Quirky places to visit on a holiday in London

Cathedral, Kensington Palace, Big Ben, The Tower of London and numerous other attractions that dot the city landscape. With so much to see and explore along with great shopping venues and an amazing array of activities, including entertainment and sports it is a magnet for tourists from across the globe. With some of the finest museums and art galleries and beautiful parks and green open spaces, London offers an incredible number of places to visit and explore. 

Whether you visit the Museum of London or plan to visit any of the theatres at the West End you can be sure of never having a dull moment in London. One of the best places to stay in London when on holiday is the central location of Notting Hill, which boasts of some fine luxury hotels like the Premier London Notting Hill hotel. Besides the regular attractions and tourist sites the city has some rather unusual places also well worth a visit. Some of these quirky places well worth a visit include...

Within close proximity of the Premier London Notting Hill hotel, adjacent to Portobello Road Market is the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising that is tucked away in a little mews. It is a veritable treasure trove of things from the past and takes visitors back in time to when they were kids and growing up. It evokes a strong sense of nostalgia of times when marketing and advertising was not developed to the extent it is in our contemporary times. Bear in mind that it was a period when there was no Internet and its plethora of social media platforms which have revolutionized the way products are advertised and marketed these days. 

The collection began with a packet of Munchies in 1963 in Inverness, and features an interesting array of items ranging from discreet Victorian-era product endorsements to the designs and packages of more modern times. They are systematically arranged decade by decade, which enables visitors to see the developing trends of over 200 years of consumerism culture in society. It was the brainchild of Robert Opie who at the age of 16 decided never to throw anything away beginning with the famous Munchies wrapper. The primary emphasis is on advertising in Britain in different eras for a variety of products like music, lollipops, toilet rolls, and motorcars among other things. With over 12,000 exhibits it offers a fascinating insight as to how advertising and branding have changed over the years.

Its Time Tunnel reflects how the changing times and society has not only affected our habits as consumers but the way in which they are advertised and sold. Back in time from the period of the industrial revolution to rationing in wartime all of it has led to substantial changes in the packaging business. Although there are a few items that have not changed, which remain the way they were when they were initially introduced, like the Toblerone bars which were first sold in the 1930s. From cosmetics that were sold in the 1890s to packaging and advertising of scores of other products it is a very interesting experience. 

To get a unique insight into London’s historic and bloodied past a visit to the London Dungeon is a must. It is a thrilling albeit bone chilling mix of a museum and horror show that is both informative and entertaining an experience. Here visitors learn about medical practices and surgery in early times, and about gruesome historic characters like Jack the Ripper, Bloody Mary, Sweeney Todd and others. There even is a boat ride to Hell! There are numerous shows and also two rides that highlight the city’s seedier past. While it offers great entertainment for adults it might get a bit scary for the younger ones.   

When it comes to strange and unusual places to visit, they do not get any stranger than that of Ripley's Believe It or Not Auditorium. The place features a vast private collection of oddities and artefacts of Robert Ripley from the places he visited in the 1920's and 30's. It is a great place for the family to visit and explore.  With unique and interesting exhibits like man who had two pupils in each eye, memorabilia of the tallest man in the world (8’11) and the albino alligator its collection will stun and amaze  all those who visit. 

While it may not be as unique a place as Ripley's, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum holds its own and is a fascinating attraction to visit. It all began with Madam Tussauds, who learnt the art of wax modelling from Dr. Philippe Curtius, a Swiss physician who was also a skilled wax model maker. It all began as a travelling museum and the exhibits would reflect the news and happenings in the form of wax figures, from around the world at that period of time. People would travel form far and wide to see the wax figures on display. 

Now there are a number of Madame Tussauds museums on display in major cities across the world. The first and original gallery remains at its location on Marylebone Road, where visitors can get up close and personal with world famous celebrities. There are wax figures ranging from David Beckham to President Obama and members of the Royal Family. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the City of London with tourists flocking to the wax museum in large numbers every year. It also makes for a great photo opportunity and click selfies with celebrities and famous personalities that you would normally not be able to actually meet.