Garden Museum

“Housed in St Mary’s Church, Lambeth is a the wonderful Garden Museum and Cafe. Specific exhibitions curated throughout the year. Good facilities for children, craft/drawing table, small ‘home’ play area, high chairs in cafe. The Garden Cafe menu looked great (see photos) and although we didn’t eat, we did sample the biscuits baked on the premises (choc chip and ginger/oat ‘Parkin’ biscuits) which were absolutely delicious! A crisp bite on the outside, soft but not too gooey or sweet inside. We will definitely return for lunch next time we visit for a further exhibition. Facilities were spotless and a small shop sells books, cards and small gardening tools, twine etc. Well worth the climb of 131 steps to a viewing platform with fantastic views over London (see photos) is an added bonus. The steps are uneven, tightly packed and circular with barely any passing space and no resting places, therefore may not be suitable or comfortable for some. Allow a morning or afternoon to do it justice.”

“The tower is closed. They are trying to fundraise to reopen. The museum is worth visiting. The Rory McEwen exhibit was beautiful and touching. Make sure to visit the cafe. We were able to book a table online after being told they were fully booked.”

“A beatiful interactive exhibition including de Gournay hand painted wallpaper for a temporary exhibition and Cecil Beaton's Oscar award, I enjoyed learning about the grand old tradition of English gardens and gardening. Loved playing with the garden game upstairs as well! Thank you”

“The Garden Museum was a letdown. The nave itself is pleasant and free to walk through, which is probably the highlight. But paying to see a handful of gardening tools and photo displays felt overpriced and underwhelming. We grabbed a takeaway coffee, and the service matched the vibe—indifferent. The waitress barely looked up and just pointed, saying “stand over there.” Not exactly welcoming. The biggest disappointment, though, was the gardens. For a place with “garden” in its name, you’d expect something well-kept or at least interesting. Instead, they looked neglected—I’d be surprised if there’s a groundskeeper at all. All in all, it’s a pass unless you’re just ducking in for a quiet moment in the nave.”