Islington has always been home to some exceptional people and theatres, from Thomas Paine to George Orwell and The Red Lion Theatre. The museum is equally exceptional, not only offering a glimpse into everyday life through the ages but adding a taste of what attracted so many great people to the area. They are also not shy about their darker history, from highwaymen to Holloway prison.
https://www.islington.gov.uk/libraries-arts-and-heritage/heritage/islington-museum 10 minutes Angel or Farringdon tubes