Secret Intelligence Services


A post-modern ziggurat by the river colloquially known as 'Babylon-on-Thames' and 'Legoland', the home of MI6 was built in 1994. Rumour attests that a tunnel runs from the building to Whitehall. London Duck Tours slide in and out of the Thames just north of the building.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Tate Britain

0.3 MILES

On the site of the former Millbank Penitentiary, the older and more venerable of the two Tate siblings opened in 1892 and celebrates British art from 1500…

2. Beaconsfield Gallery

0.42 MILES

Housed in an old Victorian school, this contemporary art gallery hosts a steady stream of exhibitions, talks and events. The on-site cafe serves ethically…

3. Beefeater Distillery

0.47 MILES

Beefeater, established in 1863, is the oldest gin distillery still producing in London. The company opens its factory to visitors on 90-minute tours,…

4. Newport Street Gallery

0.54 MILES

Newport Street Gallery hosts artist Damien Hirst's personal collection in a series of converted industrial buildings that were once used as scenery…

5. Garden Museum

0.56 MILES

Housed in the disused church of St Mary-at-Lambeth, this peaceful, green-fingered museum takes a close look at the 17th-century, father-and-son Tradescant…

6. Lambeth Palace

0.59 MILES

A gorgeous red- and fired-brick Tudor gatehouse, dating from 1495 and located beside the church of St Mary-at-Lambeth, leads to Lambeth Palace, the…

7. College Garden

0.78 MILES

One of the original gardens within Westminster Abbey, the lovely 900-year-old College Garden was used for growing medicinal herbs and foods for the Abbey…

8. Jewel Tower

0.8 MILES

Once part of the royal Palace of Westminster, the Jewel Tower is the only surviving piece of the 1834 fire that engulfed the structure, and it's one of…