maps.

Besides I usually have a paper map with the tube lines printed over the map as well as the streets, which you can buy out of a machine at some tube stations, and looks a bit like this. There are versions with the bus routes as well.

Armed with that I am ready to work out a route as well as be confident on walking in London and find my way around when underway.

I know that I would spend the whole day in each of these museums, and want to get back to get more the next time I have the option, I would not combine them myself, but if you only want a visit to see what all the talk is about, combining the Natural History Museum, V&A and the Science Museum is easy, as they are all in the same small area, the British Museum and Tate Modern are not as close together but they are certainly within walking distance for me. But I walk a lot when exploring London.

As I do not know what you find acceptable in walking, I would suggest to take the Circle line to South Kensington Underground Station, from there the route is well signposted to each of the museums in the area. Whether you want to walk on the way back may depend on how much you walk within the museums.

To the British Museum the planner shows several options (and if you only get one you can chose the fewest change option or the least walking option or the bus only option) so you can suit yourself.

But the best thing for you is to learn to use the underground and bus maps. One glance at a map may show you way more than several written out route schedules.

Upvote:10

The Natural History Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) and the Science Museum are all in Kensington, which means that the directions for getting there from Paddington station are "Walk across Hyde Park". Seriously it's about a kilometer, and you'll take in the Albert Memorial, the Albert Hall and one of London's best parks as you go. In more detail, walk south on West Carriage Drive (through the middle of the park) and continue south of the park on Exhibition Road. After you pass Imperial College Road look around. V&A will be on your left, Science Museum and Natural History on your right.

The British Museum and Tate Modern are further away. But frankly you would be insane to try and do five of these museums in one day. Spend a day at these three (you could easily spend several days at each) and then look up the directions to the other for yourself.

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