Heritage and leisure

Camden has a wealth of sites of cultural and historical interest. There are 36 designated Conservation Areas and over 5,600 listed buildings. In addition to numerous restaurants and bars, the borough contains 36 music venues, 22 theatres, 38 art galleries, eight cinemas and 16 museums including the British Museum in Bloomsbury. The museum is London’s second most popular tourist attraction, receiving 4.8 million visitors in 2004.

Camden is also home to world renowned retail areas, such as the diamond centre Hatton Garden and the vibrant markets in and around Camden Lock. The market, originally established in 1974, now attracts around 10 million visitors a year.

The British Library – the largest public building constructed in the UK in the 20th century – is situated on the Euston Road. Camden runs 13 of its own libraries and a mobile library, as well as four sports centres. A new leisure centre is being built at Swiss Cottage to open in 2006, which will bring the number of swimming pools up to six, including the outdoor pool at Oasis in Covent Garden.