Museums for kids in london

[Raisethebar1993]

surprise visit to London next weekend with a friend and her 6 year old. Can anyone recommend a museum that is good for younger children? We’ve done science/natural history. Thank you x

Postal Museum
Transport Museum in Covent Garden
V&A Children’s Museum in East London

What are their interests?
If they like anything to do with transport then the Transport Museum in Covent Garden is brilliant.

Transport museum looks fun…just checked online and tickets seem pricey!

Dulwich Picture Gallery has recently opened a fab new space aimed at children

It used to be that you’d paid for the transport museum that the ticket was valid for a whole year. Might still be?

London Docklands museum is great, a bit underrated imo.

The V&A toy museum is nice and obviously geared very much towards kids.

The Golden hinde guided tour was good kids aged 5 to 11 loved it

Science museums and the natural history museum. There’s stuff for kids of all ages, they are most door to each other and both free do you don’t need to be in the for ages to make it feel worthwhile

Why don’t people read the original post?

We like the Horniman Museum but we've only been in nice(r) weather. The gardens / grounds are lovely.

RAF Museum is another fave here. We go a few times a year.

The Young V&A in Bethnal Green is really good, although as an adult you'll be left in somewhat of an existential crisis at all the things from your childhood that are now seen as so old as to be museum exhibits. Very kid-friendly.

The British Museum in Bloomsbury is also really good but don't expect to do it all in one day. The ancient Egyptian bit tends to be a hit for small children as well as some of the Roman and Greek bits. Don't feel bad about skipping bits that aren't an instant hit as there's lots there but after 2-3 hours most small children get worn out of fascinating things to look at no matter how extraordinary they are.

Went to the Maritime museum in Greenwich, it's just been redone, amazing for kids! Great kids interactive galleries, brilliant outdoor playground and lovely cafes/restaurant - loads to see and it's FREE! No need to book, plus you can then go round Greenwich Park and go up to the Observatory and stand on the Meridian line (Greenwich meantime) would highly recommend my 6 year old girl and 3 year old both loved it!n

If you are getting the train in you can buy 2for1 tickets on the National Rail website for the London Transport Museum. It’s an excellent museum!
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/days-out-guide/2for1-london/

100% this. I know you said that you’ve already been to them OP but they’re constantly changing and updating displays and exhibitions. I reckon if it’s been more than 2 years since your last visit you would all find something new to see and do.

Does it need to be a museum OP? Kensington Palace used to be quite good for kids and the Princess Diana playground is next door to it. Holland Park is just down the road which has an excellent adventure playground (and cafe near by) and there’s bowling and ice skating at Queensway.

Greenwich and the maritime musum and/or the Cutty Sark.

Or what about the Tower? That was always a huge hit with DD.

YYY to Young V&A !

Maritime museum is good.

Diana memorial playground is currently closed

in summer, the V&A has a wonderful courtyard where children paddle

if they enjoy crafts all the big galleries have children’s activities. Tate Modern is good if the weather is poor as space to spread out

Some great ideas. Thanks so much

The Design Museum

https://designmuseum.org/whats-on/families-and-young-people

https://designmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/contact-information

located at 224 – 238 Kensington High Street, London W8 6AG, next to Holland Park.

Take the boat to Greenwich - maritime museum is free

Maritime Museum as others have said. The planetarium in Greenwich Park has little shows for younger audiences on but it was being done up the last time I looked.

Museum of Childhood.

If you want an alternative to a museum, there’s a puppet theatre on a barge in Little Venice that smaller children enjoy and the Peacock theatre too at London Bridge which has lots of children’s shows at reasonable prices.

My 6 year old’s favourite museum is Maths World but it depends very much on the child! He has also loved Frameless and the Twist museum.