London Inspiration: 20 Best Places to be Inspired by Design

Whether you are new to London or a born and bred local, you can always find design inspiration in the British Capital. From internationally renowned museums to hidden corner cafés, the streets are filled with a fascinating clash of past and present—from cutting edge design and the latest fashion to grand architecture and ancient typefaces.

Here we count down our twenty favourite places to find design inspiration in London.

1. Design Museum, Tower Bridge

The first stop is an obvious one — there is always a new exhibition or residency to explore at the Design Museum. Founded in 1989, this local icon is located by the River Thames near Tower Bridge and covers product, industrial, graphic, fashion and architectural design. Perfect. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)


2. DIY Art Market, Hackney

A celebration of London’s independent publishers and emerging artists, the DIY Art Market at the Hackney Flea Market champions originality and oddness. (Image courtesy of PeopleofPrint)

3. Present and Correct, Islington

A stationery lover’s dream that should be visited in person at the Islington store and online through their beautiful instagram feed. (Image credit: On the Grid)

4. V&A Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green

The V&A Museum of Childhood is an excellent hub to explore, full of some awesome examples of vintage packaging and branding.

5. The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, East London

Inspired by the Victorian Wunderkabinetts that refuse to attempt classification or comprehensiveness in their eccentric collection, this cramped and dark wonderland of oddness is sure to inspire.

6. Twenty Twenty One, Islington

A haven for modern product and furniture design, showcasing everything from Marimekko to Sandquist.

7. Maltby Street Market, Bermondsey

Malby Street Markety is a great stop for local food but also a fun place to browse hand-drawn signs and incentive packaging from independent sellers. (Image courtesy of Wanton Flavours)

8. Cartoon Museum, Bloomsbury

One of London’s many odd museums hidden right in the heart of town, The Cartoon Museum houses a fascinating collection of British cartoons and comic art from the 18th century to the present day. (Image courtesy of Art Fund)

9. The Hunterian Museum, Aldwych

The Hunterian Museum boasts a bizarre collection of human and animal body parts—oddly inspiring and refreshingly different!
Image courtesy of Wikipedia

What to read the rest of this list? Read the full article on Creative Boom.

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