Can anyone recommend a fun small museum in London?

[Dancergirl]

It's my birthday today and we're going to Fortnum and Mason for tea later

I want to do something for an hour or so beforehand but don't know what. I know the Royal Academy is very close but I'm not that keen on art and it's too big and busy.

Does anyone know of a nice smaller museum that's nearby? A few tube stops away would be fine. Dc are 15, 13 and 9.

Yes you can walk from NPG to Fortnums. Walk across Trafalgar Square, right up Haymarket, then left across Piccadilly Circus then down Piccadilly.
Happy birthday!

You can definitely walk from the NPG to F&M if you have flat shoes on.

Flat shoes?? It's a 10-15 minute walk max

Op, do you mind if we ask MNHQ to move this into the new London topic? To start to get it going....

Yes but it's not a walk I'd chose to make in my smarter heels. I just mean shoes suitable for a 1 kilometre walk.

The Museum of London by the Barbican is ACE. Really really good.

Happy Birthday!

Thanks all and happy birthday to you too ilost

Of course no worries small

I'd say Wallace Collection, Sir John Soane's house or Wellcome Trust too. Have a lovely day!

Sir John Soane's house is fantastic BUT it's quite cramped, so they will ask you to put any bags you have into carrier bags provided by them, in order to avoid buckles etc damaging items as you squeeze past, so take the bare minimum with you when visiting.

It's closed until April 2017 so no good for the OP but Apsley House at the far end of Piccadilly is quite interesting. It was the home of the Duke of Wellington and is quite sumptuous.

The Cartoon Museum. It's really quirky and fun. Kids and adults can take drawing or comic drawing classes.
It's around the corner from the British museum so very central. This place is my favourite in London. It looks small but inside there's quite a lot to see and do.

A bit late perhaps.
The Handel Museum, around Fenwicks, Bond Street. Popular with schools and small.