Victoria & Albert Museum
Behind the V&A's imposing exterior lie seven floor of treasures, which span the worlds of art, design, photography, theater and textiles. From benign-faced Buddha to a life size automated tiger, architectural drawings to monumental plaster casts of towering ancient columns, the collections are as varied as they are magnificent
Highlights include seven Raphael Cartoons, painted in 1515 as tapestry designs for the Sistine Chapel, and the 16th Century Ardabil Carpet, the world's oldest and possibly most splendid floor covering. Don't miss the stunning collection of Italian Renaissance sculpture in the reworked Medieval & Renaissance Galleries, which include Giambologna's masterful twisting Samson Slaying a Philistine and an entire gallery devoted to Donatello's works.
For advice on how best to negotiate the museum's riches, consult the ever-patient staff, who field a formidable combination of leaflets, gallery floorplans, general knowledge and polite concern and if it all becomes too much, stop for a breather in the magnificent Victorian refreshment rooms.
Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL
(7942 2000, www.vam.ac.uk) South Kensington tube
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