Museums & Arts · Our pick in London
Design Museum
Design under a sweeping roof
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Ardfern · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Design Museum
The Design Museum moved in 2016 into the former Commonwealth Institute on Kensington High Street, a 1960s building with a dramatic, sweeping copper-covered roof. It shows contemporary design, fashion and architecture, with a permanent collection display and changing exhibitions. High Street Kensington station is about ten minutes’ walk away, and Holland Park is next door. The shop and café are worth a visit even between exhibitions.
Why it's on our list
- Contemporary design
- Landmark roof
- Kensington High Street
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Design Museum before you go.
Hotels nearby
The closest hotels in our guide to Design Museum, as the crow flies.
- The Baglioni Hotel London0.7 mi14 min walk
What’s nearby
Distances from Design Museum are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations
- High Street KensingtonCircleDistrict0.3 mi7 min walk
- Kensington (Olympia)DistrictMildmay lineNational Rail0.4 mi9 min walk
- Holland ParkCentral0.6 mi11 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Uxbridge Road0.9 mi18 min walk
Black cabs can also be hailed in the street: a lit yellow TAXI sign means the cab is available.
Key sights
- Harrods1.6 miWalk 32 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 15 min
- Buckingham Palace2.5 miCycle 16 minCar or taxi 21 min
- Leicester Square3.1 miCycle 20 minCar or taxi 26 min
- Westminster Abbey3.1 miCycle 20 minCar or taxi 26 min
- Trafalgar Square3.2 miCycle 20 minCar or taxi 26 min
- The British Museum3.4 miCycle 22 minCar or taxi 28 min
- Covent Garden3.4 miCycle 22 minCar or taxi 29 min
- London Eye3.5 miCycle 22 minCar or taxi 29 min
- The Shard4.9 miCycle 32 minCar or taxi 39 min
- Tower of London5.4 miCycle 35 minCar or taxi 43 min
Main rail terminals
- Paddington1.5 miWalk 31 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 14 min
- Victoria2.5 miCycle 16 minCar or taxi 21 min
- Charing Cross3.2 miCycle 21 minCar or taxi 27 min
- Euston3.5 miCycle 22 minCar or taxi 29 min
- Waterloo3.7 miCycle 24 minCar or taxi 31 min
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)3.9 miCycle 25 minCar or taxi 32 min
- King’s Cross St Pancras3.9 miCycle 25 minCar or taxi 32 min
- London Bridge5.0 miCycle 32 minCar or taxi 40 min
- Liverpool Street5.2 miCycle 34 minCar or taxi 42 min