Museums
Victoria and Albert Museum
Named in honour of Queen Victoria and her consort Prince Albert, this museum has existed for over 150 years. It contains a huge collection of decorative arts from all over the world and far back in time, trying to see everything in one day would be exhausting. There are regular exhibitions concentrating on a particular theme from Chinese art to fashion designers. Frequently they put on children's activities and late DJ nights.
Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road in South Kensington are home to several world class museums and all have free entry, only charging for special temporary exhibitions. They do accept and encourage donations if you feel you have enjoyed your visit.
Natural History Museum
Probably the most popular of all the museums here and a must see for many visitors to London. Home to no less than 70 million specimens from across all the life sciences. Especially popular are the dinosaur exhibits, the Darwin Centre and the studio dedicated to BBC wildlife personality extraordinaire, David Attenborough. In the 1980s, the Geological Museum was absorbed but is still in a separate building with a separate entrance.
Science Museum
Dedicated to scientific exhibitions and collections bar those related to the life sciences. A number of famous historical machines and inventions are housed here including Stephenson's Rocket. The space exhibits are especially popular. Exhibitions tend to concentrate on explaining scientific principles with working models and there is a strong emphasis on education and attracting children. This includes their very popular Science Nights whereby children spend an evening learning principles and participating in experiments before spending the night sleeping in the museum with the exhibits. Also houses a vast library of scientific and medical books and journals.
The Geological Museum
This venerable old institution was absorbed by the neighbouring Natural History Museum in 1985 but still has something of a separate identity. Unsurprisingly, devoted to all things geological with especially popular exhibits on vulcanology and earthquakes and fossils of all types. Very popular with kids and often under-rated.
Other
Carlyle's House
Now preserved by the National Trust, this 18th century house was the home of the historian Thomas Carlyle from 1834 and now houses a museum dedicated to his life and work.
Chelsea Physic Garden
Garden founded by apothecaries in the 17th century to the medicinal properties of plants.
Hyde Park
Nice big green park. The Serpentine is a small lake within Hyde Park, wildlife including a variety of birds, fountains. Rowing boats and pedalos are available for hire. As commonly used, the term also embraces the adjacent Kensington Gardens.
Roper's Garden
Royal Albert Hall
Since opening in 1871 it has become one of the most famous venues in the UK. It still mainly caters for a classical audience, but it also hosts many other varied events including the odd contemporary rock/pop acts.
The Serpentine Gallery
A nice free art gallery, near to the lake. Each summer a pavilion next to the gallery is designed by a different architect, which then houses various cultural events.
Speakers Corner
By law, in this far northeastern corner of the park by the Marble Arch Tube stop near Mayfair, people are free to say whatever they like about who and whatever they like. Worth checking out to see the lunatics and exhibitionists spouting off.