Top 10 Best Places to Visit in South London with Kids: #8 Museum of London
Every half term we trying to do something which reminds the kids that we live in the wonderful city of London. Even though we have moved to the outskirts now, I still like to think we live in the Big Smoke but it’s very easy to forget that we live anywhere near London now as most of our lives circulate around a small distance from our home. Mr M doesn’t forget that we live in London, he travels there every day for work but it’s it’s hard for me and the kiddos to remember that we live in such an amazing city. I’m imagining venturing to the city will become even easier when we don’t have the trappings of the buggy to tackle the London transport system with! We have had lots of fun half term adventures though – there was a trip to the Princess of Wales park where we buried Finlay’s Godmother in the sand, the time I took them to the Museum of Childhood which went brilliantly until Finlay cut his head in our local Tesco’s on the way home and Elodie nearly fainted – oh and the trip to Tate Modern where Orla spent the whole time running around! Check out our favourite museums for older kids and teens Kids to visit in London.
Last half term, we ventured to the Museum of London (which just about scrapes into being in South London and so I can use for this list!) The Museum of London tells the story of Britain’s capital city, starting in prehistoric times right up to the 20th Century. What’s lovely is the story is told through reconstructed street scenes, so you can wander around and feel like you have been transported back into the past. There are regular exhibitions focusing on particular aspects of London and a busy calendar of family focused special events. We visited when they had the Paddington Exhibition on (highlighting the release of the film) which meant the family tour pack you receive when you enter was Paddington focused. We had to search for Marmalade Jars in the exhibition in exchange for a prize. This kind of little thing to focus on is brilliant – because it keeps the kiddos keen to keep wading through the museum. I believe the ‘family pack’ continually changes based on the exhibitions offered.
Just like the history of London itself, the displays themselves are varied in style and content. From objects in showcases and hands-on exhibits to interactives, videos and recreated streets and even a light and sound show in the Victorian Age – the variety really helps maintain interest but I’d say the museum is generally best from age 6 upwards. Elodie really enjoyed the Fire of London video as she’d studied this at school and their exhibition makes it clear about how the fire spread and the chronology, so if your child is studying this at school, this is definitely worth a visit! The plague exhbition was a bit gruesome (I mean, I know, what did I expect!) but it was possibly a bit over their heads for age 6 and 9.
Their highlights were the recreated debtors prison complete with original 18th century graffiti and the Victorian Street where you could peer in and guess the shops! They loved the recreated noises and the dim lighting which made it all very realistic. Following our discussion with our Nanny Dot about the evacuation, the kiddos really loved looking through this exhibition – Finlay enjoyed peering through the evacuees suitcases and Elodie was fascinated with a sheet which helped those who had been forced to look after Evacuated Children. The sheets were entitled “How to Feed a Two Year Old” (including offering them bread dipped in dripping – ugh!) and “Where Children Should Sleep”.
Even Archie loved the Anglo Saxon House as he liked pressing the pretend fire on and off! Here is Finlay’s horrified discovery that his own Grandpa wore platform shoes in the 70s!
The Museum of London is definitely worth a visit, we only briefly made it to the ‘Futures Exhibition’ which prompted some fun discussions on the way home about how London might change as they grow older. Although there was a less of a focus on the green, environmental ideas the exhibition had been promoting and more of ‘will the Tube fly?’ kind of discussion!
The Museum of London is easy to do with a buggy because there are lifts and there is a dedicated picnic room if, like us, you bring some lunch from home. A definite number #8 for us in our list of fun things to do with kids in South East London.
