Noah and I love London museums and we especially love the fact that so many museums are accessible for under 5s now with specific activities tailored towards preschoolers.
1. Young V & A – An incredible museum which features interactive galleries, called Design, Imagine and Play all of which feature an extensive collection of objects relating to childhood including over 2000 toys. The museum is a dynamic space with plenty of hands-on exhibits and workshops. We love under 2s space known as the Mini Museum which was a sensory explosion for babies and toddlers with lots to touch, hear and see with everything at eye level for little ones!
Location: Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green, E2 9PA. Nearest tube Bethnal Green,
Age: 0 – 14 years
Price: Admission free
2. Science Museum – London’s famous museum dedicated to all things science also caters so well for littles. The Garden (open Tues – Sunday) is an interactive space where children can discover construction, water, light and sound through play. We love the Pattern Pod for more sensory and interactive fun and we love the science themed afternoon tea.
Location: Exhibition Road, South Kensington
Age: All Ages
Cost: Free entry
3. Discover Children’s Story Centre
We love visiting the Discover Children’s Story Centre in Stratford. There’s two floors of immersive play space known as the Story Worlds as well as the Story Garden playground.
Location: Stratford
Age: 0 – 11
Cost: £10
4. London Transport Museum – Enjoy the All Aboard play area, suitable for 0 – 7. fleet of mini vehicles of trains, boats and even a Emirates Air Line cable car. There’s also a Baby DLR for infants including an interactive wall and building blocks. Special events and sessions for under 5s run throughout the year.
Location: Covent Garden
Age: All ages
Cost: Adults £24.50, children, Free
5. Natural History Museum – The museum takes you through 4.6 billion years of the planet’s history. Brave little ones can get up close and personal with dinosaurs as well as exploring the museums gardens. Noah and I loved the Adventure Babies classes – perfect for under 1s.
Location: Cromwell Road, South Kensington
Age: All ages
Cost: Free
6. Postal Museum – Do you know that there’s a secret railway under the streets of London? It’s actually how the post used to be delivered and you can ride in the preserved tunnels at the Postal Museum. At this fascinating space – perfect for children and adults – you can learn about the 500 years of history of the Royal Mail. With vintage items such as wartime letters, delivery vehicles and original stamps. One of the highlights is the Mail Rail train which is a ride underneath Mount Pleasant, the hub of the royal mail. The ride includes movies and scenes narrating the history of the post office. Another highlight is SORTED a postal themed soft play area where child can act out the role of the sorting office.
Location: Nr Farringdon
Age: All ages. Sorted is for age 0 – 8
Cost: Adult £18.50, Child £11.
7. The Musuem of London Docklands is one of my top choices for a family-friendly museum. Based around the story of London as a great port charting history from Roman times until now; the museum is packed with fascinating history but it is also incredibly child-friendly too. Noah loved the Mudlarks soft play, a dedicated gallery for children under 8 while I got to discover fascinating facts about my home city. I love the fact that the museum really embraces learning for toddlers and younger children. As well as the soft play, there are various family trails around the museum for children to interact with such as building, dressing up and sensory experiments. I’m planning to visit for one of their Tots at the Docks sessions at some point.
There’s plenty for older children too! Best of all the museum is free!
Location: West India Quay
Age: All ages. Mudlarks is for age 0 – 8
Cost: FREE Mudlarks is £3.50 for babies and £7 over 10 months
8. Tower Bridge – One of London’s most iconic landmarks. We loved the mix of history and stunning views and ‘scary’ glass walkways. There’s also a fun trail for kids.
Location: Tower Bridge Road
Age: All ages, under 5s are free
Cost: Adult £16 / Child £8
9. Buckingham Palace – The Monarch’s London home feels like the very heart of the city and an iconic symbol. You don’t even have to go in to see the changing of the guard. It’s not just a museum but a working palace for important occasions and during the summer opening you can visit the State Rooms and Royal Mews. There’s a family pavilion with interactive games and play spaces.
Location: Buckingham Palace Road
Age: All ages
Cost: £32 for adult £16 children (under 5s free)
10. Maritime Musuem
A free museum with one of the world’s largest maritime collection telling stories about sea travel, exploration, trade and navel history. There are hands on interactive galleries with lots of opportunities for role play. The AHOY! Children’s gallery for age 0 – 7 is an immersive soft play space with a maritime theme. There’s also the Cove playground which is free entry.
Location: Greenwich
Age: All ages
Cost: Free entry. Ahoy is free during the week and £5 at weekends and holidays.
11. Museum of the Home – Museum of the Home is another museum that is free entry! The museum explores homes, gardens and home life from 1600 to the present day – there’s even a futuristic home! It’s great for nostalgia such as showing the kids old phones, tvs and computers and how vaccuum cleaners have evolved through time. Personally I also loved that there was a room set up for a Jewish Friday night supper.
For children there’s several play areas including a role play house, sensory packs and trails. There’s lots of interactive elements the kids will enjoy too – you can even play a game of Mario Kart.
Location: Hoxton
Age: All ages
Cost: Free
12 The Twist Museum – Step inside the Twist museum, a place full of mind bending illusions and immersive artwork
The name “TWIST” stands for “The Way I See Things,” reflecting on the museum’s focus on how our brains interpret the world around us.
There are over 80 exhibits and the museum offers an assortment of sensory experiences that challenge visitors’ perceptions of colour, sound, space, and more. The interactive illusions were perfect to spark a curious mind like Oscar’s and through kaleidoscopes, mirror mazes, and floating shadows his imagination truly took flight. For a toddler like Noah, the Twist museum is a giant sensory playground of vibrant colours and lights.
Right on London’s Oxford street this interactive exhibition is the perfect location to entertain the kids if you’re taking a break from shopping.
Location: 248 Oxford St, London W1C 1DH
Age: All ages, under 3s are free
Cost: Adult £24.50 children £20
13. The Army Museum – The central museum for the British Army explores the life of a soldier, the role of the army, battles and conflicts and the army in relation to society. There’s plenty of interactive exhibitions and a family trail. Play Base is an immersive soft play for age 0 – 8 with an assault course, cook house, quarter master’s store and more.
Location: Royal Hospital Road Chelsea
Age: All ages
Cost: Free. Play Base is chargeable at £7
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