We take a trip to review The Science Museum in London

Looking for the best London museum for babies and toddlers?

The Science Museum London is one of our favourite museums for babies, toddlers and children in the city:

Taking a trip to the Museum with babies and toddlers:

The Science Museum London is high on the list of our favourite things to do in London with babies

But, I have to admit that I’ve not set foot in there since a school day trip all the way back in 1996. So I jumped at the chance to see how much it had changed when my friend suggested we meet there with our babies last week.

Our other favourite London museums – The Horniman Museum, the Tate Modern and the Royal Festival Hall – make sure you also read our top ten things for toddlers in London

What can babies play with in the Science Museum?

We were headed for The Garden, the children’s play area in the basement. It is designed for slightly older children – my friend’s nearly two year old loved it, especially the interactive water feature – but the room is full of giant foam bricks and brightly coloured objects and Eliza had a great time roaming around. And as always, she had even greater fun having a good old gnaw on whatever she could get her curious hands on.

She also loved the mirrors, as well as checking out the wall displays, which are at perfect standing height for her at the moment.

The rest of the museum looked brilliant for school-age kids, much more so than I remembered. It’s full of big, mysterious things, planes and machinery, dark rooms, light projections, and blippy interactive displays. We were recommended the bubble talk so we’ll definitely be back for that in a few years time.

What was our verdict?

Eliza fell asleep as soon as we left, and I had that deep-bone exhaustion and concentrated headache you only get from children’s play areas. So, it must have been good!

I stopped to take a look at the open air ice rink outside the Natural History Museum. There’s something pretty magical about open air ice rinks, isn’t there; the chill in the air, twinkly lights and excited shouts of people skating around? I really love London at Christmas.

So; do you agree that the Science Museum is the best one for children? If not, what’s your favourite museum? 

Getting there and away:

The Science Museum is at Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD. Nearest tube is South Kensington, which isn’t great with a pram due to all the steps but people were really helpful. Opening hours are 10.00 to 18.00 every day (last entry 17.15).

More London posts – how London changes when you’re a parent, our favourite London parks and the Florence Nightingale Museum