Planning a family day out and wondering if the Science Museum London is good for kids? It’s actually an amazing museum, that’s great for kids of all ages, even toddlers and under-5s. This hands-on museum in South Kensington is packed with child-friendly exhibits that the whole family will love.
While older children will love many areas of the museum, including Wonderlab and Power Up. There are two special areas designed for younger visitors: The Garden and the Pattern Pod.
In this detailed family guide, I’ll share our review of the London Science Museum, including what to expect, which areas are best for little kids, and older children. Plus, tips to make your visit stress-free and fun.
Whether it’s your first time or you’re looking for new ideas, this guide will help you get the most out of your family trip to the Science Museum.
- Is the Science Museum, London Good for Kids?
- Useful Information to Know Before You Visit the Science Museum with Kids.
- The Best Areas at the Science Museum for Toddlers and Under 5's
- Best Areas of the Science Museum for Families with Older Kids
- Paid Exhibitions at the Science Museums
- Temporary Exhibition at the Science Museum that Families will Enjoy
- Tips for Visiting The Science Museum with Kids
- Final Thoughts on Visiting The Science Museum London with Kids
- Looking for More Family-Friendly Museums in London?
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Is the Science Museum, London Good for Kids?
The Science Museum is one of the most popular museums in London for families, and for good reason. It is amazing for kids! (Read more on the best museums in London for kids, here.) There are so many hands-on activities and specially designed areas that children of all ages will love. To make it even better, the majority of this museum is free to visit!!
Useful Information to Know Before You Visit the Science Museum with Kids.
Let’s start with some useful information to know before you go to the Science Museum. This will help you to plan your visit.
Getting to the Science Museum London
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.
From our experience, there aren’t too many stairs at South Kensington. While I wouldn’t love to carry a baby in a bassinet, a toddler who can walk up the stairs and a lightweight stroller is quite easy to manage. If you’re looking for a compact stroller, we highly recommend the Joolz Aer.
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!
Internal View of the Science Museum.
Do you Need Tickets for the Science Museum?
Entry to the Science Museum 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, for which I will share more details below in the relevant sections.
As the Science Museum is so popular, I would also recommend booking these in advance to avoid disappointment.
Is the Science Museum Accessible for Families with a Pushchair?
The museum is fully accessible and easy to get around with a pushchair (stroller), making it perfect for families visiting with a baby or toddler.
The Space Gallery at the Science Museum is always a family favourite.
Can You Eat at the Science Museum?
Yes, there are multiple places to eat at the Science Museum. The main option is the Energy Café on the ground floor, which serves hot meals, pizzas, sandwiches, salads and children’s lunch boxes, with plenty of seating for families. Tip: the upstairs part of the cafe is often less chaotic and more relaxed!
There is also the Space Café, which has stone-baked pizzas and kids’ meals, plus the Shake Bar near Wonderlab that is perfect for an ice cream or milkshake break after exploring.
The Gallery Café on Level 2 is a good spot for coffee, cakes and sandwiches. They also do a fun, family-friendly afternoon tea. See my Instagram reel on this experience, here. This tea costs £36 for adults and £26 for kids; this one does need to be booked in advance.
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, but is a great budget-friendly option for families visiting London.
The science-themed afternoon tea.
The Best Areas at the Science Museum for Toddlers and Under 5’s
One of the things that makes the Science Museum London good for kids is that there is so much for them to explore. Two areas of the Science Museum, the Garden and the Pattern Pod, have been specifically designed for young children to enjoy. I will share a full review on those areas below.
Interactive displays in the Pattern Pod.
The Science Museum Pattern Pod Review
You’ll find the Pattern Pod located on floor 0 of the Science Museum. It is a small but interactive area designed for children under age 8.
As the name suggests, this gallery focuses on getting children to create patterns, both visually and through sound. There are interactive touch screens that kids can draw on to create symmetrical designs. There is also an interactive floor and a pod that, when you step inside, creates patterns through your movement.
My kids really enjoyed this area, and I would recommend it for toddlers and young children.
There is no need to book this area, you just turn up! From our experience, the Pattern Pod is often quieter than the Garden.
My children enjoying the Pattern Pod.
Visiting The Garden at The Science Museum Review
The Garden at the Science Museum is so fun and my kids’ favourite part of the museum! We had to drag them out to explore other areas because they would have stayed there for hours!
It is a sensory playroom for kids aged 3-6. They also allow younger kids; my youngest really started enjoying it when he was about 17 months and able to walk. Quite a few London museums have dedicated play spaces for young children. Read more about them here.
Water play table in the Garden at the Science Museum.
In the Garden, you’ll find many hands-on and sensory items from building blocks to a toddler-sized room of lights and mirrors! There is also a large water play table with levers, pulleys and lots of little boats.
I would highly recommend you visit this area, it’s located in the basement right by the toilets and picnic area. You don’t need to book and can just turn up, but you may be asked to wait in line during busy periods.
Pushchairs (strollers) can’t be taken in, but there is a room close by 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!
Toddler playing in the Garden at the Science Museum.
Best Areas of the Science Museum for Families with Older Kids
The Science Museum in London is HUGE! There are so many different areas to explore; the ‘best ones’ will largely depend on your children and their interests.
You might not be able to visit every area of the museum in one day, especially if you’re visiting with a toddler, so pick your priorities depending on your child’s or children’s interests!
Children enjoying the Flight Gallery.
As I mentioned, the majority of the museum is free to visit. The free sections of the Science Museum that my kids enjoy most are:
- The Energy Hall – this one of the most interesting areas, especially seeing the huge historic steam engines up close. The gallery explains how steam power changed the world, and the machinery is genuinely impressive, even for younger kids who may not usually be interested in engineering.
- Exploring Space – this gallery is packed with rockets, satellites and real space technology, making it one of the most exciting sections of the museum. Kids will love seeing the full-size spacecraft displays and learning about astronauts, space missions and life beyond Earth.
- Flight – gallery showcases the history of aviation, with everything from early aircraft to modern planes suspended from the ceiling. It is a fascinating space to walk through, especially for transport-loving kids, and there are lots of interesting details that they can interact with, which show how air travel has evolved over the years.
- Making the Modern World – takes you through some of the inventions and technological breakthroughs that shaped everyday life as we know it today. From historic vehicles to iconic objects like early computers and medical inventions, it is one of the most varied galleries in the museum and really shows how quickly technology has changed.
While these galleries are possibly better suited to older kids, really, they can be enjoyed by children of all ages.
The Making of the Modern World Exhibit.
Paid Exhibitions at the Science Museums
While most of the Science Museum is free to explore, there are a few areas which require an entry fee, I shall share more about these below and which age children they are ideal for here.
These are permanent exhibitions, so they should be an option for your visit.
Power Up! at The Science Museum
Tucked away in the basement of the Museum is a massive room full of video games. You’ll find around 160 video games you can play on consoles from the past five years.
There is everything from vintage games, such as Pac-Man and Super Mario, to new, virtual reality headsets.
There are some games here suitable for toddlers, but the majority are suited to older children. We dont have any game consoles at home, but my 6-year-old quite enjoyed trying them all out and seemed to be able to play some of them quite well. Personally, I think he was a little young still to get the full enjoyment.
My husband would have happily been here all day!
Tickets: start from £12 per person, with under 3’s visiting for free. Click here to book.
Video games in Power Up.
Wonderlab Review
Wonderlab is probably the only part of the Science Museum we haven’t visited as a family. It is recommended for children aged 7-14, but it looks really cool.
Inside, you’ll discover interactive experiments and live displays so you can learn about science with real scientists.
Tickets: start from £15 per person, again, under 3’s visit for free. Click here to book.
IMAX Theatre
The Science Museum’s huge IMAX screen and immersive sound system make the documentaries feel incredibly realistic, with films covering topics like space, nature and science in a way that keeps both adults and kids engaged.
It is also a great option on rainy London days or if you are visiting with older children who want something a little different from the hands-on exhibits.
Tickets: start from £11, book in advance for the best price. See current showings and book here.
Temporary Exhibition at the Science Museum that Families will Enjoy
Another thing that makes the Science Museum so good for kids is that they often put on new, temporary exhibitions or shows. It is worth checking in advance what’s new before you go, as some of these things require pre-booking. See the full list of things to see and do at the Science Museum here.
2026 Update: During our last visit, we went to a free Space Science show that was especially good for families with children of all ages. The website says 5+, but my 3-year-old also loved it.
A highlight for my 6-year-old was going on stage to help with one of the experiments. Book tickets for The Space Show here.
Tips for Visiting The Science Museum with Kids
Below are some extra tips on making your family visit to the Science Museum a memorable one!
Avoid Busy Rainy Weekends
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.
Although you may think a visit to The Science Museum London would be good for kids on a rainy day, it is extremely popular and can get very busy. One of the best things about having kids under 5 is that you can avoid going on weekends and during the school holidays. I would highly recommend doing this! If possible, go on a weekday and avoid the crowds.
Allow all Day
There is enough to do at the Science Museum to fill a full day. There is so much to do at the Science Museum with kids; you can easily spend all day there.
It’s best to take your time exploring, especially if you’re visiting with children under 5. You’ll also want to allow time for lunch and plenty of snacks, or even a nap break.
Although there is enough there to fill a day, little ones might not last that long. The great thing about it being free is that you can always come back another time if they’re not in the mood!
Toddler getting hands-on in The Garden.
Pack Spare Clothes
As I mentioned, there is a water table in the Garden, and they don’t provide aprons. So, if you’re visiting with young children, make sure to pack a change of clothes.
Final Thoughts on Visiting The Science Museum London with Kids
Overall, we absolutely love visiting the Science Museum as a family and think it is one of the best free things to do in London with kids. Between the hands-on galleries, toddler-friendly play spaces, fascinating exhibits and family facilities, there is genuinely something here for every age group.
Whether your children are obsessed with space, transport, engineering, or simply love interactive museums, it is such an easy and fun day out. We’ve now visited multiple times and always find something new to explore, which is why it remains one of our favourite family museums in London.
Looking for More Family-Friendly Museums in London?
We love a museum visit. I have written guides on many of the top London Museums; I’ll link them below. Make sure to read them next and follow me on Instagram for more London and Family travel inspiration.
- The Best Museums in London for Kids
- London Museums with Indoor Play Areas for Young Children
- National Maritime Museum, Greenwich Review
- Museum of the Home, Hoxton Review
- The Museum of London Docklands, Canary Wharf Review
- Young V&A Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green Review
- National Army Museum, Chelsea Review
- Postal Museum, Clerkenwell Review
- British Museum with Kids Review
- Bank of England Museum Review
- The Horniman Museum, Lewisham Review
Thank you so much for reading our guide and review of the Science Museum London with kids and toddlers. I hope we’ve helped you plan your visit!
Have an amazing time,
A London mum sharing stylish, family-friendly travel guides.
I In our travel guides, I show you that you can still travel as a family and create beautiful memories, even when trips aren’t full of kid-centric activities.
When I’m not planning our next adventure, I also share timeless style inspiration and ideas for living more thoughtfully and sustainably.