The British love to collect historical relics. This enables the London to offer the public many museums filled to the brim with everything you can imagine. Visit the British Museum and peruse the largest African art collection in the world, with over 200,000 objects. Take a stroll through the Natural History museum, where the animatronic dinosaurs from "Jurassic Park" are housed, or visit the Science Museum, where you can watch scientists conduct real experiments in which you have the opportunity to be a subject. The Victoria and Albert Museum brims with cultural history, like Mick Jagger's body suit and other theatrical articles of interest. Also, you can visit the Imperial War Museum and the National Maritime Museum for a little military history. All of these museums are free of charge and full of eager curators to answer all of your questions.
All the hours of your rainy day in London can be filled with touring the sights. A classic must-see remains Buckingham Palace. After paying the entrance fee, you can explore 19 state rooms full of ornate French and English furniture, the wealth of the Royal Collection and countless masterpieces by such artists as Rembrandt, Rubens and Poussin. After your indoors tour, you can put up your umbrella and take a leisurely stroll through the south side of the palace's garden, which stretches over 42 acres. Londoners refer to the garden fondly as the "walled oasis in the middle of London" because of its 30 species of resident birds and over 350 varieties of wildflowers.
The options for the avid shopper vary widely, from the upscale Harrods experience to the "Vanity Fair" atmosphere of Camden Market. Harrods offers countless hours of entertainment spent walking through its food halls, which are stocked with an outrageous assortment of edibles. The clothing store Harvey Nichols, affectionately called "Harvey Nicks" by Britons, stands out as a rival to Harrods, offering a more-modern food display and a splendid rooftop restaurant. For the children in your life, or your inner child, visit Hamley's, which has been named "The biggest toyshop in the world." This five-floor toy store displays every toy a child could hope to possess, and offers hands-on exhibits and interesting demonstrations that are held throughout the day.
