London stories
Explore the stories of the world's greatest city and uncover the hidden treasures of our collections.

The River Thames
Dive into stories about the key waterway that shaped – and has been shaped by – London

Frost fairs: Festivities on a frozen River Thames
Trading, feasting and entertainment on ice

Collecting cash at Shakespeare’s plays
Tudor and Stuart theatres may have relied on these single-use money pots

London Dock
The Wapping drop-off point for wine, tobacco, spices and ivory between 1805 and 1968

London’s famous bridges
Bridges have helped Londoners cross the Thames for 2,000 years – here's the best of them


Twickenham’s Eel Pie Island
This little island had a thriving rhythm and blues scene – where the Rolling Stones were residents

Take a tour along the River Thames in the 1930s
An atmospheric trip through lost London riverscapes


Hammersmith Bridge
It’s survived three bombs – and a struggle to keep it standing

The Victoria Cross found in the Thames
When a mudlark recovered Britain’s prestigious medal for valour

West India Docks
These were once the world’s largest docks, built to handle goods from Caribbean slave plantations


Waterloo Bridge
Sometimes called the “ladies’ bridge”, this is a crossing that’s inspired Monet and The Kinks