An antidote to the grand, high-society town house interiors of the rich royal boroughs in the center of town, here's where you can discover what life was like for the general masses. It's a small museum where you can walk through a series of room sets that re-create everyday domestic interiors from the Elizabethan period through postwar '50s utility. Originally, the museum was a row of almshouses for the poor, built in 1716 by Sir Robert Geffrye, former Lord Mayor of London, which provided shelter for 50 pensioners over the course of 200 years. The houses were rescued from closure by keen petitioners (and the inhabitants were relocated to a healthier part of town), and were transformed into the Geffrye Museum in 1914. The former almshouses were restored to their original condition, with most of the internal woodwork intact, including the staircase, upper floors, closets, and paneling. There are also displays on the almshouses' history and on the kinds of people who lived there. For the present, visits are restricted to prebooked tours on weekdays, and one Saturday a month without booking. Call ahead for details. To discover more, you can attend a regular "bring a room to life" talk. COST: Free. Tube: Old St., then Bus 243; Liverpool St., then Bus 149 or 242.