Top museums in London – for kids! (by Robert)

It's the Easter holidays, so we'll be expecting lots of of visitors to our home town, London. Because of this, Robert decided to write a very helpful blog post...

"When you come to England’s capital you might find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of things to do and places to see. Visiting a museum must be one of the most popular days out in London so I thought that I’d make a list of my favourites. (Please note that this is not in any order)

[caption id="attachment_2349" align="alignnone" width="676"] Robert at the British Museum[/caption]

The British Museum

This is the most well known of the lot and for a good reason. Founded in 1753, the massive building has a section on every era of British history where you can learn loads and also have a look at the breathtaking objects that are displayed. It’s amazing for kids as well as adults as they always have many educational activities and workshops going on, plus you can get a backpack at reception on a particular era. This will include fun things to do and items to look out for in the display rooms. One of my oldest memories is going around with my dad in the Egyptian section looking at the mummies. The British museum is a fantastic museum where you can learn so much, not just about British history, but about the world.

The Science Museum 

This is probably the best museum for kids, I’ve been there so many times and it never gets boring. Filled with loads of science experiments to try out and activities to have a go at, this is the building that children love to go to. It so cleverly made that kids learn about science and don’t even realise it. There are so many interactive things to do, plus the normal facts and displays that you find in other museums. This is probably my favourite museum but parents, bring a book as you might be sitting down for a while your children are doing the experiments.

London Transport Museum

This is a fun museum that you only need a few hours to explore. The building is filled with the many vehicles that the public have used over the years and it is a quick but informative learning experience. There are quite a few interactive screens for the kids, plus you are allowed inside some of the vehicles like a double decker bus or a train carriage dating back over 100 years. It is a fun place to go and I especially liked the staff who dress up as old fashioned customers and speak to you in character. But I wouldn’t put it top of my list.

[caption id="attachment_2350" align="alignnone" width="1200"] First World War exhibition at the RAF Museum, pic courtesy of the museum[/caption]

RAF Museum and the Imperial War Museum

Both of these museums are fantastic places to go if you want to learn about soldiers, wars and fighting. Both display an enormous collection of old fighter planes and other cool objects, they have rides, simulating what it was like to be in a plane during an attack plus lots of other interactive activities to have a go on. They also explain about the two world wars in a way so that little kids can understand.  They are fun places to learn especially for adults but because there's so much to see at the Imperial War Museum, younger kids may get a bit bored there. The RAF museum (based in Hendon, North London) may be better for a younger age group.

Bank of England museum

This is lesser known than the others, but is a great building where you learn all about money in Britain and how it is made. You can explore the world of the pound and even try to lift up a real bar of gold. It is a really fun place to go with kids and once again you don’t really need the whole day to go there.

In this post I have listed a few of my favourite museums in London but there are so many more like the Natural History museum or one of my personal favourites (and if you want to travel  bit further afield) the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. I hope this has helped you if you are planning a trip to London, and if you are -  bring an umbrella.

All the museums mentioned above - bar the London Transport Museum - are free to enter, although extras (such as the IMAX cinema at the Science Museum) do cost money. The RAF Museum is free, but you'll have to pay to park in the car park! The London Transport museum costs £17.00 for adults and £14.50 for kids, but that gives you entry for a year.

Read my thoughts on the National Maritime Museum

Read mum's post on 5 free things to do in London!

 

Five fantastic free things to do in London with kids

It's January and some of us are a bit short of cash (all those presents take it out of you, don't they?). So, I thought I would try to be useful. Here are 5 great free things to do in London. Save on entrance fees - and treat yourself to a coffee and cake instead....

Please note that, once I started on this post I realised that there are so many brilliant free things to do in London, we are all spoilt for choice. And I haven't even mentioned the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery which have some wonderful children's trails and often have workshops for kids too, nor the many city farms including Spitalfields and Kentish Town!

1) The Diana Memorial playground in Hyde Park

London has some absolutely gorgeous parks - perfect for the kids to let off steam. You can enjoy magnificent views from Primrose Hill in North London, or go boating in Regent's Park (one of my favourites). But if I only had to pick one for families, it would be the Diana playground.

Set up in memory of the former Princess, mother of Princes William and Harry, and located near her home at Kensington Palace, this play area is wonderful, imaginative, clean and fun. Aimed at children under 12, adults are only allowed in if they have a child with them and the masterpiece is the huge wooden pirate ship. Most children love this, enjoying the pulleys and ropes, walkways and more. It's all lovely and safe, surrounded by sand and has a lovely Peter Pan connection through various scenes from the famous story.

But there is more to it than the ship. There is a giant swing, tunnels, sensory trail and lots of sculptures to discover too. There are also enough toilet facilities, plus nappy-changing and a café. My only warning is that it can get extremely busy.

[caption id="attachment_947" align="aligncenter" width="940"] There is so much to see at the British Museum[/caption]

2) Enjoy the museums

This is the most obvious of my suggestions, but it's still worth emphasising. London has the most fantastic variety of museums and some of the best will cost you absolutely nothing to explore! Most of them also offer children's trails, activities and even backpacks which contain anything from puzzles to quiz questions and which you can borrow while you find out what's on offer.

Try the Natural History Museum if you crave some dinosaur action (but note that it is always busy), the Science Museum for hours of experimental fun (you can return to this one over and over again) and the British Museum for ancient Egypt, the Rosetta Stone and more. The Museum of London is a wonderful place to visit, with or without kids, and tends to be a little less busy than the others. There you can find out about anything from the capital in Roman times to the Great Fire. Its partner museum, the Museum of London in Docklands, is another gem, telling you about how important the Thames has been. It also has a lovely "mudlands" kids' play area.

 

[caption id="attachment_949" align="aligncenter" width="940"] Big Ben is just one of the landmarks you can see while walking around London[/caption]

3) Take a walk along the South Bank

This is my favourite part of London as it seems to sum up the history, beauty and bustle. I'd recommend that you take the tube or a bus to Westminster, where you can marvel at the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, as well as explore Parliament Square and its multitude of statues (including one of Winston Churchill). Then cross the bridge (enjoying the views) and walk down towards the National Theatre (you're now on the South Bank!). You will pass the London Eye and Aquarium among other attractions, and also come upon various stalls as you make your way towards the Royal Festival Hall. If you want to keep walking, you can continue on past my favourite bridge (Tower Bridge) the Globe Theatre and Tate Modern, all the way to London Bridge and treat yourself at Borough Market. However, if you have young kids, they may not want to go this far! Wherever you end up, you'll love the views and get a real sense of what this fantastic city has to offer.

4) Somerset House

This beautiful Georgian building - once home to Anne of Denmark, Henrietta Maria and Catherine of Braganza - has a magnificent courtyard and offers some great views of the Thames from its balcony. But it's particularly worth a visit because of its summer fountains - which your kids will love jumping in and out of, and you might enjoy too - and its winter ice rink.

If you have older kids, you might enjoy one of the free guided tours (check for details, but these are usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays and some Saturdays). For children aged 6-12, there are regular family themed workshops (usually on the first Saturday of the month), with the next one, on Saturday February 7th, all about 3D mapping!

[caption id="attachment_951" align="aligncenter" width="940"] Visit the Tower of London late in the day and watch history come alive in front of you![/caption]

5) The Ceremony of the Keys

If you book this online, it will cost you £1, so it's not entirely free, but it's definitely worth it - even if you have to plan your visit in advance. When else do you get to go to a ceremony which has been performed regularly for 700 years?
The ceremony is at 9.30pm each evening, so may not be suitable for very young children, but it will excite most ages. It lasts about 40 minutes and is essentially the formal locking of the gates at the Tower by the Chief Yeoman Warder and his accompanying guards. The same wording is used each night, starting with "Halt, who comes there?" Not to be missed!

We'd also recommend The Changing of the Guard, Kenwood House, some of the London markets (although beware of pester power here) and many more!