Founded in 1828 the museum houses around 67,000 specimens many of which are now extinct or endangered. My favorite is the skull of a Bottlenose Whale from 1860.

Tucked away down a cobbled alley behind Russell Square Station, The Horse Hospital, a converted stable, is a unique and totally independent arts space specialising in underground and experimental media. The gallery space itself (known as The Chamber of Pop Culture) houses unusual exhibitions, film screenings and other events.

A winding side street that links hectic Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road, Hanway Street, with its odd mix of old-style Spanish flamenco bars and second-hand vinyl stores, is a bit of an anomaly. I’ll be surprised if they all withstand the Tottenham Court Road redevelopment but I hope they do.

Leila McAlister's grocery shop and café off Arnold Circus, Shoreditch. You can find the best of everything, from jars of horseradish to eggs and croissants.

Escape the Eurocentric vortex here.