Museum of Comedy

The crypt below St George’s Church in Bloomsbury is the unlikely location of the country’s first museum dedicated to comedic artefacts. It’s the brainchild of Martin Witts, owner of the Leicester Square Theatre. Over decades working alongside the heroes of British comedy, Witts has collected thousands of curiosities, including Tommy Cooper’s magic props (all made by Cooper himself) and the Two Ronnies’ glasses. These are on permanent display – along with temporary photographic exhibitions. Taking a charmingly old-school approach to interactivity, the museum has a portable TV on which you can watch, yes, videos of old comedy shows, as well as a record player for the collection of LPs. Attached to the museum, the Cooper Room is a 100-seat stand-up/theatre venue. And you can sup a lager (the comic’s drink of choice) at the Comedians’ Arms bar – itself an artefact, since the counter was recycled from Wilton’s Music Hall.