A lesser-known museum in London hidden beneath a church just a stone's throw from the Tower of London tells the story of the city, and it's completely free to visit15:43, 08 Jul 2026Updated 15:43, 08 Jul 2026There are so many things to discover in London that you could easily do something different every day for a year without ever repeating yourself. It comes as no surprise, then, that some sights remain a secret even to those who call the capital home, despite being situated right on the doorstep of some of the city's most iconic landmarks.‌Tucked beneath a church just a stone's throw from the Tower of London lies a remarkable museum packed with artefacts charting the city's rich history. The museum is housed in the crypt of All Hallows by the Tower Church on Byward Street, just a short walk from Tower Hill Underground station and the Tower of London itself.‌Jack Chesher, who boasts nearly 250,000 followers on TikTok, where he regularly shines a light on some of London's best-kept secrets, decided to pay the museum a visit. In his video, he said: "Not many people know that, literally minutes from the Tower of London, is an amazing underground museum, and it's totally free. This is one of the things I always recommend people to go and do whilst visiting London."‌Stepping inside the church, which was founded in 675AD, he went on: "The church nave itself is wonderful and worth a look around. But if you go down these stairs, you'll find yourself in the old church crypt. Down here you realise that London really is a city built on a city built on a city."Jack showcased some of the remarkable exhibits on display, including a section of tessellated flooring from a Roman villa and a gravestone from the same era discovered close by, as well as a model of Roman-era London that dates back to the 1960s. "They also have little vaults down here, once used to hold bodies, now used as a sort of mini chapel," he went on to explain, reports MyLondon.Content cannot be displayed without consent‌"Most of these layers of archaeology and history were revealed during the Blitz. The church was gutted by incendiary bombs and restored after the war."According to the church's website, the building survived the Great Fire of London in 1666, but required substantial reconstruction following the German bombing raids in World War Two. Describing the museum, the site states: "The museum leads you on a fascinating journey through time, charting the history of the church, its people, and the City of London."The museum is in part of the original Saxon church and contains part of the Roman tessellated floor of a late second century domestic house, a collection of Roman and Saxon artefacts, church plate and ancient registers dating back to the 16th century."‌Further items on display include the crow's nest from the Quest, the vessel on which Sir Ernest Shackleton set sail on his third and final expedition to the Antarctic in 1921. The church holds an impressive rating of 4.6 out of five on Tripadvisor, with numerous visitors heaping praise on the museum.One visitor, who dropped by in 2014, said: "We found this little church by accident after visiting the Tower of London. It is very close. The church is the oldest in London and has many artefacts with good explanations of them."The crypt museum (down steps) is very interesting with many different rooms. It contains, amongst other things, a Knights Templar alter, ancient registers showing the baptism of William Penn (founder of Pennsylvania) and John Adams (sixth president of the USA), a Roman mosaic floor, an ancient chapel."Article continues belowAnother penned: "Well this was a pleasant surprise and completely on the spur of the moment. We had walked to The Tower of London to view the Ceramic Poppy display which we thought would be like they were 10 years ago."This was not the case and so we walked away and by pure chance my wife spotted All Hallows By The Tower which the four of us walked in to. It was a superb building with so much history and lots of details about the past."The crypt area underneath is amazing with so many artefacts etc to view and see. We all spent nearly an hour wandering about and taking in the history of this place. If you have never been before it is certainly worth a visit and its free to enter although there is a box to donate what you would like."