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Original poster

Help! Failed to book Natural History Museum entry ticket and none left :-(

64 replies

Nispero · 26/10/2022 22:59

Hello, partner is taking our 4 year old to London to the Natural History Museum tomorrow but forgot to book a ticket and none are left. They will now try to go to the Transport Museum instead, but child was promised dinosaurs so will be disappointed. Is anyone aware of any other place in central London for something dinosaur related? Thank you!

OP posts:
DoubleShotEspresso · 26/10/2022 23:58

Here is your solution OP!

www.pwpark.com/attractions/world-of-dinosaurs/

Not too far out of town, a fabulous day out and dinosaurs are breathtakingly realistic!

Margotti · 26/10/2022 23:59

Honestly, don’t stress OP! We went in the height of the summer holidays and there was hardly a queue for those who hadn’t booked. I think it was actually shorter than the booked tickets queue. They’ll get in without having to wait too long. I’m sure it will be fine.

Original poster
Nispero · 27/10/2022 00:19

DoubleShotEspresso · 26/10/2022 23:58

Here is your solution OP!

www.pwpark.com/attractions/world-of-dinosaurs/

Not too far out of town, a fabulous day out and dinosaurs are breathtakingly realistic!

Wow, this looks great!

OP posts:

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4 year olds Culture
Original poster
Nispero · 27/10/2022 00:21

Margotti · 26/10/2022 23:59

Honestly, don’t stress OP! We went in the height of the summer holidays and there was hardly a queue for those who hadn’t booked. I think it was actually shorter than the booked tickets queue. They’ll get in without having to wait too long. I’m sure it will be fine.

That is interesting to hear, someone else mentioned huge queues and people being made wait for their allocated time. Maybe just need to go and see and hope for the best. Thank you everyone for all these super helpful comments!

OP posts:
YerAWizardHarry · 27/10/2022 00:24

I took my son during an inset day in February and it was HORRENDOUSLY busy. Like so much so we left after 20mins

SkiingIsHeaven · 27/10/2022 00:26

I think if you become a member you can buy tickets but it is only worth it if you go fairly often. That might be an option.

DoubleShotEspresso · 27/10/2022 00:55

@Nispero

  • DoubleShotEspresso Here is your solution OP!

www.pwpark.com/attractions/world-of-dinosaurs/

Not too far out of town, a fabulous day out and dinosaurs are breathtakingly realistic!

Wow, this looks great!*

It really is mind blowing for children and a really spacious beautifully presented place-highly recommend it!

ChimneyPot · 27/10/2022 01:16

One adult family membership is £68 if you think you would get the use from it. You can bring up to 4 children with you.

creideamhdóchasgrá · 27/10/2022 01:28

www.ucl.ac.uk/culture/grant-museum-zoology

avamiah · 27/10/2022 01:35

I am in London ( 20 mins) on underground to both museums and yes it’s always good to book tickets but I’m sure you will have no problem just turning up on the day.
Lets be honest here, this is what we all did before Covid and I’m sure the museums will want to get back to seeing people queuing down the street without tickets .

Agapornis · 27/10/2022 02:03

As an ex-NHM queue wrangler... (unofficial job title)

  • There will definitely be walk-ups so don't fret. The foreign tourists would freak out if they couldn't just show up!
  • Visit as late in the day as you can, there's usually no queue at all from 2pm, even on a rainy half term day. So 1pm is okay but have lunch outside first. The NHM restaurant isn't worth the £££.
  • Take the side entrance on Exhibition Road, not the main glamourous one. This queue is usually far shorter and moves more quickly.
  • Official things that let you skip the queue: Any paid/booked ticket e.g. for a guided tour or exhibition (at the moment it's only Wildlife Photographer of the Year). Membership (individual is fine). A disability/condition that means you can't queue. National Art Pass. Museum staff pass from another museum. Museums Association membership pass.
  • Unofficial things that MAY let you skip the queue Wink: being really nice to a nice member of staff and offering them a sweet. Saying it's your birthday. A Blue Peter badge.
  • Once you're in, leave the dinosaur gallery until the end, it's lovely and quiet at the end of the day (the animatronics become very silly/less scary when it's just you in the room). Don't forget Dippy, who has been locked up in a separate room. There are some other dinosaur fossils in the red zone to keep you occupied - the stegosaurus, and the From The Beginning gallery on the first floor. The fossil marine reptiles (plesio/mosasaur - not dino) are pretty cool too, and the giant sloth between said reptiles and the birds.
  • If the 4 year old likes Andy's Dinosaur Adventures, go find Andy's clock.

Please be nice to the staff... and leave when they say the museum is closing :)

Agapornis · 27/10/2022 02:04

p.s. Horniman is great for kids, Grant Zoology is better for adults.

Agapornis · 27/10/2022 02:06

p.s.2. October and February half terms are the worst times to visit - especially when it's raining. It gets hot, humid, the visitors are stressed, and the building leaks!

Run4it2 · 27/10/2022 03:00

Try the horniman museum?

Summerfun54321 · 27/10/2022 03:12

theBeeeeeeeep · 26/10/2022 23:46

Definitely cannot just walk in - it's half term this week.
I was there last week on an INSET day (so before most schools broke up for half term) and it was the busiest I had ever seen it.

They were checking tickets and there was a massive queue. People were being made to wait until their ticketed time.

Members do not have to book a time slot so buying an annual membership might be an option? The dinosaur exhibition was absolutely rammed though - if you can go some other (non half term) time it would be a much better experience

Last week was also half term for lots of private schools and other non local schools.

earlydoors42 · 27/10/2022 06:46

My 9 and 11 year olds loved the Grant Museum much more than NHM on Saturday this week. NHM was rammed, boiling hot and stressful. We got straight in with our tickets but there was a big queue of ticketless people waiting. Grant had some dinosaur stuff in a corner and loads of cool animal.stuff - skeletons, stuffed and pickled.

PuttingDownRoots · 27/10/2022 06:55

We were at Science museum yesterday (after failing to book tickets for NHM). The non ticket queue was massive for NHM, all up Exhibition Road, and not moving as ticket holders were arriving constantly.

QuietNeighbour · 27/10/2022 07:01

Was also going to suggest Crystal Palace or the Grant Museum (which usually has child focused activities during holidays). My son when small loved both of these much more than the NHM or the Horniman.

QuietNeighbour · 27/10/2022 07:01

The queue at the NHM was a couple of hours of my life I’ll never get back

EstellaRijnveld · 27/10/2022 07:19

You still have to book a ticket for the transport museum. We went to the British museum last week and didn’t book but we queued at the side entrance on SOAS/UCL side. There is a white cabin that you walk through for bag checks but it’s quieter than main entrance.

EstellaRijnveld · 27/10/2022 07:22

The museum of London at St Paul’s is good or the one at Canary Wharf. If you go to the Canary Wharf museum of London branch then your dc might live a trip on the DLR. Mine did and still do although they’re a bit older now.

AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 27/10/2022 07:27

You can que up later in the day. We waited about 30 mins at 3:30 to get in

EstellaRijnveld · 27/10/2022 07:40

www.timeout.com/london/kids/activities/top-half-term-activities

Southbank should have something on for families.

EstellaRijnveld · 27/10/2022 07:43

www.ucl.ac.uk/culture/grant-museum-zoology

clarrylove · 27/10/2022 07:44

We were there yesterday. Queue for non ticket holders was very short at the main entrance. Dinosaur gallery was rammed but Dippy was much quieter. And yes, we saw the moving dinosaur in Covent Garden too.