Kensington & Chelsea have a wealth of interesting attractions. Currently this page gives details of a selection of these. During the coming months, we will be further developing this section, to provide visitors with information about these and other attractions, together with maps and links to websites (where available).
If you have any suggestions for attractions not yet listed please use our online form, or if you have any other comments please email us.
Whether you are a Londoner or a first time visitor to the Capital, Soundmap takes listeners on a wonderful audio journey down the King's Road that was the epicentre of Swinging London. A dizzying world of music, theatre, art and fashion . You simply download the walk, transfer it to your iPod / MP3 player, then go to the Royal Court Cafe and press play.
Renowned writer and author of "King's Road - the rise and fall of the hippest street in the world", Max Decharne, provides a walk around the area closest to his heart. Visit www.soundmap.co.uk for more information".
Situated in Kensington Gardens directly opposite the Royal Albert Hall this is a stunning example of ornate Gothic architecture. Designed by George Gilbert Scott and erected in 1872 this monument is a tribute to Prince Albert, the German husband of Queen Victoria after his death aged 42 in 1861. A recent 4 year conservation program completed in 1998 restored this monument to its former magnificence. Although it is possible to view this spectacular gilt and mosaic monument from a distance, guided tours within the railings can be booked - Sundays only.
Originally a Jacobean Mansion, in 1689 William III commissioned Christopher Wren to extend the property. The House was later occupied by Queen Anne who altered the gardens and added The famous "Orangery" in 1704. George I, her successor, further improved the house and added 3 grand state rooms. After his death Queen Caroline made further improvements to the gardens and added The Broad Walk and the Round Pond. George III preferring Buckingham Palace as his official residence let the property, by now called Kensington Palace, fall into disrepair. In 1819 Queen Victoria was born in a ground floor apartment of Kensington Palace. In 1889 the State Apartments were opened to the public. In more recent times, Kensington Palace has been occupied by several members of the British Royal Family including Princess Margaret and the late Princess Diana.
Leighton House was the home of Lord Frederic Leighton (1830-1896), the great classical painter and President of the Royal Academy. This house was built between 1864 and 1879. Located at the edge of Holland Park, it is one of the most extraordinary buildings of the nineteenth century. It is simply sumptious. The Arab Hall in particular is an opulent fantasy of dazzling gilt and Isnik tiles with a fountain at the centre surrounded by alcove seats. Ascending the staircase with stuffed turquoise peacocks leads to the studio which houses a fine display of Victorian art by Leighton, Burne-Jones, Millais and their contemporaries. Entrance is free and open daily (except Tuesdays) 11.00 am to 5.30 pm. The museum also runs a programme of contemporary exhibitions throughout the year. Well worth a visit!
The Natural History Museum was opened in 1881 to house the British Museum's natural history collections of plants, minerals and fossils. Designed by Alfred Waterhouse and finished in pink terracota stone, the museum is a confection of Victorian-style German-Romanesque architecture, with round-arched windows and highly detailed columns and ornament. Of all the exhibits, the huge Diplodicus dinosaur skeleton in the central hall is probably the most well-known.
The Royal Albert Hall was conceived by Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, as a centrepiece of a single site surrounded by scientific, cultural and academic institutions. Construction did not begin in 1867 (after Albert's death from typhoid in 1861) and was completed in 1870.Today the Albert Hall seating up to 7000, is famous for its classical and rock music concerts, but possibly best known for the annual "proms".
The Royal Hospital Chelsea, designed by Christopher Wren - the architect of St.Pauls Cathedral, was founded by Charles II in 1682 and completed in 1692, as a place of refuge and shelter for veterans of the New Model Army who through long service, and, or disability had been reduced to poverty. Today, the building remains more or less unchanged with the exception of minor alterations made by Robert Adam. Every May the Chelsea Flower Show is held in the grounds. To the South West of the hospital is the National Army Museum. Every 29th May, known as Oak Apple Day, Chelsea pensioners in their distinctive red uniforms and three cornered black hats parade in the central quadrangle.
The Science Museum is a delight for all ages - and very much a "hands-on" experience with nearly one thousand working exhibits. The outstanding collections at the Science Museum form an unparalleled record of mankind's greatest inventions and achievements, past present and future.
The Victoria and Albert Museum opened in 1857 by Queen Victoria is the world's greatest museum of the decorative arts. This building was painted with distinctive green and white stripes on the advice of Prince Albert to make it look "less forbidding". In 1890, there was a competition for a new design, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1899, including a distinctive terracotta brick facade topped by a central tower 185 ft high. It is now home to 145 galleries containing important collections of sculpture, furniture, paintings, silver, glass, ceramics, jewellery, books, prints and photographs. The four million objects held at the Museum span some 3,500 years of human creativity. In 1982 the Boilerhouse was opened in an underground section of the museum's old boilerhouse yard which is used to show works of modern functional design.