Best London museums for kids 2026 (tested by families)

Explore a world of London icons at the London Transport Museum, where young explorers can hop aboard a 1930s red bus, wander through old Tube carriages and climb onto vintage trams. It’s a family favourite for good reason, bringing London’s transport story to life in a way that gets kids moving and imagining. Older children (ages 5+) can even “drive” a modern Tube train and try their hand at managing signals and stations.

We recommend starting in the interactive galleries. The All Aboard Play Zone (ages 0-7) is packed with mini vehicles, dress‑up uniforms and a soft‑play bus, while the Future Engineers Gallery (ages 7-12) offers hands‑on challenges and puzzles.

Don’t miss the free family trail, where kids follow clues and collect stamps as they explore. During weekends and school holidays, look out for craft workshops and storytelling sessions.

Best for: Children who learn best by doing – driving simulators, pressing buttons and playing conductor.
Good to know: Try to arrive early, as the museum tends to get busy after 11am, especially on weekends and during school holidays. Kids go free, and your adult ticket is valid for a full year, so you can return as often as you like – just book a free timed slot each time.

One of London’s most hands‑on, family‑friendly museums, the Postal Museum brings to life the city’s first “social network”. The star attraction for kids is the Mail Rail, a miniature train ride through the original tunnels and stations of London’s 100‑year‑old postal railway, complete with lights, sounds and stories from the underground world of mail.

For children aged 1 to 8, the Sorted! Postal Play Space is a lively, bookable zone where little ones can sort parcels, dress up as postal workers and play in a soft‑play‑style sorting office. We suggest booking both the Mail Rail and Sorted! in advance, as they’re popular on weekends and during school holidays.

Across the museum, interactive galleries invite kids of all ages to design their own stamp, try old‑school communication tools and explore historic post boxes and vehicles. Pick up family trails and activity sheets, and look out for themed holiday activities and weekly sessions for under‑5s.

Best for: Kids who love underground adventures and hands-on play.
Good to know: If you buy a Museum & Mail Rail ticket, you can return for free for 12 months by booking a timed slot. There’s a family‑friendly cafe in the Welcome Space, along with plenty of pushchair room and lockers for bags and coats.

The Natural History Museum is one of London’s top family days out, and a must visit for kids of all ages. Step into Hintze Hall and the spectacular blue whale skeleton sets the scene for a day packed with discovery.

The museum is vast, so we recommend choosing one or two coloured zones to explore first. In the Green Zone, little ones can follow the dinosaur trail and get up close to all things mini beast. The Red Zone brings the drama with earth simulators and an erupting volcano, which we suggest for older children. Animal lovers will enjoy the Blue Zone, home to everything from monkeys and mammoths to the roaring T. rex that always delights families.

With hands on exhibits and impressive galleries throughout, the museum keeps kids engaged from start to finish. We’d encourage arriving early or visiting later in the day to avoid the busiest times.

Best for: Curious kids of all ages who love dinosaurs, animals and interactive discovery.
Good to know: Entry is free, but reserving a timed ticket can reduce queuing and guarantee entry. There’s plenty of space for packed lunches, including the Darwin Centre picnic area in the Orange Zone, plus Kensington Gardens just next door if you’d prefer an outdoor picnic.

With interactive, multi‑sensory spaces for children of all ages, the Science Museum is one of London’s most family‑friendly days out. Kids can trace the history of space rockets and try real‑world STEM challenges. For older children, teens and nostalgic adults, get competitive in Power Up, a retro‑to‑modern gaming zone packed with consoles from the last 50 years.

Little ones will love The Garden (ages 3-6), a playful world of water experiments, building blocks, sound stations and soft‑structured fun. For bigger imaginations, Wonderlab (ages 5-12) is a large interactive gallery where children can launch rockets, play with forces, watch live science shows and get hands‑on with dozens of experiments – we think it’s one of the most exciting spaces for curious young minds.

Best for: Hands‑on kids who enjoy science, space rockets and interactive play.
Good to know: Wonderlab is the museum’s most popular paid gallery, and we recommend booking in advance during weekends and school holidays. Be sure to check the events and activities calendar too – the free science shows and demonstrations are perfect for keeping kids engaged.

The British Museum is a world‑class treasure trove, packed with wonders from prehistoric times to today – and kids adore it. With so much to explore, we recommend picking just two or three galleries to keep things fun and focused. Adventurers of all ages love the Egyptian Mummies, the iconic Rosetta Stone and the Ancient Greece rooms, where mythology comes to life. A notebook is great for sketching favourite finds.

Families can dive into free activity trails that turn the museum into a scavenger hunt, complete with spot‑the‑object challenges and creative tasks – pick one up at the Families Desk in the Great Court. During school holidays and many weekends, hands‑on workshops offer crafts, storytelling and the chance to handle real artefacts, so it’s worth checking the schedule before you go.

For extra immersion, the paid multimedia guide offers kid‑friendly routes with stories and quizzes perfect for ages 7+.

Best for: Kids who enjoy engaging, explore‑as‑you‑go fun.
Good to know: There are handy family‑friendly spots throughout the museum. The Families Desk area is quieter and pushchair‑friendly, while the Ford Centre for Young Visitors – open on weekends and during school holidays – offers a dedicated space for children to unwind.

The Horniman Museum and Gardens is a paradise for curious kids, packed with wonders to discover for animal and nature lovers. Inside, kids can meet the famous overstuffed walrus, wander past dinosaurs and fossils, and get hands‑on with animal specimens in bright, child‑friendly galleries.

In the Music Gallery, children can try instruments from around the world – drums, strings, shakers and more – while the small but brilliant aquarium brings them nose‑to‑glass with jellyfish, coral reefs and rainforest fish. For an extra treat, step into the tropical Butterfly House to see hundreds of colourful butterflies up close.

Out in the gardens, families can follow a hidden woodland trail that feels like a mini adventure, perfect for older kids. Don’t miss the Animal Walk, home to alpacas, goats, sheep and rabbits. We recommend keeping an eye out for drop‑in workshops and craft sessions during weekends and school holidays.

Best for: Kids who love animals, gardens and open‑air exploring.
Good to know: The gardens are perfect for a picnic, with plenty of space for kids to run around and beautiful views across London. Most of the museum and gardens are free to explore, but the Aquarium and Butterfly House require paid, timed tickets. Capacity is limited, so it’s best to book ahead.

One of London’s most hands‑on museums for little explorers, Young V&A invites toddlers to unleash their inner artist in spaces designed to be touched, climbed on and played with. The Play Gallery is a firm favourite, filled with soft‑play corners, sensory zones, dress‑up areas and mini stages perfect for those big spotlight moments.

We especially love the Imagine Gallery, where cosy storytelling nooks, building stations and creative corners let toddlers scribble, stack and dream up their own adventures.

Check the museum’s programme for special events, drop‑ins and creative workshops. Smaller play areas can fill up quickly during busy times including half term, so arriving early and planning around the workshop timetable helps you make the most of your visit.

Best for: Imaginative toddlers who enjoy role play, storytelling and sensory zones.
Good to know: There’s pushchair parking at the entrance and lifts throughout the building. Workshops and sensory sessions often require booking ahead, so it’s worth checking the schedule early and securing your spots.

Toddlers are wonderfully catered for at the London Museum Docklands, with playful spaces and hands‑on activities designed just for them. Wander the galleries at toddler pace, spotting boats, barrels and dockside treasures, with gentle sensory moments of light, sound and texture along the way.

We suggest starting your visit in the ever‑popular Mudlarks family gallery, perfect for little ones with energy to burn. Designed for under‑8s, it invites toddlers to “drive” a DLR train, splash and steer at the water table, climb through soft‑play zones and wheel cargo around like real dock workers during a lively 45‑minute session.

Check the museum’s programme for family‑friendly storytelling, crafts and movement sessions, including Tots at the Docks – free monthly play sessions inspired by the rich history of London’s Docklands.

Best for: Active toddlers who love immersive, tactile play and don’t mind getting a little messy.
Good to know: Timed tickets for the Mudlarks family gallery must be booked in advance. The museum is spread across three main floors, with visits beginning at the top and moving down through the story of London’s Docklands. Lifts are available throughout, making it easy to navigate between levels with a pushchair.

Kids will love the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, where there’s plenty to spark young imaginations. In the main galleries, toddlers can wander at their own pace, spotting towering boats, anchors and figureheads, trying simple interactives and exploring The Great Map – a giant floor map perfect for little adventurers.

We recommend heading straight to AHOY!, the museum’s standout space for under‑7s. This maritime‑themed play gallery invites toddlers to fire cannons, sneak through cabins, haul ropes and stoke the boilers, all while exploring sensory zones and imaginative role‑play areas.

There’s also a busy programme of family‑friendly activities for under‑5s, including Play Tuesdays and Discover Sundays, each offering a new creative experience. You can even join special sessions like baby yoga for a calmer moment during your visit.

Best for: Adventurous toddlers who love sailor‑and‑pirate fun.
Good to know: AHOY! is ticketed on weekends, school holidays and bank holidays. Weekday term‑time entry is free, but booking is still recommended. Nearby outdoor play includes the nautical‑themed Cove Playground and the open green spaces of Greenwich Park.

Twist Museum is a brilliant pick for older kids and teens, with more than 80 interactive illusions to explore at their own pace. We love how they can dive into hands‑on challenges, snap creative photos and videos and spend extra time at the exhibits that spark their curiosity.

Start in the Kaleidoscope entrance zone, where the journey into colour, perception and sensory distortion begins. The one‑way route keeps everything flowing, leading you from one mind‑bending moment to the next. Along the way, teens can test their balance in the Vortex Tunnel, capture endless reflections in the Infinity Mirror Room and experiment with how lighting transforms what they see in the Colour & Light Illusion Zone.

We also recommend visiting during school half‑term, when extra family‑friendly activities, from illusion workshops to themed photo spots, make the experience even more memorable.

Best for: Curious minds who love mind-bending experiences.
Good to know: For a quieter visit, we recommend a morning slot for more space and fewer queues. You’ll take plenty of photos, so keep your phone charged – or bring along a power bank.

Step aboard Europe’s largest preserved Second World War warship and dive into the story of HMS Belfast – a brilliant adventure for older kids and teens that we love recommending. Climb all nine decks, from the Boiler Rooms below the waterline to the Flag Deck with sweeping Thames views. Along the way, discover the gun turrets, Engine Rooms and Operations Room to see how the ship worked, from engines to radar and communications.

Interactive challenges bring history to life, including steering the ship by following the Captain’s orders to reach its D‑Day destination. Kids can turn wheels, press controls and explore the many interactive exhibits throughout the ship.

Keep an eye on the events programme, with weekend family activities such as Life at Sea: Seek the Seahorse, guided tours and special film screenings.

Best for: 8-16s who want to climb ladders, explore decks and get hands‑on with history.
Good to know: Kids can sit in the Captain’s chair for the ultimate photo, and you can capture dramatic shots at the gun turrets or Tower Bridge from the upper decks. Wear comfy shoes – the ship’s steep ladders and narrow corridors make it a real adventure.

Older kids and teens love the interactive setups at Paradox Museum, from gravity‑defying rooms to clever perspective tricks, where they can get hands‑on with the exhibits and capture bold, surreal photos.

Along the route, you’ll find mind‑bending highlights including the Paradox Tunnel, a rotating walkway that feels as if the whole room is tipping, the Paradox Sofa, where your body appears divided or duplicated, and the Reversed Room, an upside‑down take on a classic London Tube scene. One of the most popular spots is Zero Gravity, where you can float weightlessly – we recommend heading there first to join the virtual queue for timed entry.

Visit during school holidays for extra fun, including interactive trails, hands‑on illusion workshops, special photo zones and staff‑led demonstrations.

Best for: Teens who enjoy hands‑on illusions and clever photo moments.
Good to know: Book ahead during weekends and school holidays, as time slots fill quickly. Many illusions look even better through a camera, so try different angles to get the full effect.

Teach kids the value of money and the story of British currency the fun way at the Bank of England Museum. Compact, free and full of engaging activities, it’s perfect for curious kids and teens who enjoy puzzles, money, history or anything interactive. They can crack security challenges, try quizzes and touchscreens that explain inflation and interest rates, and explore unusual objects from ancient coins to early banknotes.

One of the real highlights – and one we know kids love – is lifting a real gold bar, the museum’s most famous interactive. Teens enjoy testing their strength with the 13kg bar in its secure case. You can also follow themed trails, often available during school holidays, with puzzles and clues that appeal to older children.

Best for: Young explorers who love discovering how things work.
Good to know: Start with the gold bar display – it’s the museum’s most popular interactive feature and can get busy later in the day.

Pencil in a family day out at The Cartoon Museum, home to a brilliant collection celebrating British cartoons, comics and animation. Explore a treasure trove of more than 6,000 original artworks and thousands of books. Older kids and teens can also spot favourite characters and discover how cartoons come to life.

Temporary exhibitions keep things fresh, often diving into themes kids adore, from superheroes to manga and pop culture. A highlight we love is the chance to try the drawing stations, where teens can sketch their own characters, copy classic styles or experiment with comic panels.

During school holidays, follow fun trails packed with puzzles and prompts, and look out for creative workshops that add an extra splash of inspiration.

Best for: Creative kids and teens who love cartoons, comics and visual storytelling.
Good to know: There’s a small shop filled with comics, prints and quirky gifts that’s well worth a browse. Under‑18s go free, and adult tickets include an annual pass, giving you unlimited visits for a whole year.