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While everyone is familiar with the British, Victoria & Albert, and the Natural History Museums, London offers a wide range of lesser-known museums to educate and entertain holidaymakers looking for something off the beaten path.

Families with children will especially enjoy the Cartoon Museum, celebrating the art and whimsy of comics, cartoons and caricatures with a distinctly British flavour. The Heneage Library is located within the museum, and contains over 6,000 comics and 5,000 books in its collection; over 1,500 cartoons, comics, and caricatures are held by the museum itself and available for display. Frequent exhibitions showcase the works of a particular artist or cartoons devoted to a specific theme. The Cartoon Museum is closed on Mondays, and requires a fee for admission.

Aspiring prestidigitators of all ages will enjoy a trip to the Centre for the Magic Arts, also known as the Magic Circle Museum. Tours are available by appointment only, or by attending the regular Meet the Magic Circle event held twice a month, usually on Tuesday evenings. The Centre boasts the most extensive collection of magic books in Europe, and displays magical devices, memorabilia, posters, and other historic items from magic’s history. Guided tours of the museum are available by previous appointment, and feature handcuffs used by Harry Houdini along with other historic magical props and paraphernalia.

The Freud Museum proudly displays the original couch used by Sigmund Freud for his psychoanalysis. Occupying the former home of Dr. Freud himself, the museum contains Freud’s books, study, and collection of rare antiquities from Greece, Rome, and Egypt. Films depicting his family life are shown during most tours. The beautifully-preserved home offers a unique look into the private life of the father of modern psychoanalysis, and is a must-see for amateur psychologists and history buffs alike. The museum is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and requires a fee for admission.

Conspiracy buffs will enjoy the Library and Museum of Freemasonry, one of the most extensive collections of Masonic literature and memorabilia in the world. Photographs, jewels, and Freemason regalia are on display at the museum, including some items belonging to Winston Churchill. The library houses a near-comprehensive catalogue of English books on Freemasonry, and genealogical information is also available for family members of past Freemasons. The Library and Museum are open to the public Monday through Friday; admission is free of charge.

A tribute to the consumer lifestyle, the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising offers an extensive collection spanning British advertising and packaging from the Victorian era to the present day. Various exhibitions highlight advertising themes and trends, with an emphasis on the historical aspects of advertising and branding. The museum is closed Mondays, and requires a fee for admission.

Many of these quirky museums are within walking distance of some of the best hotels in London, so sightseers can easily incorporate some of the more obscure delights of London history into their holiday plans.

Roo Sadegi is a travel writer based in London’s East End, although he spends much of his time travelling around Europe’s travel hotspots.