Our 13 Favourite Museum Visits Around the World

1.Kyoto: Tea Museum Tickets and Matcha Grinding Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 739 reviews · 1 hour · from $23Our pick

At Chazuna in Uji, an English-speaking instructor guides you through tea history, tencha grinding, and matcha preparation. You will whisk and drink your own tea, then explore interactive museum displays. Instructors including Hideko and Keiko have been praised for warm, funny teaching, while the museum adds useful context.

“The women guiding us through the Matcha experience were very warm and welcoming. From interesting facts about Matcha production to taking pictures of the participants and explaining everything in detail this was a thoroughly great and enjoyable experience we would always come back to and warmly recommend to everyone.”

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2.Afternoon Tea at the British Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 511 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $58

Spend 90 minutes at the British Museum’s Great Court Restaurant with finger sandwiches, handmade cakes, pastries, and scones with clotted cream and jam. Choose organic loose leaf or flowering tea, such as Rising Flower or Jasmine Fairies. Museum entry is included, and you can add Prosecco. Book ahead and allow time to find the restaurant.

“Excellent. . Wide selection including sandwiches, scones & cakes with a choice of teas & coffees. . We were served as soon as we sat down & it all felt very special with lovely matching China. Bought as a treat for a friends birthday. . Highly recommend.”

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3.Private Abu Dhabi Sheikh zayed mosque with Louver Museum & Emirates Place Tea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 173 reviews · from $200Top rated

You’ll visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi, and Emirates Palace on a private 8-hour outing from Dubai. Hotel pickup, round-trip transfers, admission, bottled water, and coffee or tea are included. The tour suits anyone who wants Abu Dhabi’s main sights in one day, though the guiding level should be confirmed before booking.

“The ‘tour’ as described was merely a taxi between sites totally self informed, guided and ad hoc. Tickets for excursions clearly organised at very short notice and left us as guests embarrassed at venues. I would like an explanation why this ‘ tRead more”

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4.London: National Gallery Guided Tour and Afternoon Tea

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 64 reviews · from $66

Spend three hours at London’s National Gallery with an English-speaking guide, headset, and a focused tour of paintings by Vermeer, Titian, Monet, and others. After time to look around on your own, sit down at Ochre for afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones, seasonal pastries, and tea or coffee. Guides such as Martin, Mike, and Emily have earned especially warm praise.

“Our guide was wonderful! I felt like she did a great job pointing out amazing artwork and giving us the history, description of the painting and the artist. She did not spend too much time on any painting to ensure we saw some key elements within the gallery. The tea was fabulous and the food paired with it was delightful. The tour along with with an amazing afternoon tea was well worth the money!”

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5.Official National Gallery Highlights Tour and Afternoon Tea

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 10 reviews · from $67

Meet at 2:00 pm for an expert-led tour of the National Gallery’s highlights, with headsets to keep the commentary clear. Afterward, sit down at Ochre for afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones, jam, clotted cream, pastries, coffee, and tea. The tour covers more than 700 years of art in a short, focused visit.

“Loved having a most interesting knowledgeable guide taking us through the highlights of the national gallery. This made navigating through the museum easy and pleasant . The high tea at ochre was spectacular and the setting was perfect Well worth the price! Highly recommend!”

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6.From Taipei: Thousand-Island Lake & Tea Museum Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 5 reviews · 5 hours · from $88

Travel from Taipei to Thousand Island Lake and Bagua Tea Plantation with a private driver-guide, then visit Pinglin Tea Museum and a local tea house. Guides such as Ben and Alex explain Taiwanese tea in clear, practical terms. The five-hour trip includes hotel pickup, transport, museum entry, tolls, and parking, but not food or drinks.

“We had an incredible experience learning about Taiwan tea. The landscape of the tea plantation and the Thousand-Island lake was beautiful. The best part was our drinking tea experience with our tour guide Ben. He explained everything to us about the different kinds of tea. Was a wonderful and beautiful day.”

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7.Kyoto: Uji Matcha Tea Museum Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 1 day · from $3Best value

At Chazuna’s Uji Matcha Tea Museum, you’ll explore digital exhibits on Uji tea, compare Gyokuro and Sencha, learn how tea is made, and trace Uji’s story along the river. The museum suits children and adults, offers wheelchair access, and ends with a tea-themed photo spot. Your ticket is valid for one day.

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8.Family Mitsui House Museum with green tea admission ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 5 reviews · from $15

Step into the Old Mitsui Family Shimogamo Villa, a carefully preserved 1880 mansion beside Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto. Your roughly one-hour visit includes the first floor, garden access, and matcha served while you look across the seasonal garden from a tatami room. The ticket does not include the second or third floors or the tea room area.

“Calming experience. Insight to the traditional architecture. Well preserved and cared for house. Not much English translation available other than the standard leaflet. Tea on the living room looking out over the garden made it feel like we were alone and living history.”

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9.Authentic Tea Ceremony & Sushi in The Museum of Kyoto

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $133

At Sushi Shin inside The Museum of Kyoto, you’ll eat sushi prepared by a master chef, then enter an Edo-style house on the basement floor for a tea ceremony. You’ll wear a haori, learn about chanoyu and its utensils, view a miniature garden, whisk matcha, and enjoy Kyoto sweets. Choose the 11:00 or 13:30 session carefully, since the sushi order changes.

“An amazing experience — both the sushi and the tea ceremony were unforgettable. The setting was peaceful, and our guide was truly engaging. I’d highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Kyoto and looking for a unique cultural experience. The matcha was incredibly good, and the sushi was exceptionally fresh. Thank you!”

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10.From Kochi: Munnar & Tea Museum Private Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2 reviews · from $220

Travel from Kochi to Munnar in a private vehicle with an English-speaking guide. See Cheeyappara and Valara waterfalls, Mattupetty Dam, tea gardens, the Tea Museum, and a spice plantation. The 12-hour day includes hotel pickup and drop-off, but confirm whether meals are included before booking.

“Nice activity, we spent a wonderful day, with a kind driver. The food is not provided though”

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11.Kyoto: Tea Museum and Tsuen Teahouse Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 1h 30m · from $68

Meet your English or Japanese-speaking guide at Chazuna in Uji for a 90-minute private tour of tea culture. Explore the modern museum, learn how Uji tea is grown and processed, then visit Tsuen, founded in 1160, for tea and traditional sweets. Guide Teppei is noted for his kind, flexible approach.

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12.London: Natural History Museum Guided Tour & Afternoon Tea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 2 hours · from $148

Spend one hour with an English-speaking guide exploring the Natural History Museum's galleries and Evolution Gardens. See Fern the diplodocus, Hope the blue whale, and Darwin's pigeons before sitting down for a nature-inspired afternoon tea in the Members' Room. The small group is limited to 15 people, with dietary options available.

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13.Kensington Palace Special Exhibition, Guided Walk & High Tea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $201

Start near Queensway with a guide-led walk through Kensington Gardens, including the Italian Gardens, Peter Pan statue, Round Pond, and Diana memorial. Then enjoy afternoon tea before entering Kensington Palace for The Last Princesses of Punjab exhibition, focused on Princess Sophia Duleep Singh and women’s suffrage. The group is limited to 15.

“A beautiful and informative walk through the garden, excellent and indulgent cream tea event then a wonderful tour of the palace. Absolutely excellent, very knowledgeable guide and overall fantastic experience!”

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