What It’s Like To Go Museuming, When You Don’t Like Museuming, In A Place That Has 192 Museums

from The London Review 2023

The Kids Have Accents Too?!

By Sydney Strickland-Broden

mention the architecture of the museums themselves are absolutely divine. Although museums are not my exact idea of fun,I had no other alternative than to visit them with my group.

The first museum I visited was the Natural History Museum. Honestly I wasn’t expecting to be so taken with this museum. Like yes dinosaurs and the natural world are super cool but the part that I was taken much about this museum because it was so packed full of children but they did have a lot of interactive exhibits. My favorite of them was the COVID exhibit. It was just something so different. They had a pair of pants that a woman key to creating the vaccine was wearing. They had the genetic code up on the wall. It was just something so different than anything I have seen in the United States.

I feel like I’ve always had this very specific view of London. Not anything bad or good necessarily just very specific. I’ve always imagined London as an intelligent city but also one that is both gorgeous and posh. From the amount of museums they have there, it truly brought that vision into perspective for me as a foreigner. Living in Kansas where there aren’t too many museums, I always perceived those institutions as nothing more than where the elite, well educated people visit for entertainment. However, the variety of culturally different artifacts and historical pieces of artwork from across the globe also fit London’s image of a prosperous city. Not to the most with was the room of gemstones and minerals. Of course, many elementary school children rushed in with no hesitation towards the Jurassic Park dinosaur experience and the gift shop to buy dinosaur toys. However, the hallways leading up to none other than different continents of gemstones left me amazed.

The second museum I visited was the Science Museum. It became another wonderful opportunity to pass time. To be honest I don’t remember

The last museum I visited was the National Gallery. The experience felt completely different than in the United States due to the variations of historical but luxurious European paintings. Visiting each of these museums was not really my cup of tea but looking back on it I did feel a sense of pleasure from discovering every hallway of minerals, the interactive exhibits, artifacts, and gemstones. For anyone who wishes to visit the United Kingdom, please open yourself up to new experiences that you have not done before, and will most likely not experience again for a while. Following my example of trying something new, whether you are interested in it or not, just do it because it’s a way to create memories that you will always cherish.

Believe me when I say this to you: I promise that you will find something that is worth exploring while in London. So please make the most out of your time!

What’s one thing you wish you had time to do but didn’t? Find the 7 noses of Soho

How many books did you buy on the trip? Eleven

What was your favorite piece you saw in a museum? Birthstone arrangement

What is the most steps you got in one day? 32,000 on Wednesday

What was your favorite restaurant? Light of India

Tise Babatope-Ojo, (pronounced Tishay), is a sophomore at KU. She is pursuing a double major in behavioral neuroscience and psychology, which she claims is her way of tricking her parents into thinking she has her life together. In her spare time, she likes to journal, take cute pictures, and bingewatch cheesy romantic comedies on Netflix. Originally from Nigeria, Tise was excited to explore London’s rich history and culture. Her favorite memory was going to Brixton and experiencing the local food and music scene.