The best London museums for toddlers
Zoe Craig
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London is packed full of world class museums, and many of them cater brilliantly to toddlers and younger visitors. From explorer backpacks to dedicated play spaces, there are so many wonderful things to discover at these world-class institutions. Many have family-friendly cafes as well as gorgeous gardens and parks nearby, making a day out at a London museum a real treat for the whole family.
1. London Transport Museum
Toddlers will love the London Transport Museum, which offers so many fantastic ways to play as you learn about the city's unique transport system. You can drive a bus, spot horses and carriages and collect stamps as you go around the museum. Look out for the All Aboard playzone: full of mini vehicles and perfect for dressing up, enjoying the interactive activities and role playing.
Where: London Transport Museum, The Piazza, London WC2E 7BB
Tickets: £18.50 adults; Under 17s go free
2. Natural History Museum
If your toddler loves dinosaurs, the Natural History Museum will be the perfect day out. Where else can you tiptoe past the first T-rex skeleton ever discovered, before coming face-to-face with a roaring, moving animatronic recreation? (Nervous kids will be pleased to hear you can take a short-cut past this part). Elsewhere you can see Andy's clock from the CBeebies show Andy's Dinosaur Adventures; learn about the incredible blue whale; and explore how volcanoes and earthquakes have shaped our world.
Where: Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD
Tickets: Free
Love dinosaurs? Check out our top days out for dinosaur-fans around the UK
3. Science Museum
Head to The Garden section downstairs at the Science Museum with your toddler and prepare to lose yourself in a wonderful world of construction, water, light and sound sure to captivate your little one's imagination. If you want to explore further, the Pattern Pod is another great place for under 8s eager to get interactive with science, robots and more.
Where: Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
Tickets: Free
4. British Museum
Head to the Families Desk in the Great Court of the British Museum to pick up a backpack full of treats designed to help toddlers explore this world class museum. 'Little feet: Alfred the explorer' will give you the tools you need to enjoy exploring this space with kids under 5. As your kids learn and grow, there are more themed backpacks for them to borrow and enjoy.
Where: British Museum, Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG
Tickets: Free
5. Museum of London
Interactive exhibits, creative spaces and innovative recreations really bring the history of London to life for younger kids at the Museum of London. You can step back to medieval times and play inside a recreated Saxon home; go shopping in an atmospheric recreation of a Victorian Street; and find lots of other interactive activities inside. Look out for special family-friendly events at the weekends and during school holidays.
Where: Museum of London, 150 London Wall, Barbican, London EC2Y 5HN
Tickets: Free
6. National Maritime Museum
The AHOY! Children's Gallery at the National Maritime Museum is such a fun place for toddlers to explore. They can stoke the boiler of a steamship, buy and sell fish in the marketplace, dress up as a pirate captain and make new friends in the interactive boatyard. Then it's a short lift ride up to the Great Map Cafe, another brilliant space for toddlers to explore.
Where: National Maritime Museum, Romney Road, London SE10 9NF
Tickets: Free. AHOY! costs £3 at the weekend / during school holidays
7. Victoria & Albert Museum
The V&A has a gorgeous collection of art and design exhibits to explore. Grab a special ‘Agent Animal’ backpack for under-fives and track down six animals across several of the museum galleries. Look out for the Theatre Collection, where you can play at dress up and spot some familiar characters. And don't miss the gorgeous courtyard and fountains – a perfect space for toddlers to let off steam.
Where: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
Tickets: Free
8. Horniman Museum and Gardens
A smaller museum, with huge, beautiful gardens, the Horniman in South East London is makes a great day out for toddlers. As well as a fascinating music gallery and an inspiring Natural History gallery, there's an aquarium, butterfly house and an animal walk, where you can meet some friendly alpacas, sheep, rabbits and more.
Where: Horniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Road, London SE23 3PQ
Tickets: Free, there's a charge for the aquarium and the butterfly house
9. Museum of London Docklands
Another smaller museum that's perfect for younger visitors, is the Museum of London Docklands in East London. Look out for the Mudlarks gallery, where kids can enjoy a soft play space, water play and learn about docks through interactive games and activities.
Where: Museum of London Docklands, 1 Warehouse, West India Quay, Hertsmere Road, London E14 4AL
Tickets: Free
10. National Army Museum
Play Base at the National Army Museum is an immersive experience perfect for toddlers. Take on the soft play assault course, climb aboard a truck or prepare scoff in the cookhouse; your little one will have a whale of a time. There's buttons to push, vehicles to 'drive' and uniform to try on. Plus, kids eat for free in the cafe at the weekends and during school holidays.
Where: National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, London SW3 4HT
Tickets: Free
11. Royal Air Force Museum, London
Grab a toddler-friendly backpack and explore the Royal Air Force Museum. Use the binoculars, torch or magnifying glass; plot your route with the compass and complete all of the activities in the Backpack Trail – all with an RAF Teddy to help you. There are also family-friendly trails to help you get the most from your museum visit. Don't miss the brilliant new outdoor playground – perfect for toddlers to burn off some energy, fire their imaginations and learn new things at the same time.
Where: Royal Air Force Museum, Grahame Park Way, London NW9 5LL
Tickets: Free
12. The Postal Museum
The combo of a jam-packed calendar of free workshops, the underground train ride on Mail Rail and Sorted! The Postal Play Space means toddlers will love the Postal Museum even if they aren't huge Postman Pat fans before their visit! We think The Postal Museum in London really is one of the best family-friendly museums in the capital.
Where: The Postal Museum, 15-20 Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DA
Tickets: Adult, £16; Child (3-15yrs), £9. Sorted! costs £4 for under 8s
13. London Museum of Water and Steam
Discover the story of London’s water supply, the site of the former Kew Bridge Waterworks, and the amazing pumping engines that helped make London the great city it is today at the London Museum of Water and Steam. Toddlers will love the outdoor Splash Zone in the Waterwheel Courtyard! Be amazed by unexpected ways of moving water using gears, wheels, buckets, levers, pumps, pipes and more!
Where: London Museum of Water and Steam, Green Dragon Lane, Brentford TW8 0EN
Tickets: Adults, £18; kids go free
14. Museum of the Home
Young visitors to the Museum of the Home will find lots to see and do at the museum. There are interactive trails to follow both inside the museum and outside in the gardens; explorer bags aimed specifically at under 5s; and designated quieter spaces perfect for little ones who can become overwhelmed.
Where: Museum of the Home, 136 Kingsland Road, London E2 8EA
Tickets: Free
