LONDON WITH KIDS – TRAVEL GUIDE
We recently visited the British Museum for the first time with our boys (aged 4 and 1). The museum is a stunningly beautiful building housing two million years worth of history, art and culture from around the world. I decided to write this family guide about the British Museum with little kids to share some tips we discovered while we were there and help you enjoy this iconic London landmark!
I love taking our kids to museums. Age 4 is a perfect age for it and pre-walkers will love looking around at everything!
GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Getting There: The British Museum is located at Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. The closest tube station is Tottenham Court Road. This is an accessible station for those of you with pushchairs (strollers).
Entry: It’s free! But you do need to book tickets on the website HERE. There was quite a line to get in when we arrived but it moved quickly.
Accessibility: The Museum is fully accessible. Lots of people were carrying pushchairs up the front steps however if you go to the right, there is a mini lift you can use. My 4-year-old loved operating it!
.
Eating: There is a choice of cafes and restaurants inside the museum and also an indoor picnic area. In the summer months, you can also picnic on the grass in front of the museum.
TOP TIPS FOR THE BRITISH MUSEUM WITH LITTLE KIDS
1. VISIT THE FAMILY DESK
The first thing we did was visit the Family Desk. They have various age-appropriate kids activities you can pick up. You can also download them HERE.
Freddie chose the Fantastic Creatures treasure hunt. It is recommended for age 6+, he’s only 4 but really enjoyed it. This kept him entertained and engaged throughout the museum visit. I really don’t think he would have enjoyed it so much without this. At the end of the treasure hunt, you can go back to the desk and get it stamped which he loved.
You can also get an explorer backpack. I’m not sure why this wasn’t offered to us but we saw them demonstrating it when we returned for our stamp. It’s full of things little kids will love such as a torch, magnifying glass and books relating to the museum’s exhibits. You will need to have a £10 cash deposit to borrow a backpack.
Note: The Family desk is only open on weekends and school holidays. If you have young kids, I would highly recommend visiting when it’s open and getting the backpack.
2. ARRIVE EARLY
We visited on a weekend. When we first arrived at around 11 am, it wasn’t too busy. By about 12 it was getting pretty crowded. There were also long lines for the cafe and restrooms. It’s easier with little kids to have a bit more space so I’d recommend booking the earliest ticket you can.
3. HANDS-ON DESKS
There are various hands-on desks around the museum. (You can see the schedule and locations here.) These are great for kids to touch, ask questions and learn. Freddie really enjoyed these and we found they were great to keep him engaged longer.
Thank you for reading our guide and tips to enjoy The British Museum with little kids. We hope you have a great time there!
I’ve written a lot of other London Guides.
Happy Exploring,
