London

If you’ve ever wondered about the inspiration for the song “London Bridge Is Falling Down,” visit the London Bridge Experience. The museum is tucked into the south end of the bridge’s span over the River Thames, and it’s the perfect setting to learn interesting historical tidbits. But don’t expect boring, ordinary exhibits; the London Bridge Experience uses computer-generated effects and costumed guides to bring two millennia of history to life.

Today, London Bridge is a functional 1970s concrete crossing, but tour recreations depict the structure’s Roman-era founding and recall a medieval golden age when it was lined with timber-framed buildings. You’ll also learn about the graceful Victorian incarnation of the bridge, which was sold, dismantled, and shipped to Arizona in 1967.

After tracing the famed bridge’s tumultuous past, unearth some of its darkest secrets in the London Tombs exhibit. In a brick-lined vault deep within the bridge, a nerve-rattling array of spooky sounds and specters accompany a history lesson detailing the place’s shadiest episodes. The heads of traitors, including William Wallace, were once on grisly display here, and archaeologists discovered a 14th-century plague burial pit in the vault.

To learn more,visit londonbridgeexperience.com.

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