MUSEUMS IN LONDON AN ULTIMATE FAMILY-FRIENDLY BUCKET LIST

by Alex Millsupdated on October 1, 2024June 3, 2024Leave a Comment

THINGS TO DO IN LONDON CITY GUIDE

There are so many fabulous museums in London. We’ve lived here 6 months now and have already ticked a few off our bucket list but I’m always on the hunt for new and exciting things to do with my boys (currently aged 4.5 years and 15 months), so I decided to write this post.

The school summer holidays are fast approaching and hopefully, it will inspire you to try somewhere new. Many of the museums in London are free, making them a perfect option for families on a budget. I’ve done a lot of research and listed below all the options I think are family-friendly.

For any museum that is underlined, we’ve visited, just click on the link for our full guide. I’d recommend reading them for tips on enjoying your day out. I’ve also split them into free and ones you need to purchase a ticket for easy reference. Let’s go!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
6 LONDON MUSEUMS WITH GREAT PLAY SPACES FOR KIDS
OR READ ALL MY LONDON CITY GUIDES HERE.

museums in London for families - bucket list guide

MUSEUMS IN LONDON WITH AN ENTRANCE FEE

Some of the below museums are included in the National Trust Membership, English Heritage Membership or The London Pass, so double-check them if you have any. If you’re visiting London and planning to visit a few attractions, The London Pass is worth considering.

1. Arsenal Football Club Museum – N5 1BU (North)

2. Buckingham Palace – SW1A 1AA (Central)

3. Charles Dicken’s Museum – WC1N 2LX (Central London)

4. Chelsea Football Club Museum – SW6 1HS (West London)

5. Chiswick House – W4 2QN (West London)

6. Churchill War Rooms – SW1A 2AQ (Central London)

7. Cinema Museum – SE11 4TH (Central London)

8. Clink Museum – SE1 9DG (Central)

9. Cutty Sark Visitors Centre – SE10 9HT (South East)

10. Danson House – DA6 8HL (South East)

11. Down House (Home of Charles Darwin) – BR6 7JT (Greater London, South East)

12. Dr. Johnson’s House – EC4A 3DE (Central)

13. Eltham Palace and Gardens – SE9 5NP (South East)

14. Fashion and Textile Museum – SE1 3XF (Central)

15. Fenton House – NW3 6SP (North)

16. Garden Museum – SE1 7LB (Central)

17. Hall Place & Gardens – DA5 1PQ ( Greater London, South East)

18. Ham House – TW10 7RS (Greater London, South West)

19. Hampton Court Palace – KT8 9AU (Greater London, South East)

20. HMS Belfast – SE1 2JH (Central)

21. Household Cavalry Museum – SW1A 2AX (Central)

22. Keats House – NW3 2RR (North London)

23. Kensington Palace and Gardens – W8 4PX (Central)

24. Kew Gardens – TW9 3AB (West)

25. London Canal Museum – N1 9RT (North)

26. London Film Museum – WC2E 7BN (Central)

27. London Fire Brigade Museum – SE1 0EG (Central)

28. London Museum of Water & Steam – TW8 0EN (West)

29. London Transport Museum – WC2E 7BB (Central)

30. Marble Hill House – TW1 2NL (Greater, South West)

31. Museum Of Brands, Packaging and Advertising – W11 1QT (West)

32. Pollock’s Toy Museum – W1T 2HL (Central)

33. Ranger’s House – SE10 8QX (South East)

34. Red House – DA6 8JF (Greater – South East)

35. Royal Mews – SW1W 0QH (Central)

36. The Tower of London – EC3N 4AB (Central)

37. Royal Observatory Greenwich – SE10 8XJ (South East)

38. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Museum – SE1 9DT (Central)

39. The Sherlock Holmes Museum – NW1 6XE (Central)

40. Sutton House – E9 6JQ (East)

41. Brunel Museum – SE16 4LF (East)

42. The Cartoon Museum – W1T 3PZ (Central)

43. The Fan Museum – SE10 8ER (South East)

44. The Foundling Museum – WC1N 1AZ (Central)

45. The Fusilier Museum – EC3N 4AB (Central)

46. The Painted Hall – SE10 9NN (South East)

47. Golden Hinde – SE1 9DE (Central)

48. The Guards Museum – SW1E 6HQ (Central)

49. Jewel Tower – SW1P 3JX (Central)

50. Jewish Museum – NW1 7NB (North)

51. Saatchi Gallery – SW3 4RY (South West)

52. St Paul’s Cathedral – EC4M 8AD (Central)

53. The Postal Museum – WC1X 0DA (Central)

54. Tower Bridge Exhibition – SE1 2UP (Central)

55. Westminster Abbey Museum – SW1P 3PA (Central)

56. Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum – SW19 5AE (West)

57. Wellington Arch – W1J 7JZ (Central)

58. Wimbledon Windmill Museum – SW19 5NR (South West)

59. World Rugby Museum – TW1 1DZ (Greater London – South West)

Photos: The Tower of London, The Cutty Sark and the Postal Museum

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
6 LONDON MUSEUMS WITH GREAT PLAY SPACES FOR KIDS
OR READ ALL MY LONDON CITY GUIDES HERE.

FREE MUSEUMS IN LONDON

1. The Bank of England Museum -EC2R 8AH (Central London)

2. Bruce Castle Museum – N17 8NU (North London)

3. Charlton House – SE7 8RE (South East London)

4. City of London Police Museum – EC2V 7HH (Central) NOTE: CURRENTLY CLOSED

5. The Design Museum – W8 6AG (Central)

6. Forty Hall Museum and Estate – EN2 9HA ( Greater London, North)

7. Grant Museum of Zoology – WC1E 6DE (Central)

8. Gunnersbury Park Museum – W5 4NH (West)

9. Hackney Museum – E8 1GQ (East)

10. Harrow Museum – HA2 6PX (Greater London, North West)

11. Hogarth’s House – W4 2QN (West)

12. Imperial War Museum London – SE1 6HZ (South)

13. Islington Museum – EC1V 4NB (North)

14. Kenwood House – NW3 7JR (North)

15. National Gallery – WC2N 5DN (Central)

16. National Portrait Gallery – WC2H 0HE (Central)

17. The Museum of Freemasonry – WC2B 5AZ (Central)

18. Museum of London – EC2Y 5HN (Central)

19. Museum of London Docklands – E14 4AL (East)

20. Museum Of Richmond – TW9 1TP (Greater, South West)

22. National Army Museum – SW3 4HT (South)

23. National Maritime Museum – SE10 9NF (South East) – Unfortunately, two of the best areas for families are closed for renovations until summer 2025.

24. Natural History Museum – SW7 5BD (Central)

25. New London Architecture Museum – WC1E 7BT (Central)

26. Royal Academy of Music Museum – NW1 5HT (Central)

27. Royal Air Force Museum London – NW9 5LL (North)

28. Science Museum – SW 2DD (Central)

29. Southside House – SW19 4RJ (South)

30. The British Library – NW1 2DB (Central)

31. The British Museum – WC1B 3DG (Central)

32. Tate Modern – SE1 9TG (East)

33. Tate Britain – SW1P 4RG (Central)

34. Crystal Palace Museum – SE19 2BA (South)

35. Geffrye Museum (Also called Museum of the Home) – E2 8EA (Central)

36. Horniman Museum & Gardens – SE23 3PQ (South)

37. The Museum at Fulham Palace – SW6 6EA (West)

38. Queen’s House – SE10 9NF (South East)

39. Ragged School Museum – E3 4RR (East)

40. The Twinings Museum – WC2R 1AP (Central)

41. The Young V&A – E2 9PA (East)

42. The Victoria and Albert Museum SW7 2RL – (West)

43. Vestry House Museum – E17 9NH (East)

44. The Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum – E17 8AX (East)

45. William Morris Gallery – E17 4PP (East)

Photos: The Design Museum, The Horniman Museum and The Bank of England Museum

Thank you for reading this guide on family-friendly museums in London, I hope it has inspired you to visit somewhere new! Don’t forget, you can click any headings that are underlined for our full review/ tips to enjoy your visit. We’ll certainly be trying to tick a few more off our bucket list!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
6 LONDON MUSEUMS WITH GREAT PLAY SPACES FOR KIDS
OR READ ALL MY LONDON CITY GUIDES HERE.

Happy Exploring,