When I first arrived in London, I assumed that the British love for tea was just a cultural stereotype. Little did I know that stereotypes hold some grains of truth. After living here for years, I have slowly begun to adapt to relaxing with a ‘cuppa’.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there is a museum dedicated to tea. The Twinings Tea Shop and Museum boasts a large selection of tea with many flavours not found in regular supermarkets. There are teas for everyday drinking and flavoured loose teas if you’re planning a proper tea party (or just want to keep warm on a winter’s day).
However it is the back of the shop that is the real draw – a small room dedicated to the history of Twinings tea and the tea trade in general. As someone who didn’t grow up in the UK (or in a tea drinking environment), the exhibits gave me a broad overview on how integral tea is to the British way of life.
While browsing the old Twinings advertising or retro packaging, visitors are welcome to enjoy (surprise) a cup of tea. The staff is happy to advise newbies to tea and introduce them to brand new blends – the White Tea and Pomegranate is my favourite!
