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Original poster

Natural history museum on Saturday afternoon

31 replies

MiddleClassProblem · 29/08/2018 21:26

Has anybody been on a Saturday afternoon? This being the last Saturday of the school hols for many not sure if that will make it more or less busy.

DH is looking for somewhere to go with DD and MIL and they’re unlikely to be up and out early.

This is a back up option to an urban farm near us if it’s raining x

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Original poster
MiddleClassProblem · 29/08/2018 21:26

Not sure why I put a kiss. My head was in text mode Grin

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PhilomenaButterfly · 29/08/2018 21:27

It'll be mobbed.

PhilomenaButterfly · 29/08/2018 21:28

Love you too hun x 😂

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Culture
RubaDubMum89 · 29/08/2018 21:28

In my experience when we've visited London, we've always arrived before the museum opens (at least one of these trips was definitely on a Saturday) and we've always had to queue still. I think, the dilemma is if arriving later in the day will make the queues better, or, worse?

billybagpuss · 29/08/2018 21:29

good luck with that one Wink

We went years ago and I let silly DH talk me into doing science first because we 'happened to pass it' it was heaving by the time we got to natural history.

Original poster
MiddleClassProblem · 29/08/2018 21:30

PhilomenaButterfly 😂🤦🏽‍♀️

Yeah I’m assuming in the morning/late morning it will be busy but not sure about the afternoon.

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Original poster
MiddleClassProblem · 29/08/2018 21:31

I’m not going otherwise it would be a lot more organised

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Westnorwood · 29/08/2018 21:31

No no no! We went last year and I almost had a panic attack as the crowd meant we couldn’t get out. We went to the science museum last weekend it was busy but not claustrophobic. x

Westnorwood · 29/08/2018 21:33

We pasted it last weekend massive queue at around 2pm. Not sure why it has got so busy in the last few years I am sure it never used to be so bad.

fruitpastille · 29/08/2018 21:34

What about going later on 3-4 ish?

Original poster
MiddleClassProblem · 29/08/2018 21:36

I don’t think that would be an issue for them. It’s more queuing issues than crowds too.

The science museum is a possibility.

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MissLingoss · 29/08/2018 21:37

It'll be mobbed.

Especially if it's raining.

Last time I went to one of the South Ken museums, on a set day during a half term week, they closed the Tube station for a time in the afternoon, for safety reasons, because there were just too many people.

Sportsnight · 29/08/2018 21:38

We went last week and it was mental. If you buy tickets for the paid exhibition you can skip the queue. It’s awful inside too though tbh. We went to the In the Dark exhibition and then left as the crowds were crazy.

MissLingoss · 29/08/2018 21:39

Argh, accidentally posted before previewing. A wet day in half term.

Sportsnight · 29/08/2018 21:39

The V&A is usually empty in comparison. The Science Museum is tolerable but also busy.

ArialAnna · 29/08/2018 21:42

Is the butterfly exhibition still on? If you pay to go to that (it's in the grounds) they let you skip the queue to the main museum after. Worth a shot

Original poster
MiddleClassProblem · 29/08/2018 21:43

DD is 3.5. Not sure she’s quite ready for the V&A.

Apparently there’s a bus museum not far in the car from us. Maybe I’ll just send them there.

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Cakecrumbsinmybra · 29/08/2018 22:15

God I wouldn’t do it. Weather looks nice for Saturday, surely a nice park would be better? But then I can’t bear crowded museum type things in the holidays.

Littlebelina · 29/08/2018 22:28

V&A might be too old for her but if you do head to south Ken their cafe is ok and doesn't suffer from the same queues as the other museums. Has a water feature kids can play in. It can work for a pit stop if the other museums are crazy

bookmum08 · 29/08/2018 22:28

At 3 and a half she probably wouldn't be that interested at the Natural History Museum. Busy and Noisy. Science Museum has a couple of sections aimed at that age but again busy and noisy and very overwhelming. She would probably much prefer a bus museum. Or the London Transport Museum. That gets busy and noisy too but it's more light and open than Natural History and Science Museum. The Science Museum could do with some blimmin lights switching on.

bookmum08 · 29/08/2018 22:30

Where is the bus museum? I would probably like that!

PhilomenaButterfly · 29/08/2018 22:32

The London Transport museum's in Covent Garden.

PandaPieForTea · 29/08/2018 22:39

I think you can pay to become a friend of NHM and then skip the queue, so if you’re feeling rich you might get in quicker. I’m not sure if you then have to queue to se the dinosaurs.

London Transport Museum is really good and you can watch street performers nearby too.

The science museum now charges to go to the good bit for kids upstairs - we didn’t find that out until we’d paid a voluntary donation to get into the museum. It’s also ticketed, so isn’t freely available. I’m not sure about the little kids bit in the basement as it’s been a few years since we went, but I remember the acoustics combined with lots of small children being migraine inducing.

Original poster
MiddleClassProblem · 29/08/2018 22:44

bookmum08 Weybridge but found out it’s attached to Brooklands which has a Concorde too!

Dd would love the natural history museum. Crowds and noise are no issue. She’s been to similar before.

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Original poster
MiddleClassProblem · 29/08/2018 22:45

DH is hoping it’s not too muddy for MIL and they can go to the urban farm. That’s option 1.

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