London Attractions........

[katymac]

On Saturday we are going to London. We are hoping to see the Ground Force garden outside the British Museum, does anyone know how much this costs? and if it's worth a trip?

My dad has only boring memories of the British Museum...has it improved (I'm taking my 7yo) otherwise how do I get from there to the Science Museum or can anyone recommend anything else?

BTW I'm sneaking in a trip to Forbidden Planet....is it still open? Will it be horrendous on a Saturday (I haven't been for about 9 yrs)
TIA for any help

Tiny bump

Haven't been to BM for years but science museum is great for kids. I think all museums are free now btw.

British Museum is far more fun than when I sat in the British Library in the mid 80s writing my thesis - thank goodness.
If you go just inside the library bit they'll give you some kids' trails. I did the Egyptian one with ds 8. The size of the exhibits is fantastic. Cafes also much better than they were.
Can't stand the Science Museum personally - mega boring. Kids' area is small, old and half of it didn't work when we went. Would much rather go to Natural History Museum. I think it is so sad that our national science museum lacks much hands-on, kid friendly stuff. Herstmonceux is hugely better for children with outdoor garden of experiments as well but has nothing on my must visit - EXPERIMENTARIUM in Copenhagen - GO THERE YOU'LL LOVE IT! Makes American Museum of Natural History look v dull for kids. Stockholm's Tomtits is also great.
I only taxi in London now I'm old, but can guarantee all mine like Natural History Museum.

When I was in Stockholm I went to the Astrid Lungrem (don't think I've got the name right - Pippi Longstocking) place - I loved it

I went and got the Gronia book and my DD loves it too!!

I might give the British Museum a go then...I don't want to spend all day travelling

Yes, Junibacken. Expensive but great. My kids loved it too.

There is TONS of hands-on stuff for kids in the Wellcome Wing of the Science Museum, as well as the IMAX cinema and flight simulators, etc. They also do good gallery guides and activity booklets for kids (well, they did when I was in charge of 'em, anyway )

How easy is the Science Museum or the Natural History Museum to get to from the British Museum...I'm not sure if it's worth travelling

Is your 7-yr-old a boy or a girl, katymac? Only the Imperial War Museum is particularly fab for boys and not bad for girls too.

(It's the only London museum I've been to for years, so can't speak for the others at all, but it is v good )

map

We walked it from Big Ben - took photos on Westminster Bridge with the Eye in the background!

Janh, she's a Girl - I'm worried that I will spend the whole time travelling round - we only there for a day and going to a party that night.

We are visiting again later in the month and can visit more then

I have been to the garden you are talking about and did find it interesting. It is free and takes about 5-10 minutes to walk through. Some good selections of plants and great African sculpture. I went in because I pass by it everyday, don't know if I would make a special trip.
I personally think that the British museum is very interesting, but it just depends on what 'floats your boat'.
How old is your girl, and what area will you be in?
If you are interested in gardens, we went as a family (my dd's are under 5) to Kew gardens at the w/end to check out the Dale Chihuly glass exhibition and thought it was great. All sorts of fantastical coloured glass forms in amongst the plants. Kew itself is also wonderful, and a national treasure. Check out the website for pictures of the exhibition -
\link{http://www.rbgkew.org.uk}

Katymac, Forbidden Planet has moved from where it was on Oxford street.

You now go past where it was turn right at the corner and follow the street straight ahead you'll cross a small road at the traffic lights and keep going straight on and it's on your right hand side. Don't take the street that goes down a small hill to the right at the traffic lights like dh and I did because we then had to double back to find it, misunderstood the directions that someone gave us.

It's bigger than the old one was and just as brilliant as always. I've always found it busy no matter what day we manage to get there.

Found the address for you incase you want to look it up on a map just to be on the safe side.

London Megastore
020 7420 3666
179 Shaftesbury Ave London WC2H 8JR At the Junction with Neal Street
Nearest Tubes: Tottenham Court Road, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Holborn

Opening Hours

----------------
Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 10-7
Thur 10-8
Sun 12-6

Thanks for the info Linnet....I' so going to get lost, how dare they move it

Jennifersofia, my DD is 7 and she is really into Africa - so is desparate to see the garden, we're staying in Watford - so we don't want to go too far

Make sure you check out the africa galleries in the British museum in that case, which are in the floor below the main entrance floor. There is some interesting sculpture and jewelery there. By the way, there is also a shop selling various african things right near the B.Museum on Bury Place (right near a great shop that sells all sorts of stamps (for stamping with an ink pad - not postage).
Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks Jennifersofia - that sounds great for DD - I'll look out for the shop too