Camera Museum
the history of photography, downstairs
A tiny free museum of photographic history hidden below a Bloomsbury cafe, packed with vintage cameras.
Free to visit · Bloomsbury · Holborn · WC1A 1LY
Opening: Tue–Sat, cafe and shop hours · check ahead
Below a small cafe on Museum Street, a few doors from the British Museum, hides a free little museum devoted to the history of the camera. It belongs to a vintage camera shop, and the collection traces photography from early wooden box cameras and brass lenses through to the classic film models that defined the twentieth century.
It is small, you will not need long, but for anyone who loves photography it is a lovely free detour, and the cafe and shop above mean you can easily fold it into a Bloomsbury wander. Proof that some of London's best free corners are hidden in plain sight.
Getting there: On Museum Street near the British Museum, a short walk from Holborn or Tottenham Court Road.
Best time to go: A quiet weekday afternoon, ideally combined with the British Museum round the corner.
Insider tip: Check it is open before you trek over, as the small hours can change. Pair it with the British Museum a minute away, which is free too, for a cheap Bloomsbury afternoon.
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide