London’s major museums are some of the most visited attractions in the world but its smaller museums

are
also treasure troves of delight, a visit to which will take you off the well-trodden tourist paths.

Leighton House Museum

Open to the public since 1929, the Leighton House Museum in Holland Park, Kensington, was built for one
of the most famous painters of the Victorian age, Frederic, Lord Leighton in 1864. The architect George
Aitchinson was behind its elaborate Orient-inspired interiors, including a sumptuous two-storey Arab Hall,
added in 1879, which looks as though it has been transplanted straight from Morocco. Visitors can explore
Leighton’s painting studio, as well as the permanent collection, which includes work by Millais and Burne-
Jones. 

Dulwich Picture Gallery

This beautiful gallery, situated in leafy Dulwich Village, south-east London, was designed by Regency
architect Sir John Soane and opened in 1817, making it the oldest public art gallery in England. Its Old
Masters collection includes work by Rembrandt, Poussin, Canaletto, Gainsborough and Rubens and is one
of the finest in the country.

Chiswick House
A neo-Palladian villa set amid beautiful parkland in west London, Chiswick House was built in 1729 by the
Earl of Burlington. Visit the William Kent-designed interiors and extensive art collection, including eight
works by Rysbrack, as well as the Italianate classical gardens, which have inspired many others, including
Central Park in New York. Once home to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, she referred to it as “my
earthly paradise”. 

Horniman Museum and Gardens

Founded by Frederick John Horniman in 1901 with the wealth that he inherited from his father’s
Horniman’s Tea business, this south-east London museum houses a gloriously eclectic collection of
anthropological and natural history artefacts. You can expect to see displays of huge stuffed animals, an
aquarium and exhibits of unusual instruments.

Kenwood House
Hampstead Heath in north London is one of the city’s finest and most ancient public green spaces. On its
edges sits Kenwood House. First built in the 17th century, the architect Robert Adam later transformed it
into a fine neoclassical villa for William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield between 1764 and 1779. Now
visitors come to see its art collection, resplendent with paintings by Rembrandt and Vermeer.

2012 слов без пробелов

The article I'm going to give a review of is taken from the magazine Discover Britain. The headline of the
article is «Top 5 off-the-tourist-trail London museums». It is written by one of the authors of this magazine.
The topic of the article is corresponding to its title. The key issue is the description of 5 off-the-tourist-trail
museums.

I’d like to make a few comments on this. I completely agree with the opinion of the author. The largest
museums in London are some of the most visited attractions in the world. However, do not forget about
small and little-known museums. They can also broaden your horizons.

The article under discussion may be divided into several logically connected parts which are an introduction
and a description of 5 museums.

The article begins with a short introduction about well-known and little-known museums. Then the author
describes each museum in turn.

The first museum is the Leighton House Museum. Visitors can explore Leighton's scenic studio as well as
the permanent collection of works by Millet and Burne-Jones.

The second author describes the Dulwich Picture Gallery. His collection of Old Masters includes works by
Rembrandt, Poussin, Canaletto, Gainsborough and Rubens. This is one of the best in the country.

The third museum is Chiswick House. A neo-Palladian style villa located in the middle of a beautiful park in
west London. The Duchess of Devonshire called it “my earthly paradise”.

The fourth museum is Horniman Museum and Gardens. You can expect to see displays with huge stuffed
animals, an aquarium, and exhibits of unusual instruments.

Last, but not least, the author describes Kenwood House. Visitors come to see the art collection of
Rembrandt and Vermeer.

Unfortunately, the author does not draw any conclusions, but we can feel how he admires these little-known
museums. You can see it in every word he writes.

The author resorts to listing with a brief description to structure the information and interest in it. I like to
read structured information, it is easier to understand.

The main idea of the article is to inspire readers to visit not only famous museums, but also little-known
museums. I completely agree with the position of the author. Off-the-tourist-trail museums are also worth
visiting. Off the beaten track, you can enjoy stunning city views and soak up the atmosphere.