Local area

Kew Palace is a British Royal Palace in Kew Gardens on the banks of the Thames, up river from London. There have been at least three Palaces at Kew, and two have been known as Kew Palace, the first building may not have been known as Kew as no records survive other than the words of another courtier. One palace survives and is open to visitors from April to September every year.

The Musical Museum contains one of the world's foremost collections of self-playing musical instruments. From the tiniest of clockwork music boxes to the 'Mighty Wurlitzer' the collection embraces an impressive and comprehensive array of sophisticated reproducing pianos, orchestrions, orchestrelles, residence organs and violin players.

Gunnersbury Park opened on 21 May 1926. The two Gunnersbury Park mansions are set within a beautiful 75 hectare (186 acre) landscape of exceptional mature trees, open grass spaces and historic buildings including an Orangery, ‘Princess Amelia’s’ Bath house, Gothic Ruins and Stables. Gunnersbury Park House is the home of the local history museum. To the west of the mansions is a pond, a mid-18th century Temple and Italian garden, a large children’s play area and an 18 hole pitch and putt course.

The British Museum is a museum dedicated to human history, art, and culture, located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection, numbering some 8 million works, is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence and originates from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focus for the British people at times of national rejoicing. Originally known as Buckingham House, the building at the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703.

The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. Also known as the Millennium Wheel, it has also been called by its owners the British Airways London Eye, then the Merlin Entertainments London Eye, then the EDF Energy London Eye. Since mid-January 2015, it has been known as the Coca-Cola London Eye, following an agreement signed in September 2014.

Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London. The bridge crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and has become an iconic symbol of London. Tower Bridge is one of five London bridges now owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust overseen by the City of London Corporation. It is the only one of the Trust's bridges not to connect the City of London directly to the Southwark bank, as its northern landfall is in the Tower Hamlets.

Oxford Street is a major road in the City of Westminster in the West End of London. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, with around half a million daily visitors, and as of 2012 had approximately 300 shops.The first department stores in Britain opened on Oxford Street in the early 20th century, including Selfridges, John Lewis and HMV. The annual switching on of Christmas lights by a celebrity has been a popular event since 1959.

The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The Gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Its collection belongs to the public of the United Kingdom and entry to the main collection is free of charge. It is among the most visited art museums in the world.