• The shortlist:

• =1) The British Museum (Free)  Victoria & Albert Museum (Free) 3) Sir John Soane's Museum (Free)  4) Natural History and Science Museums (Free)  4) Imperial War Museum (Free)  6) National Maritime Museum (Free) 

The British Museum: Back from a substantial refit and better than ever, the best museum in the world where 4000 year old Pharoahs enjoy a busier afterlife than they planned for and where Karl Marx meets Buddha. Conveniently situated north of Covent Garden, on Great Russell Street, and just east of Oxford Street's main shopping drag. Just loads of everything you could think of, and free. The African collection is the world's largest (and the best in terms of range and quality) with over 200,000 objects, of which 600 pieces are on show to the public at any one time, though the Horniman is a very close rival. Just wander through the main galleries, and for maximum effeciency do it in several shorter trips than one big one, after all, it's free. However the much hyped special exhibitions are often boring and not worth the money and and we advise avoiding them.   Saturday - Wednesday 10.00-17.30, Thursday - Friday 10.00-20.30.  Free.     Sir John Soane's Museum A miniature British Museum. You can visit it as part of one of our walks (which includes the Inns of Court and the Masonic Temple) that links some of London's most beautiful and least known sights. So full of objects that every bit of wall and ceiling is used. Great collection of Hogarth prints and friendly curators full of great anecdotes. Hidden panels reveal even more paintings. Tuesday to Saturday 10.00-17.00.   Free.   The Natural History & Science Museums  There's a high concentration of museums in South Kensington (well signposted from the tube) and these two are great for a rainy day. Kids love them. They celebrate the Victorian's love of Science and Nature - many of the machines that changed history are here - Britain has been the world's powerhouse of science - the Computer, the Fax, the WWW, the jet engine, the train, the television, Penicillin, the list is endless. But Tyrannosaurus Rex puts man in his place. TheNatural History Museum is a beautiful building in itself - if you had to visit one museum here it's a tough decision: either the animatronic dinosaur for Jurassic Park fans, or the bells and whistles of the Science museum - better to briefly visit both as they're free.  The Science Museum's new Wellcome wing is good value. It's right up to the minute - if a breakthrough is made, they'll have an exhibit up and running in as little as 24 hours. There's a team of scientists on hand conducting real experiments in which you can be a subject, if you wish - the first team took swabs from people's mouths and a photo to match facial shape with their genes. See also the WELCOME COLLECTION (below) in Euston which is more arty and also curates part of the Science Museum. Open every day 10.00 to 18.00, (Natural History opens at 11:00 on Sundays).  Free. 

The Victoria & Albert Museum A huge museum of culture, conveniently situated next door to the Science museums and great for Harrods. It's worth the visit for the cast rooms alone - many of Europe's great architectural gems in two huge halls, like Las Vegas without the gambling and with taste.  Avoid the boring Oriental Galleries(Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Middle East) the ones to go for are Fashion (re-opening in 2012), the Cast Room, Performance (Mick Jagger's body suit and lots of theatrical stuff, the British Galleries and Jewelry.  The British Culture galleries (levels 2-4) have been refitted and revitalised at a cost of over £31 million (subsidised in part by a gambling tax) Prince Charles had a lot of fun here with the interactive corset display on the opening day, confirming all our suspicions of inbreeding. What's fascinating about the British Galleries is the closeness of the objects - lots are there to be touched, and the place is crammed full of stuff (like the Soane). The great thing about the V&A is its eclecticism - anyone who's ever bought a sofa, wallpapered a room, chosen cutlery or curtains will be fascinated by the displays - but intermingled are great works of art and reconstructed period rooms. There are several resource rooms with computers, AV displays and book collections to be poured over. Tours are free, as they are of the whole museum, and you can even borrow a lightweight folding stool to take round with you.  You can spend hours in here just wandering - whatever it is you're interested, in it'll be in here - our advice, as always is to pop in several times rather than do a marathon. Less formal than the British Museum, the level of interactivity is very high and kids seem to love the hands-on stuff (eg: dressing up in old costumes, building pieces of furniture, designing their own monograms and seeing them put onto cutlery, weaving oriental carpets). Spontaneous concerts in the entrance hall on Sundays. There are regular demonstrations of crafts - for which see the website or pick up a leaflet. The cafe, which was a trendy place to hang out, is now scruffy and very expensive. Open 10.00-18.00 daily, on Wednesdays and the last Friday in the month open to 22.00). Free. (see Historic London ). Imperial War Museum The name says it all, though it's not just about different ways of killing, recently they've become softer, looking at the experience of war rather than its prosecution. Some great exhibitions such as 'The Blitz' and 'The Holocaust' are quite moving. Is located on the site of St Mary's Bethlehem hospital - better known as Bedlam. 10.00-18.00 daily. Free.  National Maritime Museum In Britain you're never more than 60 miles from the sea. Britannia really did rule the waves and this is how she did it. Good reason to visit beautiful Greenwich. Open every day 10.00-17.00. Free.