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Best Hidden Gems in London

, 16 Options Found

Nestled between the River Thames and Ministry of Defence's main building in Victoria Embankment is the Fleet Air Arm memorial of the Royal Navy. The beautiful bronze idol of Daedalus, a Greek mythological legend who lost his son in the sea was sculpted by renown sculptor James Butler in an ode to more than 6,000 naval officials who had sacrificed their lives since World War I. The winged Daedalus stands tall at 2.5 metres (8.20 feet) with a plinth that lists all the wars and campaigns where the Royal Navy lost its members. It is a beautiful memorial for all the lives lost at the cost of war and a reminder of their sacrifice for the homeland.

The name says it all. St Mary's Secret Garden is tucked away in the urban jungle of city life and spans across 0.7 acre (0.28 hectare) of varied green land. Comprising of natural woodland, a herb garden, flower and vegetable beds, and fruit trees, it also features a huge greenhouse and a classroom for those interested in learning horticulture. Only organic methods are used to maintain the garden. Promoted more as a community garden, this hidden gem is truly a wonderful oasis of greenery.

Kyoto Garden was built in 1991 to commemorate the Japan Festival held in London in 1992. Tucked away inside the Holland Park, this beautifully designed garden has a tranquility to it with stone lanterns, waterfalls and fish ponds. A great place to reflect as well as enjoy pleasant company.

One of London's quirkier museums, this 19th Century former pumping station today houses interactive exhibits and steam engines. Built in 1846 and installed here to pump water from the Thames into London's households, the Kew Bridge was a pioneer in its own right. It was shut down in 1944 and became a museum in 1975.

A museum dedicated to preserving and sharing information about past and present members of the animal kingdom, the Grant Museum of Zoology is home to about 68,000 specimens. The collections here have priceless preserved skeletons and bones of now extinct species like the dodo, the Tasmanian tiger and the quagga. The museum is also home to other invaluable items like the glass models of animals by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka and the bisected animal heads of Sir Victor Negus. With a rich history dating back to 1828, the Grant Museum of Zoology is worth a visit for any inquisitive visitor.

Physical Energy is a magnificent statue by sculptor George Frederic Watts, that is located in Kensington Gardens. The statue is of a man perched upon a horse looking beyond. Physical Energy Statue is a dedication to Sir Cecil Rhodes, a pioneer in the establishment of Zimbabwe. You can also contact the park at +44 300 061 2000 for further information.

For those seeking adventure thrills in London, a unique experience awaits at the O2 in Greenwich. Opened in 2012, Up At The O2 allows visitors to climb over the famed O2 dome using a walkway suspended by the O2's masts. The summit is the viewing platform- 53 meters (174 feet) above the ground offering a panoramic view of the Thames Barrier, The Shard, Canary Wharf and Anish Kapoor's ArcelorMittal Orbit. The climb and descent, although not steep, are guaranteed to get your adrenaline pumping. Each expedition is guided by expert climbers and visitors are strapped in safety harnesses and special suits. Booking ahead is highly recommended and priority tickets are also available.

Established in 1914, The Geffrye, Museum of the Home breathes new life into a historic building from the 18th Century. It is dedicated to chronicling the trajectory of middle-class English residences in London through the centuries. The entire space is categorized according to era. Take a guided tour to explore 17th-century homes, Georgian and Victorian abodes as well as those from the 1900s. There are period gardens to view as well, with herb gardens and exhibits on display. Visit their souvenir store to take home handicrafts and dine at their restaurant.

The HMS Belfast is one of Europe's largest preserved warships. She was launched in 1938 to serve in both World War II and the Korean War. She is the last surviving example of the great warships built for the Royal Navy. In her day she was one of the most powerful vessels of her type with complex machinery and equipment. During World War II, she was home to almost 1000 men who had to live in cramped conditions. She retired from service and from protecting the Empire's trade routes in 1965 and has now been converted to a floating naval museum with seven decks for visitors to discover. Children under 16 are allowed in for free.

This extremely large park in south London hosts several different exhibitions, outdoor concerts and an increasingly popular fireworks display in November, in honor of Guy Fawkes' Day. The park boasts a dinosaur area where the tyrannosaurus lurks among the reeds and the lake. There's a wonderful lily pond with a stage on which concerts are performed, and even a maze. The site of the old crystal palace is also visible. A large sports hall is located within the grounds of the park. Crystal Palace Park was, and still is, a popular place for campers, not only because it is a lovely place to stay but also because many buses stop outside the park and will take you into Central London or further south so that you can explore.

Above Saint Thomas Church in Southwark is London's oldest surviving operating theater. Built in 1821, it was the scene of many amputations carried out with a saw and no anaesthetic. Blood would drip - or probably pour - off the wooden table and get soaked up by three inches of sawdust. One wonders what the congregation below would have thought of the screams emanating from upstairs, with the odd drip of blood seeping through the ceiling. With anesthetics unavailable, patients would often awake from their drunken state (they had a choice of passing out from either alcohol or pain) in the midst of an operation. Fortunately, the National Health Service's operating theaters have taken a leap forward, and medical students don't have such a frighteningly free reign.

Located in the once abandoned St Mary’s Church, the Garden Museum is where you can learn all other things horticultural, including the history of English gardens and famous gardeners. The museum's churchyard contains a re-creation of a historic knot garden and the graves of many famous people, including six Archbishops. The museum has a coffee shop, and a gift shop selling a range of souvenirs and books.

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