Right in the buzz of the City, housed in the Bank of England itself, is the Bank of England Museum. The museum shows the history of the Bank from 1694, when it was founded by the Royal Charter to raise money for foreign wars, to the present day.

The displays include gold bars dating from ancient times to the modern day market bar, coins and a unique collection of banknotes. Alongside these you will also find a few items you would not have expected to see at this museum – namely, pikes and muskets, which were used to defend the Bank in past times. A few other oddities were found when the bank was rebuilt in 1930, including Roman pottery and mosaics and documents relating to famous customers such as Horatio Nelson, George Washington and the Duchess of Marlborough.

The museum covers approximately 1,000 square metres and part of this is a reconstructed 18th century banking hall. Visitors are able to look behind the doors of the nation’s central bank or, by using interactive systems, examine the intricacies of bank note design and production.

How about trying your hand at dealing on the US Dollar/Sterling Exchange market? Visitors are also encouraged to take the aptitude tests that applicants joining the bank in Victoria London would have been required to pass.

Admission: Free

Opening times: Monday - Friday 10:00 – 17:00, closed on weekends, public and bank holidays.