Brilliant Things To Do In London For Nerds

A hub of brainiacs and a rich history mean there is no shortage of opportunities to nerd out and get intellectual in London. Broaden your knowledge with free lectures and discussion events, or enter the curious museums of preserved biology specimens and Freud’s last house – activities all bookable through Culture Trip.

1. Feast your brain at the Wellcome Collection

Museum

Being Human, the new permanent display at Londons Wellcome Collection includes sections on Genetics, Infection, Minds & Bodies and Environmental Breakdown.

A delightfully weird blend of art and science, the Wellcome Collection revels in interdisciplinary inspiration. From a talk about depictions of death in pop culture to an exhibition on the history of mental asylums, its programming draws connections between everyday life, medicine and the humanities in a way that stimulates the imagination. Plus, the permanent collection of medical curiosities and medically inspired art installations is always worth a peek.

2. Navigate time and space at the Royal Observatory

Building, Museum

The Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London

Drag your favourite astrophysics or engineering nerd out into the sunlight to climb uphill through Greenwich Park to the Royal Observatory. There, you can take a trip back in time to examine the problem that once faced ships at sea: how to determine longitude (without Google Maps). Discover how some of the sharpest minds of the Enlightenment raced to find the solution to this ship-wrecking problem. Afterwards, experience whizzing through space in an immersive Planetarium show.

3. Feed your thirst for knowledge at a free lecture

School

Sir Thomas Greshams grasshopper motif in Lombard Street in the city of London. Image shot 1990. Exact date unknown.

A thirst for knowledge is always cool. That’s where Gresham College comes in – there are no students here, it’s entirely dedicated to a programme of 140 annual lectures, all free and open to the public. From big ideas, such as the future of our oceans, to niche topics, like where mathematical symbols originate from, browsing the subjects on offer might just spark a keen fascination you never saw coming.

5. Have a covert rendezvous at the Southbank Centre Book Market

Market

Southbank Centre, London, United Kingdom - clem-onojeghuo-RLJnH4Mt9A0-unsplash

A fixture of South Bank since the 1980s, the trestle tables of second-hand books, maps and prints is an incongruous sight beneath Waterloo Bridge. But this beloved market, now one of the last open-air book fairs in the UK, is as popular as ever. Open daily, you’ll find an eclectic mix of reads, ranging from Penguin Classics to beautifully illustrated children’s books.

6. Creep yourself out at the Hunterian Museum

Museum

Over 3,000 pickled organs and other bodily specimens (human and otherwise) grace the shelves of Holborn‘s Hunterian Museum. The 3,500-piece, 18th-century collection belonged to the forefather of scientific surgery, John Hunter (1728-1793). Macabre and fascinating, displays include the skeleton of 2.3m (7ft 7in) “giant” Charles Byrne and teeth from soldiers who died at the battle of Waterloo. The building is currently undergoing a multi-million-pound renovation, due to reopen in 2023.

7. Fire your creative synapses at Wilton’s Music Hall

Cinema, Concert Hall, Music Venue, Theater, Theatre

Wiltons Music Hall, Graces Alley (off Ensign Street), London, E1 8JB, U.K.Wiltons Music Hall is a Grade II listed building in Shadwell, built as a

If the prospect of exploring the “oldest grand music hall in the world” isn’t enough enticement to visit Wilton’s Music Hall, its cultural offerings should be. Aside from live music, the hall also hosts themed story-telling nights, shows – such as a mischievous abridged rendition of Shakespeare – and regular writers’ groups. There are also two bars attached, giving you a chance to soften your sharp but neurotic intellect with a little liquid courage.

8. Sip complex cocktails at Oriole

Bar, Cocktail Bar, Market, European

Do you call bartenders “mixologists” and know the molecular science behind every spirit? Tucked inside Smithfield Market is a drinking den that has your name on it. Oriole, a cocktail bar run by the folk behind the popular Nightjar, is a showcase of ingenious flavour combinations and unusual ingredients (durian fruit, anyone?), all with a British Empire theme. Taste-science nerds will thrill at the opportunity to guess the exotic ingredients and discover flavour-building techniques.

9. Google it, literally

Building

Think you’ve got the next great start-up idea? Bounce it off like-minded people at open networking and skills events (including introductory classes, hackathons, and industry talks) inside Campus London, a sort of community centre for techies and local entrepreneurs, set up by none other than everything-behemoth Google. It’s members-only here, but registration is free, and visiting may lead to finding a business partner – or simply inspiration for the next big idea.

10. Talk aperture and shutter speed at the Camera Museum

Museum

Gearhead nerds will love the teensy Camera Museum, a digestible lunch break treat where you can explore camera equipment from the 1800s through to the present day. The museum also sells specialty cameras (such as Hasselblad and Rolleiflex) and does repairs, so get ready to geek out with the staff. Afterwards, plonk down at the great on-site café for a panini or soup.

11. Stick your nose in a book, socially

Bookstore, Store

Interior view of the new Foyles flagship bookshop in Charing Cross Road, London

Let your inner literary geek flourish at one of London’s open book clubs. A centrally located option is Foyles book shop on Charing Cross Road, where once a month the public and staff unite to dissect a selected read. It’s both a great way to meet fellow bookworms in one of the world’s most literary cities and a good excuse to read a novel instead of whatever you’re supposed to be reading for work or school.

12. Test your Turing at Bletchley Park

Park

Ok, so it’s not strictly in London, but a 34-minute journey on the train from Euston will deliver you at Bletchley station, a five-minute stroll from Bletchley Park. Once the top-secret location of the World War II codebreakers, this is your chance to project your inner Alan Turing and pay homage to the wartime contribution of some of history’s biggest logicians.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.