Museum of London

The Museum of London, although a museum of urban history focusing on London's past, is anything but ancient. The extensive collection of over two million objects is contained within nine permanent galleries and traces the history of London from prehistoric times to today. You can go inside an actual prison cell from the 18th century and read inscriptions written by its many residents, see Oliver Cromwell's death mask, and marvel at marble sculptures from the Temple of Mithras from Roman Britian. It also has ever changing special exhibitions with modern expressions of London and its culture and many virtual exhibitions such as one on the infamous Bedlam (Bethlem Royal Hospital, now home of the Imperial War Museum). There are also two additional museums that house the collections of the Museum of London: the Museum of London Docklands, housed in an old sugar warehouse and tells the story of the London ports from Roman times to today; and the Museum of London Archaeology, which offers an internationally acclaimed archaeological research center and is also available for commerical archaeologial services. While in this area, be sure to check out remains of the Old Roman Wall.