British museum with a 4 month old

[newmumabouttown]

There’s an exhibition I really want to see that finishes soon…title says it all really. It seems totally inappropriate, but website indicates babies are allowed in… any experience of taking a newborn into a museum?

Much easier to take a newborn than a toddler, so go for it. They are so portable at that age! They have changing and feeding rooms and a whole "family centre". Just time it for when your baby is most likely to be asleep or at least content and use pram or sling depending in where they are most likely to be happiest.

It's a non issue, go and enjoy put baby in a sling or just push in a pushchair it's a perfect use of maternity leave.

I've not taken a small baby but think it would be fine. We've taken our second daughter to other museums as our older child loves them. It was easy when she was a small baby; awful now she's a toddler! The British Museum is busy but it is huge so the crowds spread out. Paid for bookable exhibitions are quieter. If you have exhibition tickets you'll skip most of the queuing. There are benches you could sit on to feed in the atrium. Good toilets, more than one café/restaurant. Take a sling or a buggy that folds easily in one piece and is light and small and a backpack style nappy bag.

If it's the Roman legions exhibition my three month old seemed to really enjoy most of it - it's dimly lit with lights used to highlight and some recorded sounds playing and baby seemed to enjoy it as a sensory experience. There's one bit that plays battlefield sounds that baby found distressing and I had to hurry through

Go to all the museums, cinemas, events you can with a baby once they are toddlers the game changes! I probably had my worst experience in an exhibition when norovirus hit, baby vomited everywhere, well on himself and the pram... got cleaned up and made a swift exit all other times were uneventful!!

Wow thanks so much more positive than I expected. I think I’ll go for it…

Our 3 children have spent their childhood in museums. We even took them to church on Sundays. No problems.

There isn't much you can't do with a baby in a sling (if you don't have one, or the one you have isn't massively comfortable, Idhighly recommend getting to a sling library).

I go to museums all the time with my now toddler, they tend to be very baby friendly and a lot have children's galleries. No ides about this specific museum but it will be absolutely fine with a four month old

We were there recently with ours because the older one wanted to see the ancient egyptian stuff because they’re doing it at school. Youngest was in the pram for some of it and walking holding hands for the rest. Newborn is no issue whatsoever.

Take a sling. A pram is a PITA at the British Museum. Otherwise, have a brilliant time!

Why would it be totally inappropriate?! It's a museum, not a brothel! Go to all the museums, enjoy this time.

PITA?

thanks!

Just worried if he did make a noise it would ruin it for others… but feels like it’s okay from these posts!

It's fine. I took DC to museums in maternity leave plenty of times. It's not unusual.

Why on earth would it be "totally inappropriate"?! Absolute non- issue. No-one will look twice.

We basically lived in museums, galleries, cinemas, when mine were small, a minimum of twice a week, from tiny. And all the way through toddler too - why would you not? They are full of babies and young children.

Go! If baby makes a noise don't worry. There are even benches in exhibitions and babies can be fed there.

Please do go. 😄 The Museum run Little Feet sessions for under 5s and their parents/carers so you're definitely welcome. https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions-events/family-under-5s You've missed the Legion one but there's one in Michelangelo coming up (20 June) and there's 5 July in the Clore education centre.
Breastfeeding and bottle feeding are allowed anywhere in the Museum, including exhibitions and galleries. Nappy change is in the Great Court toilets, East side.
Please don't worry if your baby cries or gurgles or makes any noise. They are just as much a visitor as an adult.

Totally doable and enjoyable! I longed for this as I moved from London to Scotland when my baby was 6 weeks old for a few years, and in the rainy winter I'd think ugh if I was home I'd be able to spend the day just wandering the British Museum with him in pram or carrier, safe from the rain but out! Enjoy :)