What are your favorite places in London that are not the typical tourist destinations?

Mudchute Farm
Parkland Walk
Watching a trial at the Royal Courts of Justice
Hunterian Museum
Walthamstow Wetlands
Climbing the O2
Thames Barrier Tour
Crossness Pumping Station
https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/hidden-london/down-street
Richmond Park to see the fallow deer
Isabella Plantation
See the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs
Museum of Steam and Water

Ride the tube or board a bus and travel to different neighborhoods and then meander.

Neighborhoods such as Shoreditch for street art
Or Hackney Wick for the V & A storehouse or start a walk along the Regents Canal Path and visit the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities

We really enjoyed strolling in Richmond Great Park and the fallow deer. Majestic!

There are so many- if you can let us know some of your interests I can make some specific recommendations.

Two museums without a lot of tourists that I enjoyed:
https://www.soane.org/ quirky, private collection
https://www.wallacecollection.org/ private collection

London Walks offers dozens of different walking tours. Many are neighborhood focused, and even the others tend to spend a good bit of their time on less-visited streets where you won't be surrounded by other visitors. The tours last about two hours each. They want you to book ahead of time (so they know how many people to expect), but you don't pay until you show up for the tour.

We really do need to know what sorts of sightseeing you enjoy to give pertinent recommendations--art? history? architecture? gardens? churches?

Here's an off-the-wall option, documented on the Atlas Obscura website (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/william-blake-mosaics-lambeth):

Not too far from Waterloo Station (basically on the way to the Imperial War Museum by foot), on a couple of streets under a highway overpass, are at least two dozen mosaics based on artwork by William Blake, who spent part of his life in that neighborhood. I most recently visited them in 2024 and was sorry to see that some (far fewer than half) had been tagged by graffiti "artists" who didn't know what they were looking at. An effort is apparently underway to restore them: https://blakesociety.org/blake-mosaics/.

The Atlas Obscura website is a good place to find less-known points of interest. In the past I've also checked out the Spotted by Locals website. Much of what is listed falls in the restaurants/bars category, but there are sightseeing options as well. There's an app you can buy, but you can also just peruse the website: https://www.spottedbylocals.com/london/art-culture/. I see Eltham Palace is listed. It's architecturally very interesting, but quite a trip from central London so probably not the best idea unless you have a lot of time in the city.

London Wetlands Centre is bigger and more interesting than Walthomstow Wetlands.

Monument to the Great Fire of London
https://www.themonument.org.uk/

Old Operating Theater
https://oldoperatingtheatre.com/

Guildhall Art Gallery
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/attractions-museums-entertainment/guildhall-art-gallery

Fulham Palace
https://www.fulhampalace.org/

Sambourne House
https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/museums/sambourne-house

Leighton House
https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/museums/leighton-house

Eltham Palace
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/eltham-palace-and-gardens/

Brompton Oratory
https://www.bromptonoratory.co.uk/

Fitzrovia Chapel
https://www.fitzroviachapel.org/

The Garden Museum, located in a deconsecrated church right by Lambeth Palace and Lambeth Bridge. 10-15minute walk from the Houses of Parliament.

https://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/

ACraven and Cat VH,

I specifically did not list my interests because I was actually quite curious to see what other folks would pick.

Thanks to all who have responded.

I already have more on my list than can be fit into a 10 day stay, so it will be a matter of prioritizing. However many of the places folks have mentioned are going on our "worth considering" list.

I will say that someone mentioned the John Soane museum and that is actually a high priority - we will almost certainly go there.

I have no idea if these are in guidebooks or not but two places we visited and enjoyed that weren't crowded at all, leading me to believe that they aren't typical tourist destinations:

https://arcelormittalorbit.com/whats-on/the-slides/

https://museumofthehome.org.uk/

The William Morris Gallery/Museum is a cool place to see if you’re interested in his designs and his life with many of his Pre-Raphaelite friends.

I like the Courtauld Institute of Art in Somerset House. It is small and contains European art. They have a nice selection of impressionist and post impressionist paintings. I prefer small art museums as they don't overwhelm and usually concentrate on one area of art. Rick does mention it in his guidebooks, but I don't think it is on the usual tourist 'route.'

The Greenwich Observatory is perhaps typically tourist, but IMO isn't recommended strongly enough. It was an extremely significant visit for us, and fascinating on many different levels.

did anybody mention the Dulwich Picture Gallery?

My daughter and I love browsing at Fortnum and Mason. And also Hatchard's Book Store next door.

Most of my favourites are historic homes- sharing my full list below:

-2 Willow Road- former home of the brutalist architect Erno Goldfinger (who designed Trellick Tower)- next to Hampstead Heath
-Apsley House- former home of the Duke of Wellington, includes the china he took from Napoleon
-Benjamin Franklin House- where he lived during his stay in London, near Trafalgar Square
-Charles Dickens Museum- in his former home near Farringdon
-Emery Walker's House- former home of one of the leading members of the Arts and Crafts movement. William Morris' home is nearby but there's not much to see there. If you are a Morris fan, the main site is Red House which is a bit far out of central London
-Freud Museum- Freud's former home, including the famous chaise lounge in his office
-Handel/Hendrix house- a building in Mayfair where both musicians lived (obviously at different times)- main highlight is Jimi Hendrix's room set up as when he lived there- the woman who was his girlfriend at the time helped to ensure accuracy
-Hogarth House- former home of the satirist- mostly interesting for the collection of his drawings
-John Soane's house- architect of the Bank of England, and the man whose design inspired the iconic red phonebox- he loved to collect things and his home is a treasure trove- in Holborn
-Keats House- former home of the poet, in Hampstead
-Leighton House- the main attraction is the Arab Hall- in Holland Park
-Queen's House- stately home in Greenwich, said to be haunted
-Ranger's House- in Greenwich, and includes an art collection
-Samuel Johnson's house- inventor of the English dictionary- in the City
-Sambourne House- former home of cartoonist Linley Sambourne, really well preserved by his grandson who was the ex husband of Princess Margaret- includes a lot of is drawings- in Holland Park area
-Spencer House- former home of the Spencer family (as in Princess Diana)- but sold to the Rothschilds before she was born- beautiful interiors and right by Buckingham Palace
-Strawberry Hill House- very unusual neo Gothic "castle" in Twickenham
-Van Gogh House- this house is rather small, it's where Van Gogh lived for the one year he was in London (and tried unsuccessfully to propose to the landlady's daughter)

For big, stately homes with grounds:
-Chiswick House- Palladian-style villa surrounded by a park in west London
-Ham House- Stuart era mansion on the river in Richmond
-Marble Hill House- former home of George II's mistress, in Richmond
-Osterley Park- designed by Robert Adam, in Osterley (west London)
-Syon House- they do a lot of filming here, so you may recognise some of the interiors- on the river in west London

The Design Museum just off Kensington High Street, right at rhe entrance to Holland Park.

https://designmuseum.org/

Holland Park
Beautiful park including Japanes garden.

I was at both today in my jetlaged state having arrived yesterday.
Been to the park before but not the Museum. Love both of them.

Some great suggestions in this thread.

I'm a wee bit out of touch with the nightlife, but a couple of suggestions for the more adventurous lovers of new music.

Village Underground, Shoreditch. You'll recognise it if you've been around there by the two disused tube train carriages perched on the roof. Evening shows with live music and DJs until 5am weekends.

https://villageunderground.co.uk/events/

The Old Blue Last, Shoreditch. Well known live music pub. Free or cheap almost every night.

https://www.theoldbluelast.com/

Cafe Oto, Dalston. Experimental, improv, electronic music, avant-garde etc. Always something interesting and artful on, even if you've never heard of them.

https://www.cafeoto.co.uk/

Coupe of art things -

LUX, Waterlow Park. The home of artists' moving image in the UK.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/dXGRim1AoTTfkGBdA (Google Maps link - I'm getting a 404 error from their site at the moment)

The Gilbert and George Centre, Spitalfields. A gallery owned by and dedicated to the work of Gilbert and George. They're closed between exhibitions right now.

https://gilbertandgeorgecentre.org/

I haven't seen the London Mithraeum https://www.londonmithraeum.com/ on anybody's list above.

Kinda niche. Roman excavations under and next to Bloomberg HQ in the City of London, with a really neat tidal fountain outside. You go down into the Temple of Mithras, a really well presented bit of archaeology.

Am I the only one here to love it?

Closed Mondays, free, but you need to book, not far ahead. See the website.

Super cool.

Nigel, I've been in the Bloomberg building a number of times. My own office is not far away. I ate at Brigadiers last week. And I had no idea this was in the basement. Thank you for this, what an excellent idea to visit.

On the same theme there is the Roman Amphitheatre at the Guildhall Art Gallery.
I've never been but in another life worked on the construction work for the Art Gallery.
It caused a fair few issues then.
Like many jobs it gets handed over to the following trades, and you never see the finished building. Many of my jobs I've much later made the time to go back later, but that's one to have slipped through the net.

I suppose if you're around there looking at Roman stuff you should see London Wall.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/london-wall/history/

Nigel, when I visited the Mithraem I was a little underwhelmed although I thought it was well done, if that makes sense? It is definitely worth a visit if you have any interest in the romans. I suppose being brought up in Chester I am a bit more blasé than the norm when it comes to Roman remains we’re tripping over the stuff! :-) When my best friend at school worked at Spudulike the potatoes were kept in a Roman bath in the basement until a local archaeologist complained!

I did love the fountain you mentioned though. I’ve just googled it and it’s called Forgotten Streams.
https://www.hiddenhydrology.org/forgotten-streams-cristina-iglesias/

A wonderful reminder of the rivers of London now lost or hidden. I’m not sure the photos really do it justice here.

For those interested in WW II, the Battle of Britain Bunker in Uxbridge (suburban London).

riding the mail train at the Postal Museum

I second the Hunterian. And all of Cat's suggestions (homes).
Dr Johnson's home is my happy place in London.
Turner's house in Richmond is worth a visit, with a lovely garden (if much smaller than when he lived there!).

The Institution of Civil Engineers has a lovely building in a fancy part of London (at 1 Great George St, between Westminster Abbey and St James' Park), with a museum, library, and café open to the public. Once when we were there, the museum had a giant Lego model of a bridge. You can buy engineering-related souvenirs.

I was trip dreaming yesterday and remembered a place to visit on my next trip to London. I have never been to Primrose Hill in the Camden area for the view or visited the Regent Canal area. It is on the top of my wish list right now and I've been to London at least 10 times. If you go to this area, be sure to let me know.

Turner's House was missing from my list above! I haven't actually been yet but we are planning to go later this month. A few other homes I need to add:

-Rainham Hall- small stately home in far east London- it went through many different owners so the rooms are set up for different time periods exploring the lives of some of the people who did live there- from Georgian times to the 1960s

Homes I haven't yet been to due to restricted opening hours:
-Carlyle's House- home of Victorian writers Thomas and Jane Carlyle, only open on Wednesdays
-House of Dreams- artist home- a house which is itself a work of art- you need to get tickets far in advance
-575 Wandsworth Road- another work of art, home of Kenyan poet Khadambi Asalache- this one is only open Wednesdays and Thursdays- you need to book these tickets as soon as they become available

Other homes further out in London:
East
-Danson House
-Hall Place and Gardens
-Eastbury Manor House (National Trust)

West
-Turner's House (home of JWM Turner)
-Boston Manor House

North
-Hill Hall (English Heritage)

South
-The Homewood (National Trust)
-Little Holland House
-Whitehall

Cat, interesting timing with your upcoming visit to Turner's house!

I forgot one – Dennis Severs' House in Spitalfields. You walk through in silence*; limited number of people at one time. The whole house is the way it would have looked in the 1700s. It was like being in a time machine. No docents, explanatory plaques, etc. It was as if the inhabitants (very crowded indeed, up in the attic, too) had just stepped out briefly.

*Oh, I see they have some "relaxed" visits, too, now :-)