Wellcome Collection
Wellcome Collection
4.5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Wellcome Collection is a free museum and library exploring health and human experience, in Euston. We offer a changing programme of free exhibitions, free public events, a vibrant café and shop, and museum and library collections. Our galleries are closed on Mondays, however the library café and shop are open from 10.00-18.00. The café and shop are open daily.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Bloomsbury
Snuggly nestled within Central London is academic and leafy Bloomsbury, an area that boasts walking distance access to many of London's most popular attractions. It is also home to some of Britain's most celebrated museums, including the must-see British Museum. Despite an understandable popularity with students, tourists and day trippers, vast sections of Bloomsbury retain a quiet, residential feel year round and throughout the week.
How to get there
- Euston Square • 2 min walk
- London Euston • 3 min walk
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4.5
1,038 reviews
Excellent
605
Very good
309
Average
77
Poor
18
Terrible
30
Peej M
Oxford, UK303 contributions
Sept 2022
Seems to be the theme for our most recent visit to London but the 'free' exhibitions at the Wellcome Collection were a bit light on content. Aside from some stunning paintings and a few odds and ends, the public gallery felt like it wasted a lot of potential.
The collections and special galleries were OK and the themes were topical and relevant but probably wouldn't suit everyone. But at least we got the opportunity to embarrass our teenage daughter by commenting on some of the more - colourful - exhibits.
The venue itself was at least comfortable and easy to get around. The cafe (Benugo) was very expensive and a bit lacking in choice and options but we managed to get a couple of paninis and their cakes are at least good.
One last thing, never visit if you want a nice quiet walk around when there are a bunch of noisy self-important med students being shown round :)
The collections and special galleries were OK and the themes were topical and relevant but probably wouldn't suit everyone. But at least we got the opportunity to embarrass our teenage daughter by commenting on some of the more - colourful - exhibits.
The venue itself was at least comfortable and easy to get around. The cafe (Benugo) was very expensive and a bit lacking in choice and options but we managed to get a couple of paninis and their cakes are at least good.
One last thing, never visit if you want a nice quiet walk around when there are a bunch of noisy self-important med students being shown round :)
Written 7 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MPOT
Norwich, UK396 contributions
Feb 2020
The 'Being Human' and 'Medical Man' exhibitions (which I believe are permanent) had me gripped and were often thought provoking. The exhibits were also explained in an interesting way (which some museums seem to struggle with).
Medical man has a wide variety of artifacts and items of art relating to all things medical and relating to the body. Being Human is a collection of mostly art that represents different aspects of vulnerability and well - being human.
Medical man has a wide variety of artifacts and items of art relating to all things medical and relating to the body. Being Human is a collection of mostly art that represents different aspects of vulnerability and well - being human.
Written 22 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steven B
Uxbridge, UK484 contributions
Nov 2019
I took a date to the Wellcome Collection to see the ‘Play Well’ exhibition. It was our first date and the first time I’d visited the museum and I had high hopes for both but unfortunately I was disappointed on both counts.
The exhibit intended to show how play shapes childhood and society and there were displays of historic toys and games, a video, and a ‘LARP’, or live action role-play. However, none of it inspired any excitement or wonder: the LARP was abandoned, the video was dull, and the displays were so sparse that most of the cabinets looked empty. My date was a child psychiatrist and she got a bit more out of it than I did, probably because she was in the business, but to a layman with no specific interest in the topic, the exhibit was insipid and it struck me as ironic that an exhibition about play was neither fun nor playful at all.
I was more pleased with the venue. The Wellcome Building’s façade is grand and impressive, with neoclassical columns and pediment. This contrasts with a very modern interior, which includes the exhibition area, a large gift shop, café and unisex toilets. Even though it’s large inside, it is very well-organised and easy to find your way around. The coffee is good and, if I’m honest, I found the gift shop more enjoyable than the exhibition because there were lots of interesting books and objects to browse and buy.
As with the exhibition, there was no spark between me and my date either and I didn’t see her a second time. However, I would return to the Wellcome Collection a second time because the venue is good, I just need to see a better exhibition.
The exhibit intended to show how play shapes childhood and society and there were displays of historic toys and games, a video, and a ‘LARP’, or live action role-play. However, none of it inspired any excitement or wonder: the LARP was abandoned, the video was dull, and the displays were so sparse that most of the cabinets looked empty. My date was a child psychiatrist and she got a bit more out of it than I did, probably because she was in the business, but to a layman with no specific interest in the topic, the exhibit was insipid and it struck me as ironic that an exhibition about play was neither fun nor playful at all.
I was more pleased with the venue. The Wellcome Building’s façade is grand and impressive, with neoclassical columns and pediment. This contrasts with a very modern interior, which includes the exhibition area, a large gift shop, café and unisex toilets. Even though it’s large inside, it is very well-organised and easy to find your way around. The coffee is good and, if I’m honest, I found the gift shop more enjoyable than the exhibition because there were lots of interesting books and objects to browse and buy.
As with the exhibition, there was no spark between me and my date either and I didn’t see her a second time. However, I would return to the Wellcome Collection a second time because the venue is good, I just need to see a better exhibition.
Written 3 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike J
Luton, UK73 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
This free venue hosts a variety of exhibitions we went to the Joy Exhibition And the Reading Room. The exhibition was interesting moving from defining joy chemically with dance into other areas. We had a good 40 minutes before enjoying the interactive installation at the end of the exhibition.
Then onto the peaceable and beautiful reading room.
Then onto the peaceable and beautiful reading room.
Written 4 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Abovetheclouds
2,241 contributions
Jul 2021 • Solo
This has always been one of my favourite museums. The exhibitions are free. It's different to other museums, like an educational journey. Well laid out. Some exhibitions are long standing and others are rotated so there is always something new to see. There is a nice reading room on the top floor where you can grab a seat, read, learn and relax. Staff are always very friendly. Clean and well laid out. With the pandemic, you need to book a ticket prior to coming even though it is free. This is so they can manage numbers. On the entrance level, there is a cafe and museum shop. On the top floor, they have a restaurant. Closed at present given the pandemic. They often have good events and lectures (some you need to pay for) and late night Thursday. Hopefully they will bring this back post C-19.
Written 8 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
futtock21
London, UK17,235 contributions
Jun 2021 • Solo
Medicine Man’s exhibition still has pride of place on the second floor but he is now joined by a couple of explorations as to what it means to be human. The first called Tranquility featuring an amusing critique of the wellness industry by Jasleen Kaur before studies in medieval well-being before immersing the visitor in a rain forest. The second called Joy including uplifting videos of humans uplifting with emotion, playful drawings and an assemblage of semaphore poles. This takes the visitor directly into a gallery posing the question what is it like to be human now featuring colourfully sexy body adornment huge illuminating, anatomical models and even a couple of gas cylinders. The downstairs cafe was in full swing but the shelves of the bookshop has been denuded of books.
Written 24 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
J-thang
United Kingdom2 contributions
Jul 2021
I had passed this often for years, always wanted to go in and explore but was always too busy when I was in town.
Well we finally got the time and went; expecting to see some interesting artefacts and read/hear a few stories about the history of medicine (etc) from Wellcome’s unique collection.
Instead I saw large tracts of space filled with illuminated photos of forests, photos of folk dancing, spacemen models made from rubbish etc. Quite frankly all a bit ‘1990s pretentious art gallery’; yawn.
Some interesting articles , on bio-hacking for instance were rather alarmist, sensationalist and in the end factually inaccurate. Has the smell of poor journalism about it to be honest, more like internet click-bait than a trusted collection.
I did, however like the exploration of diversity and culture but I thought it missed an opportunity to explore the positive impact and contribution that all cultures and peoples have made to healthcare and medicine worldwide, as well as how we are all facing the challenges of the future, together.
On reflection I feel that the curators have taken a massive and unique collection and shoved it into storage in favour of hackneyed old ‘installation’ art that had its proper last gasp 20 years ago.
In short a waste of time. Far better art experiences (and far far better celebration of everyones contribution to a caring and healthy society) to be had elsewhere.
Well we finally got the time and went; expecting to see some interesting artefacts and read/hear a few stories about the history of medicine (etc) from Wellcome’s unique collection.
Instead I saw large tracts of space filled with illuminated photos of forests, photos of folk dancing, spacemen models made from rubbish etc. Quite frankly all a bit ‘1990s pretentious art gallery’; yawn.
Some interesting articles , on bio-hacking for instance were rather alarmist, sensationalist and in the end factually inaccurate. Has the smell of poor journalism about it to be honest, more like internet click-bait than a trusted collection.
I did, however like the exploration of diversity and culture but I thought it missed an opportunity to explore the positive impact and contribution that all cultures and peoples have made to healthcare and medicine worldwide, as well as how we are all facing the challenges of the future, together.
On reflection I feel that the curators have taken a massive and unique collection and shoved it into storage in favour of hackneyed old ‘installation’ art that had its proper last gasp 20 years ago.
In short a waste of time. Far better art experiences (and far far better celebration of everyones contribution to a caring and healthy society) to be had elsewhere.
Written 16 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mccPreston
Preston78 contributions
Aug 2021
Found the whole thing disappointing. The Tranquility exhibition was mainly blow up photos of trees in a very dark area. It would have been much better if there had been some seating in there.
The Joy exhibition looked as though it had been put together by primary school children or a high school art department. Medicine Man had one or two interesting exhibits but does not compare to the Hunterian Museum. It was a complete waste of time.
The Joy exhibition looked as though it had been put together by primary school children or a high school art department. Medicine Man had one or two interesting exhibits but does not compare to the Hunterian Museum. It was a complete waste of time.
Written 27 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lily
Acton, UK2 contributions
Nov 2021
Went to see the tranquility/Joy exhibition and I genuinely felt calm and joyful in those spaces! See a lot of people complaining about the content on display and it being too arty... honestly find that confusing because isn't that exactly what art is, subjective and not tailored to everyone.... I didn't like everything on display but I don't think that detracts from the overall experience in anyway as I don't go to an exhibition expecting that everything will have value to me.
Anyway, I liked it a lot and have no complaints
Anyway, I liked it a lot and have no complaints
Written 18 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maps829015
1 contribution
Nov 2022
Another case of cultural vandalism. They've stripped out the majority of exhibits in the permanent exhibition that gave hours of interest over many visits and replaced with empty spaces featuring "art works" one at least of which was blatantly pornographic and completely unsuitable for children.
I do not wish to be lectured at by museums, it is their role to preserve and display their collections, not to board various politically inspired bandwagons.
I will not be visiting again any time soon.
I do not wish to be lectured at by museums, it is their role to preserve and display their collections, not to board various politically inspired bandwagons.
I will not be visiting again any time soon.
Written 30 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have six children, aged between 13 & 5. Would you recommend. (Children are excellently behaved. Parents less so).
Written 2 April 2018
I agree although I think the Museum of London would also be worth a visit as it has a lot of small interactive exhibitions perfect for keeping a range of ages entertained.
Written 3 April 2018
I would say 2 hours. There is a well stocked book store, as good as Foyles, ans an excellent restaurant which has an emphasis on fruit and vegetable- based meals.
Written 9 January 2018
I would allow 2-3 hours at minimum - tack on another hour for lunch and gift shop. We found some amazing things in their design gift shop that made the stop even more worthwhile.
Written 9 January 2018
What is access like to the reading room?
Written 6 August 2017
Sorry we didn't go into the reading room.
Written 7 August 2017
Anything important I should know before going?
Written 6 August 2017
The cafe is good but can be busy. If you want to combine two sights in one part of London, The British Library is only a few hundred yards away, and their special exhibitions are usually pretty good.
Written 7 August 2017
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