Eight Great London Art Collections

Kenwood House is the complete package: big-name collection, architecturally marvelous, and blessed with a killer view of the London skyline. The Scottish neo-classicist Robert Adam re-designed this quiet suburban villa in the 18th century and thanks to him it has been featured in many a movie (Notting Hill, 101 Dalmatians). Vermeers, Rembrandts, Turners and Gainsboroughs battle for supremacy indoors, but the vibrant red color scheme of the Great Room surely deserves the biggest “wow”. The picturesque lakeside parklands pull a few surprises, too: Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth sculptures alongside the occasional real-life artist utilizing the inspirational scenery. A stroll is therefore mandatory. The meals at the courtyard Brew House Cafe are clearly popular, the locals come by the dozen. But don't worry, it doesn't get too busy, even on weekends. Leave the car at home, though, parking is limited. Overall, a couple of hours well spent in the morning, leaving the afternoon free for exploring the  trendy Hampstead area. Well done to The English Heritage for doing such a top job of maintaining the house.

This is one of London's best kept secrets. Not unlike The National Gallery, but much smaller, more intimate and thankfully without the throng of humanity. A total of 28 rooms and 5,500 artworks—far too many to be seen in one go, so plan for a second visit and make sure you take advantage of the free tours that occur almost daily. The overall feeling is French: sculptures, Boulle furniture, Sèvres porcelain, and oodles of 17th and 18th century objets d'art. There are also a variety of temporary exhibitions, medieval and Renaissance armor (some of which you can try on) and paintings by masters including Velàzquez, Reynolds, Delacroix and Van Dyck (don't miss The Laughing Cavalier by Hals). £10m has been spent on this magnificent Edwardian mansion in recent years. The result? New galleries and a new restaurant, overseen by Oliver Peyton who also runs the dining experiences at The National, ICA and Fulham Palace. The Wallace Restaurant is dramatically lit by a spectacular glass atrium. The menu is (not surprisingly) French, but the service can be a bit hit-and-miss.

This is the UK's only museum dedicated solely to Italian art. Housed in a Grade II heritage listed restored Georgian villa, this collection of Italian paintings, drawings, etchings and sculptures is small but outstanding. Six galleries contain some temporary exhibits, but the nucleus of the permanent work rests with early 20th century Futurists Balla, Boccioni, Carrá, Serverini and Russolo. There are works by other artists that are worth a peak, especially Modigliani's Retrato del doctor François Brabander. If you're an Italo-art fan, the library is worth checking out (by appointment only though). The museum has a good bookshop, and the garden cafe is perfect for al fresco lunches during the summer months. If the weather is less clement, head to The Marquess Tavern, just round the corner on Canonbury Street; it appears regularly on British Gastropub of the Year lists, and is reputed to serve the best roast beef in England.

A large and impressive collection of 17th and 18th century European masters: Rubens, Rembrandt, Canaletto, Van Dyck, Cuyp, Gainsborough, Raphael, Reynolds and Hogarth, among the stellar line-up. The Victorian architect, Sir John Soane, designed it as the world's first purpose-built public art gallery. There are a handful of temporary exhibits each year, but these pale in comparison to the permanent collections. The gallery is not far from the vibrant, up-and-coming Dulwich village, home to several good dining choices like the mod-Euro Beauberry House or high-end Rosendale "gastropub". The gallery cafe is less inspiring, and probably only good for lighter lunches and chocolate cake. A good time to visit the gallery is on the evening of the third Thursday of every month, when it stays open late for films, music, art activities and curator talks. Check the website for details.

Probably the most worthy collection of Scottish art outside of Scotland itself, this is like visiting the National Gallery of Scotland without flying to Edinburgh. Scottish artists are notoriously overlooked in most of London's major galleries, and the Fleming Collection attempts to redress the balance. Originally a private corporate collection, dating back more than 40 years, The Fleming Collection went public in 2002. Its oils, watercolors and sculptures date extend from the late 1700s right up to the present day, and include a substantial clan of Scotland's best artists: George Henry, John Lavery, Samuel John Peploe, Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell, William Gillies and Sir William McTaggart. In addition to the permanent showcases, the museum holds up to four Scottish-themed temporary exhibits every year. Check out the American-style brasserie Automat, only a few hundred yards around the corner.

Unless you're a fan of the De Morgans—William and Evelyn—this might be too much of a trek. As it's in Wandsworth, south-west London, you might need a secondary reason for venturing so far: the Michelin-star restaurant Chez Bruce, on Wandsworth Common, should suffice. The De Morgan Centre for the Study of 19th Century Art and Society, to give it its full name, has been open since 2002, and permanently shows works by the revered Victorian couple, aside from the occasional program of contemporary artists. William's ceramics have been seen in the British Museum and the Victoria & Albert; Evelyn's paintings are an obsession with color. Enough to lure you? The building itself is a former reference library built to celebrate Queen Victoria's jubilee, and has a striking wood-paneled ceiling. The gallery is only open four days each week.

If you're not invited to tea with the Queen, this is the next best thing, a peek into the parts of the Royal Collection that don't have a permanent home in Buckingham Palace or the other official residences. The Queen's Gallery can hold only 400 of the complete collection's 9,000 pieces, so how does one select from 500 years of royal treasures when the venue is so small? The answer: regular rotation and themed exhibits. The former is shared with locations such as Windsor Castle and Clarence House, while the latter is usually guest-curated; Sir David Attenborough recently gathered works involving the world of nature. Some might feel a bit chagrined at paying the sizable entrance fee for seeing only part of the wider collection but what you're buying into here is a wealth of quality and depth—paintings, ceramics, furniture, sculpture, jewelry, drawings and lots of Old Masters. The Queen's Gallery shop has lots of fun (if a little tacky) souvenirs, and The Royal Mews is next door. It's as close as you'll get to the palace without an invitation.

One of the most imposing and popular cultural institutions in London, Somerset House is actually two galleries in one. Positioned poetically between the calm waters of the Thames and the hustle and bustle of London's Strand, this grand palatial Neoclassical building is a drawcard in itself, but the galleries are equally impressive. The first, and more famous, is the Courtauld Institute of Art Gallery, which includes Impressionists like Monet and Gauguin as well as 20th century icons, such as Matisse. It also boasts Van Gogh's inconic Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear. Just across the fabulous courtyard and beneath the vaulted arches is the new Embankment Galleries, which aims to bring a more contemporary flavour to the equation with art ranging from fashion and design to photography and architecture.