Top Things to Do in Kensington: A Local’s Guide
A few miles west of Central London lies a small district that’s nothing short of a royal treasure chest. Kensington, London, is an area filled with lush gardens, catchy architecture, and cultural attractions. Known for its royal status and commercial atmosphere, Kensington has served as a home to both royalty and superstars, including the famous David Beckham.
If you’re planning a day trip to Kensington or looking to create a larger itinerary around its main destinations, you should read our local guide. We spend weeks navigating the various attractions in the area to help you discover the best things to do in Kensington. Enjoy!
Best Attractions & Things to Do in Kensington
We curated a comprehensive list of must-visit attractions in Kensington. Add as many of them as you can to your itinerary.
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum, London, should be one of your first stops in Kensington if you’re a fan of nature’s gifts. From ancient fossils to strange creatures of the deep sea, there’s a lot to see in this museum.
As soon as you enter the building, you will see one of the museum’s most prized specimens, a large blue whale skeleton nicknamed “Hope.” The curators mounted it as a replacement for the famous “Dippy,” a replica of a Diplodocus dinosaur skeleton. Dippy left its initial resting place to tour various other museums in the country, eventually ending up in Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, in Coventry.
The National History Museum features several galleries, which are organised into four zones: the Green, Blue, Red, and Orange zones. Here’s what you can find in each zone:
- Green: The theme here is our planet’s evolution. Hintze Hall, Creepy Crawlies, Fossils from the UK, and Birds are some of the attractions in this zone. People love to see the thought-provoking model of the dodo, a bird that went extinct hundreds of years ago.
- Blue: You learn about the diversity of life on the planet in this section. It features galleries related to dinosaurs, mammals, marine life, and humans.
- Red: This area is all about the Earth and its ever-changing history. You can see rock specimens in Earth’s Treasury and Lasting Impressions, two of the top galleries in the zone.
- Orange: This easily accessible zone exhibits a theme about science. Its main galleries are called Wildlife Garden, Zoology Spirit Building, and Darwin Centre.
Royal Albert Hall
One of the top things to do in Kensington is to visit the Royal Albert Hall. On the surface, it’s a concert venue, but an in-depth look will reveal its role as a symbol of British culture and history.
With an audience capacity of over 5,000 people, the Royal Albert Hall has hosted some of the world’s biggest performances. The hall has been the venue of BBC Proms, a series of classical music concerts held in the summer, since 1941. This concert series is so popular that people come from all over the world to see it.
If your tastes lie outside of classical music, you can catch rock concerts, jazz nights, live film screenings with orchestras, dance shows, and even sports! Also known as The Nation’s Village Hall, this building hosts sumo wrestling tournaments, UFC events, boxing matches, and stage plays.
Kensington Gardens
Kensington Gardens is one of the best green spaces in London. It merges with St James’s Park, Hyde Park, and Green Park to form what many in London call the “Green Lung.” However, Kensington Gardens’ history, monuments, and attractions set it apart from the other parks.
It was once the private green space of the nearby Kensington Palace. Today, it’s open to the public and serves as a major tourist attraction in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Despite its public status, Kensington Gardens has a more formal structure than your average park, thanks to the strategic use of fences.
Its main monument is a bronze statue of Peter Pan, the beloved fictional character. The statue is placed near the Long Water lake in the gardens, and it features a masterful depiction of tiny fairies, squirrels, and rabbits climbing around Peter Pan. Other monuments at Kensington Gardens include the Italian Garden fountains, the Queen Victoria statue, and the Albert Memorial.
Besides viewing iconic monuments, you can also participate in other activities at the park. Take long walks in the green, join educational tours, try yoga exercises, and explore contemporary artwork.
Kensington High Street
There is no better place to experience the bustling commercial atmosphere of the area than Kensington High Street. Stylish, busy, and full of life, this district is Kensington’s main shopping street and one of the best places to shop in London. Even if you don’t want to spend money, you can still enjoy strolling along the street and watching all kinds of drama unfold.
Several big-name fashion brands, including Zara, Massimo Dutti, Uniqlo, The Kooples, and COS, have stores on Kensington High Street. Hence, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find items that match your taste and budget.
When you’re not shopping on Kensington High Street, you should definitely be eating. Besides upmarket shops, the area also hosts food markets, grocery stores, cafes, and restaurants. For fine dining, visit The Ivy Kensington brasserie or Dishoom. The Whole Foods Market is perfect for those seeking healthy snacks. We recommend Ole & Steen if you want a taste of handmade Danish pastries.
Here’s a fun fact you might love: Kensington High Street is Britain’s musical hub. It’s home to the UK branches of major record labels, including the famous “Big Three”, namely, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sonic Music.
Leighton House Museum
If you view the Leighton House Museum from Holland Park Road, it resembles a Victorian house. However, it has served as a public museum since 1929. Inside, you’ll find a wide variety of art created by iconic English painters, such as Sir Frederic Leighton, George Frederic Watts, and John Everett Millais.
The design and architecture of the entire museum is art on its own. It features stunning halls, marble columns, and exquisite tiles. This is by far the best place to see the works of Leighton, including Clytie, his final piece before his death in 1896.
Don’t forget to visit Arab Hall. There, you will see why it’s the centrepiece of the museum. The ceiling of the hall is painted with stars and patterns that glow. It also has a unique, breathtaking design.
Kensington Palace
Have you ever wondered what life’s like for British royalty? You can find out in Kensington Palace. Located in Kensington Gardens, the palace has been a residence of several members of the Royal Family for more than 300 years. It once housed Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. Lately, Prince William and Princess Kate, who are the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have called Kensington Palace their home.
Outside of the building, tourists often gather to view the red bricks used in its exterior design. You’ll also find a few gardens connecting to the main ones outside of the building. Some of the apartments inside the palace are closed off from visitors; however, there are more than enough public ones to explore. There is also a chapel built into the facility.
The properties of old monarchs who lived at the palace have been converted into exhibit displays. One of the most famous attractions is the Fife Tiara, a piece owned by Princess Louise of Wales, who lived through the early 20th century.
Other art forms on display at Kensington Palace include pieces from the vast Royal Collection and some beautiful paintings. And when you get hungry, you can stop by the visitors’ cafe for a quick bite.
Holland Park
Despite its name, Holland Park is more of a residential area than it is a recreational park. It’s one of the most expensive places to live in London. The atmosphere in the area is peaceful, formal, and uptown. At the centre of the Holland Park area lies a green space of the same name. This public park features several gardens, woodlands, and lush lawns. It’s the perfect place to bask in nature, stroll, or enjoy picnics with friends and family.
Spend your time at the park watching peacocks, dogs, and other animals roaming about. It features several other attractions, including a tennis court, playgrounds, and statues. The Kyoto Garden is one of the top landmarks at the park. It’s a Japanese-style garden created to encourage self-reflection and inner peace. The garden has a stunning waterfall along with a collection of unique fauna.
Holland Park is the largest park in the royal boroughs. It’s also home to the Holland Park Ecology Centre, which is run by the Ecology Service. Through this body, the government offers nature-related educational programmes for school children.
The Design Museum
Even though our list already contains two other museums, we strongly recommend that you make time to explore the Design Museum in Kensington. Unlike the others, it focuses on celebrating human creativity throughout history. The museum showcases various contemporary designs related to sports, family, culture, and science.
It displays both temporary and permanent exhibitions. Each one tells a story of the influence of design on several aspects of mankind’s endeavours. One of its best permanent displays is called Designer Maker User. This exhibition is a collection of over a thousand everyday objects, ranging from plastic chairs and buckets to keyboards and Apple PCs.
Winner of the European Museum of the Year Award in 2018, this establishment operates like a charity organisation because it throws all of its revenue back into curating more exhibitions. Besides ticket sales, the museum makes money by renting out spaces for events and dinners. It also offers educational programmes and workshops that teach people how design shapes the world.
When you feel like taking a break, you can stop by the Design Kitchen. It offers snacks, drinks, and seats that give spectacular views of Holland Park. Another place to eat and drink at the museum is the Design Cafe, located on its ground floor. Like the kitchen, it also offers delicious snacks and drinks. There are a few shops in the building where souvenir enthusiasts can buy unique gifts and design items.
Getting Around Kensington: Transport Tips
You don’t need to rent a car to get around Kensington. The area has a well-connected public transport system, perfect for touring its many museums, parks, and cultural landmarks.
Options
The following are the available transport options:
- Underground trains (AKA The Tube): Kensington has several underground train stations that run through the borough and other major parts of London. The most popular of these stations are High Street Kensington, Gloucester Road, South Kensington, and Earl’s Court.
- Buses: Over 30 bus routes serve the borough and pass through various parts of Kensington. All of these buses and their networks are wheelchair accessible.
- Trains: The main provider of overground train services isthe West London Line, which runs through Kensington (Olympia) and the nearby West Brompton stations.
- Bike: Cycling is a fantastic way to explore Kensington in a more intimate manner. There are many Santander Cycles docking stations in the area, where you can rent a bike.
- By Foot: Many of Kensington’s attractions are within walking distance of each other. You can simply take public transport to a place like Holland Park and visit all of the many nearby attractions.
- Taxi: For private taxi contact DNR Transfer.
Tips
- Secure an Oyster card as soon as you arrive in London. It will make paying for public transport seamless.
- Download TfL Go, the official Transport for London app, for real-time updates on public transport services.
- If you’re travelling with luggage, use stations with step-free access.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Kensington is from late April to early June. During that period, the area has an extended patch of pleasant weather, and you can take full advantage of its gardens, thanks to the high rate of blooming flowers. Most tourists like to visit London in the summer (June to August), so arriving in spring (March to May) may help you avoid the crowds at popular destinations.
Editorial staff at DNR Transfer are experts in UK Transportation.
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