anyone been to Natural History Museum lately?

[olivia41]

I know it can be very busy in summer hols etc. - has anyone visited lately... were there lots of queues outside? Am planning to take DD and friend on Tuesday...... also, is it easy to reach by tube from Paddington then on foot? Thanks so much!

I dragged went with my boyfriend a while back. There usually is a queue (they check bags as you enter) but it goes down quite quickly. Get the tube to South Kensington (I think it was - best check that first) and it's signposted from there; also the science museum is just round the corner and well worth a visit!

Thanks, CaptainHetty! Very helpful post - hope your boyfriend ended up enjoying it!! Science Museum being so close is a plus.... thanks again.

I went on Saturday afternoon with dd2. There was no queue to get in and they were only checking some bags, not all of them.

One word of warning though - the human biology section is very focussed on reproduction (not a problem but I was half expecting awkward questions I wasn't quite prepared for) and throughout the museum a lot of the hands on exhibits weren't working.

As well as the science museum, the Victoria and Albert museum is across the road too.

Thanks, SandStorm - V & A museum as well - spoit for choice!! Thanks for helpful advice.

I went with 3 children on Tuesday. Got there about 11, didn't have to queue to go in but the Blue Zone (dinosaurs and mammals) was very busy and you had to queue to go along the gallery (overlooking the dinosaur skeletons) and then cue to go through the hall where the animated TRex is. Not massively long queues. It was also excessively hot in there, so go in clothes that you can take off and lots of drinks.

We also got the tube to South Kensington and walked - really easy. Children loved it. Lots of space outside in the grounds for a picnic.

We combined it with a trip to Diana's Memorial Playground - can get the bus from right outside the NHM (no need to even go back to South Ken tube). Can't remember the number (might have been 83 or 84?) which was really good too (I have 2 x 7 year olds and a 3 year old) - was great to have an outdoorsy play after being in the NHM for quite a while.

Thanks for additional info. Mandy21 - sounds like you had a good day out! Now have the joys of working out cost of TravelCard etc!!