stokebailey

I've been to the British Museum and Museum of London several times, the documents displayed at British Library. . I suppose must wait until next time to see rehabbed National Portrait.

is there another kind of British history museum in or around London? More information, maybe, fewer visuals? Like a book with lots of illustrations, but you can walk around inside.

Alternately, do you have a favorite book of British history?

bilboburgler

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_in_London

as a kid I loved "1066 and all that", I also enjoy the Horrible History series

janisj

A few not including art galleries and stately homes/famous houses -- The V&A for sure, the Natural History, the Science, the previously named Geffreye now called the Museum of the Home, Apsley House, Churchill War Rooms, Sir John Soane's, Imperial War, London Transport, Docklands,

Morgana

Ian Mortimer has written some superb Time Traveller history books.
I can also highly recommend London, A
Travel Guide through Time by Matthew Green.

stokebailey

bilbo and janis, thank you. I was wondering if there's a place devoted to the history of Britain itself.

stokebailey

I'll try those, Morgana, thanks.

zebec

SB, I cannot recommend any books but have one small historical 'museum' to suggest for you: Dennis Severs House.

Severs was a Californian who died in 1999. Years prior he'd bought a dilapidated building in East London, and gradually applied his imaginative artistic touch to create an atmospheric home. He actually lived there, then began to offer tours. The house was posed as the residence of a fictional Huguenot silk weaver family, the Jervais. As such, there is a wide range of rooms, each meant to display exactly what they would likely have looked like during yesteryear.
One enters the house only with a guide who meets visitors outside the entry door. Visits are done in small groups and are somewhat brief. Buy tickets ahead. Note that photos are not allowed and *talking is discouraged--a good thing. Severs eventually donated his house to a local historical preservation society. They have wisely maintained the house's audio collection: appropriate sounds will be heard here and there and I'll not spoil any of that. Items to afterwards purchase include beeswax candles and looooong matches.
Location: Folgate street. Think Liverpool Station. Visitors could easily do a 2-fer here, combining any of Spitalfields market (go to the older half), or Brick Lane (excellent Sunday market/street art central) or Dishoom Indian restaurant.

Good luck.
I am done. the end

Fra_Diavolo

The Illustrated Pepys -- Extracts from the Diary is a wonderful glimpse of life in London during the 1600's.
If this is hard to find I'm sure any other abridged edition would be of interest. Pepys is maddening, witty, and vivid writer -- you won't be bored. Pity it breaks off in 1669 . . .

stokebailey

I keep hearing about D. Severs House, zebec. Thank you. Maybe this time I'll make it.

I am enjoying Mortimer book about 14thC, Morgana. Fun and informative.

stokebailey

I'll look for illustrated Pepys right now, Fra-D. Great suggestion. Yes, too bad he didn't hang around and keep working on that!

thursdaysd

I have done the silent evening visit (no guide) at the Dennis Severs house twice and highly recommend it. I see on the website that the "Gentle Author" who blogs at Spitalfields Life has recreated the tours that Severs himself gave. Up to you whether it would be worth the extra - see: https://dennissevershouse.co.uk/book

I was also a big fan of the Geffrye, but have not visited since it's reopening as the Museum of the Home - https://www.museumofthehome.org.uk/.

PatrickLondon

For books, try Liza Picard's series on the daily life of Londoners in different periods:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/sho...45.Liza_Picard

Depending on how deep you want to dive, try Peter Ackroyd's London: A Biography, or for Britain more widely, Norman Davies's The Isles

bilboburgler

he broke off because he went blind...

Fra_Diavolo

He never went blind, but he did stop writing out of fear he was damaging his eyesight. He limited himself to dictation and never returned to the diary.

stokebailey

Thursdays, Patrick, I appreciate those suggestions. I'll look into them. I've ordered my Pepys.

I wonder whether you might know some billionaires who'd fund my Idea for a history of Britain museum. Roughly what the Museum of London does, but for all of Britain: aimed at the general easily-distracted public,, progressing through time or mixed. The British Museum and Library, the National Portrait, War Museum, BFI could loan from basements stuffed with items of visual interest.

Helen Mirren doing Tilbury speech. Coal miners. King John and the barons. Peasants' revolt. Enclosing land. Piers Gaveston and Caroline of Brunswick having the coronation door slammed in her face. There's so much juicy stuff, plus dry facts to attract Americans doing genealogy.

Maybe let donors have a tasteful plaque by the entrance, which will of course be free.

bilboburgler

sometimes learning stuff requires you to taste small pieces and build up an idea in your mind rather than just wolf everything down at once

PatrickLondon

I'm surprised no-one in this government has suggested it - some of them are rather keen on that sort of thing But there'd be a huge question about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which all have their own stories - and museums.

stokebailey

Of course, bilbo. That's why people would drink some of it in, have a bite in the cafe, buy postcards, leave, come back later. You don't expect anyone to take in the British Museum in one afternoon.

Wales and Scotland would be included, I think? And I bet their museums aren't as amusing as my (fantasy) one. Also, I'm not a huge patriotism fan, but a little local pride wouldn't hurt.

Morgana

If Pepys interests you don’t miss the excellent biography by Claire Tomalin.

stokebailey

Thank you, Morgana.