THE SCIENCE MUSEUM LONDON WITH KIDS UNDER 5

by Alex Millsupdated on October 1, 2024September 15, 2024Leave a Comment

A LONDON WITH KIDS CITY GUIDE

London is home to so many amazing museums, The Science Museum is one of the most popular and that’s for good reason. It’s free and fun! It’s also a perfect place to keep young children engaged and busy! We’ve visited many times so I wanted to write this guide on The Science Museum London with kids under 5 to help you enjoy it as much as we have.

I’m going to be sharing everything you need to know about visiting The Science Museum plus tips to make your time there as enjoyable and memorable as possible!

guide to the Science Museum London with kids under 5

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GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

GETTING THERE: The Science Museum is located in the beautiful area of Kensington, close to both the Natural History and the V&A museums. The address is Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD.

The closest tube station is South Kensington, which is just a five-minute walk away. This is on both the District, Circle and Piccadilly lines. Unfortunately, this station does not have step-free access. The closest one where you won’t have to lift your pushchair (stroller) is Earls Court. That’s a 25-minute walk and again on the District and Picadilly lines.

The closest train station is London Victoria, which is a 40-minute walk. It is possible to take a bus, but from my experience, this takes longer than walking!

ENTRY: Entry is free but you do need to book a timeslot online. I’ve linked the website here. Some of the exhibitions have an entry fee. You can also book those online if you wish.

ACCESSIBILITY: The museum is fully accessible and easy to get around with a pushchair.

EATING: There is a large picnic area. It’s a little strange, you’ll find rows of steps rather than tables and chairs and sometimes it’s very crowded with school groups. The museum also has several places that sell food, including a cafe, diner and even a shake bar.

Flight Exhibition, The Science Museum & Sensory Fun in The Garden

TIPS FOR VISITING THE SCIENCE MUSEUMS WITH KIDS UNDER 5

TIMING MATTERS

As I mentioned, we’ve been to The Science Museum many times. Visiting on a rainy Sunday is a very different experience from a sunny weekday. The Science Museum is extremely popular and can get very busy. One of the best things about having kids under 5 is, you can avoid going in the school holidays. I would highly recommend doing this! If possible, go on a weekday and avoid the worst of the crowds.

ALLOW ALL DAY

There is enough to do at the Science Museum to fill a full day. With under 5’s its best to take your time, you’ll also want to allow time for lunch and plenty of snack breaks.

Although there is enough there to fill a day, little ones might not last that long. The great thing about it being free is you can always come back another time if they’re not in the mood!

DON’T MISS THE GARDEN

This was so fun and my kid’s favourite part of the museum. You don’t need to book and can just turn up but you may be asked to wait in line at busy periods.

The Garden is a sensory playroom for kids aged 3-6. They also allow younger kids; my youngest (currently 18 months) has always enjoyed it! I would highly recommend you visit this area, it’s located in the basement right by the toilets and picnic area.

Fun in The Garden

Pushchairs (strollers) can’t be taken in but there is a room to store them in. They have cables to tie them but a £1 coin is required, it’s returned to you when you unlock it!

TIP: there is a water table and they don’t provide aprons so either take one or make sure to pack a change of clothes.

ALSO, CHECK OUT THE PATTERN POD

This is another great area for young children. Aimed at under-nines but we found it perfect for under 5’s! There is sensory play and you an make your own digital art.

Again, there is no need to book this area, you just turn up! The Pattern Pod is often quieter than the Garden.

Interactive fun at the Pattern Pod

OTHER AREAS KIDS WILL LOVE

The other sections of the museum my kids enjoyed were the Energy Hall, Exploring Space, Flight and Making the Modern World. As I mentioned, you might not get round them all in one day with little kids so pick your priorities.