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Things to do in the Knowledge Quarter

From Regent’s Park to Bloomsbury Theatre and Wellcome Collection

The Knowledge Quarter unites 22 museums and galleries, science institutes, eight universities and more all based around King’s Cross, the Euston Road and Bloomsbury.

It’s an incredible area of London offering fun and inspiring days out to explore with friends, children and family

Discover the best of London Zoo, Regent’s Park, the Bloomsbury Theatre, the Royal Academy of Music Museum, the Grant Museum of Zoology and the Wellcome Collection while Regent’s Place – with its welcoming mix of bars, cafes, a theatre and pedestrianised open space – is the perfect pit stop of breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffees and takeouts for picnics. 

Book your tickets to London Zoo 

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) manages London Zoo and is home to over 20,000 animals from playful penguins to lions (they can be hard to spot), bugs, reptiles, monkeys who like rifling through your backpack and nocturnal animals (you can stand under a sleeping sloth). They’ve created easy-to-follow colour-coded routes around the park and there are plenty of places to rest, play and enjoy food, coffees and ice creams. Escaping without buying a ZSL fluffy toy is impossible. 

Download a map and book tickets

Take a walk around glorious Regent’s Park

With a boating lake, rose garden, wild walks, surprising statues, an open-air theatre and Primrose Hill, Regent’s Park is one of the most wonderful parks in London to explore all year round.

You can take in the whole park via a circular route of four miles which takes about two hours to complete (we recommend starting Marylebone Road next to Great Portland Street tube, then heading clockwise round the park so you pass the boating lake, bandstand, spot zebra, okapi and giraffes over the fence in London Zoo, head up to Primrose Hill then back down to your starting point). You can then head to Regent’s Place for lunch or dinner at The Union or Refinery or grab some takeaway and sit in the sunshine. 

Download a printable map here

Discover Regent’s Park playgrounds

There are five playgrounds in Regent’s Park (however the Hanover Gate playground to the west of the park is currently closed). With swings, sandpits, climbing frames and more, they are brilliant places for active and imaginative play. Buy coffee and take a seat. 

Find out more here

Books shows at the New Diorama

An 80-seater theatre at Regent’s Place, the New Diorama is home to breakout productions which highlight local talent and the UK’s leading independent theatre companies and ensembles. With productions for all ages, discover what’s on now. 

Wonder at the Wellcome Collection

With easy accessibility, the Wellcome Collection’s collections and exhibitions are a must-visit in London. Their permanent Medicine Man exhibition features jaw-dropping objects collected from history while Being Human presents what it’s like to be human in the 21st century. They also have a brilliant bookshop and delicious cake. Discover what’s on now.  

The Grant Museum of Zoology

Open to the public and free to visit, UCL’s Grant Museum of Zoology is one of the oldest natural history collections in the UK with everything from dodo bones to the Micrarium which features 2,323 tiny specimens on microscopic slides. A rare quagga skeleton (one of only seven in the world) and a jar of moles (yes, you read that correctly) makes this an unforgettable place to visit. Plan your trip. 

Book the Bloomsbury Theatre

With a 70-seat studio that’s ideal for comedy, standup, music and spoken word, the Bloomsbury Theatre is a gem of a place to visit and part of UCL. From jazz to the student Chortle awards via podcast recordings, it is home to established names and upcoming talent. Find out upcoming shows. 

Visit the Royal Academy of Music Museum

The Academy’s museum is open to the public with displays including stringed instruments by Stradivari and the Amati family, composers’ manuscripts including Purcell’s The Fairy Queen and Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis with scores and memorabilia that belonged to significant figures from the world of music. Find out more here about opening times and special events. 

Where to stay

Located next to Albany Street, the Art Deco Melia White House us one of London’s best hotels to explore the Knowledge Quarter. Run by Spanish brand, Sol Melia, it has a very Mediterranean welcome. Other hotels near Regent’s Place include Radisson Blu Edwardian Grafton Hotel, Holiday Inn Regent’s Park and hub by Premier Inn. 

Getting here

The Knowledge Quarter and Regent’s Place sit beside a number of London underground and national rail stations including Great Portland Street, Warren Street, Regent’s Park, Euston Square, Euston, Baker Street and King’s Cross St Pancras. 

Plan your journey here

Directions to Regent’s Place. For all the latest news follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Plus sign up to the Regent’s Place newsletter for special offers and the latest unmissable events. 

Last updated Sunday 8 October, 2023