To take my kids to the natural history museum . . .

[littlem133]

. . . Next Monday? I've taken them in half term before and the queue to get in was so horrific one DS wet himself which was quite traumatic. But they want to go back - there or the science museum- and if I'm right most counties are on half term this week and not next. Am I right?

London schools are off for half term this week

Can you avoid half term and go one Sunday instead? I went with DD and niece a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday. Got there for opening time, short queue to get in because they were doing bag searches but for the first couple of hours the place was pretty quiet. It got busy later on but even then nothing like as busy as it gets in half term.

We went to both in the Christmas holidays. There was no queue at all for the Science Museum and it was fantastic. We queued for almost an hour for the NHM and it was great but preferred the SM.

Buy tickets for Wonderlab to make the SM really worthwhile.

Go early and do the dinosaurs and blue zone first, they get crowded by lunchtime, the British museum was fine yesterday, busy but not too crowded.

We are Hampshire and have half term next week too. I took my daughter to the science museum on Sunday 12th and we accessed it via the subway from South Kensington tube, got there for 11.00 and didn't q. If you do the science museum and want to do the paid extras i.e. Wonderland and imax I would either get the tickets straight away or buy online before you go as the q for purchase was a little tedious. The wonder lab was brilliant as an aside.

We're off this week (Somerset), many INSETS last Friday or next Monday, but I know some York schools are next week.

We used to visit the Museums quite a bit. I think October 1/2 term tends to be busier (one of the staff suggested families were saving for Xmas).
If we weren't early, we'd head to the Science Museum* first. DD is not such a huge fan of the NHM, so we would normally pop in at around 3:30/4pm as it was quietening down a bit.

*Last October they opened "Wonderlab", to replace "Launchpad". This has an admission price or season ticket so I don't know whether this has deterred visitors (you might get an idea by reading Tripadvisor reviews).

PS DD tolerates an hour or 2 in the V&A (they have quite a few interactive bits for kids hidden away).

Hope the trip works out for you.

"Can you avoid half term and go one Sunday instead?"

Even better, go on a Saturday. I generally find Saturdays far quieter than Sundays for any place of interest. Saturday is changeover day for many holidays so a lot of people will be travelling rather than visiting places.

The queues outside yesterday were horrendous, snaking up and down the building about 4 times. The V&A has activities too, and no queue.

We live very far from London so only ever go at half terms and it's doable if you get there at least half an hour before opening time and plan to be gone by lunch time.

Sussex schools are off next week.

The London NHM has a vast collection but unfortunately it's not well presented or interactive for kids.
The NHM in Oxford is much smaller but a better visitor experience.

I know you aren't going to queue, but if you asked they would have allowed your son to use the bathroom and then go back to your place in the queue.

Yes to Oxford, it is smaller but they have a great collection and dinosaurs as well!
I love the natural history museum London but it is so busy. There is also a much smaller one in tring which is quieter.
I think London do special events for kids with autism, which sounds brilliant.

This week most in the south are off next week most in the north are off

Those of us in the middle are off next week.

We went to the science museum yesterday and when we came out at 3 the queue for the NHM was still long! So worth it, though.

What age are your children? Last time I went to the natural history museum! It was so busy that my dc's couldn't really see anything. It made it rather pointless. I think it's a really educational day out and sadly many schools are running trips to places like this less frequently. Speaking as a teacher, I would say take them during term time when it's quiet so they can get the most out of the visit.

Rather than seeing it as a freebie day out it's worth pre-booking for one of the paid exhibitions, such as the Wildlife photographer of the year (which is fabulous by the way!). Then you can walk to the front of the big entrance queue.

If you want to save money, take sandwiches - there's a big packed lunch area so you don't have to use the cafe.

Also, don't promise your kids they'll see the dinosaurs - that room has the biggest queue and you might want to avoid it on the day.

I'd recommend spending time in some of the quieter rooms, such as the one with the gemstones. I gave my son the camera and he was very happy for a good half hour snapping photos of shiny stones and meteorites.

The east midlands are off this week!

Is the side entrance on Exhibition Road still open? I always used to go in that way with minimal queuing.

The Exhibition Road entrance is where the main queue is at the moment as they're moving dippy so the main hall is closed. It's a tunnel to get to the dinosaurs at the moment. If you get there for 9.30 - ready for when the doors open you should be fine. We went a couple of weekends ago and only waited 5 minutes to get in.

During school holidays you can pre book an entry time to see the dinosaurs. Then you avoid the massive queue to get into the gallery.

If your half term is next week I'd go Tuesday or you risk hitting that terrible clash of inset day for kids off this week and first day off for kids off next week.

We are in London. Mine are off this week and next Monday and Tuesday.
We walk past the museum almost daily, the ques are huge.

Best time for museum is school days, 4-6pm. Means all school trips finished by 3pm, and most on daytrip gone home. Can wizz by after school for an hour

We're Worcestershire and it's our half term next week. I've got to go in to London Monday as I'm staying with family and that's our only free day. I'd like to stick to free things if possible. DS1 wants to see the shard do we can do that from near London Bridge. Maybe we'll try the science museum instead then. Take a picnic. Then go to Hamley's.

When it is not half term there tends to be just as many kids but there on school trips. Usually sent off with questionnaires to fill in so not necessarily controlled by teachers or parents.

I would take them anyway as its a good day out and the hands on part downstairs is always good fun!