As the school holidays approach, you might find yourself with children or grandchildren to entertain. And with the cost of living still rising, that won’t come cheap.
Thankfully, there are plenty of free experiences in and around the capital that will amuse as well as educate children of all ages.
Here are just five you might consider.
1. National Gallery
Centrally located, just off Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery houses works by some of the world’s most renowned artists, with plenty to keep kids of all ages entertained too.
Visit the Sunley Room before 11 September to find works by primary school children from across the UK. As part of the Take One Picture programme, aspiring artists have responded to The Finding of Moses by Orazio Gentileschi. Their creative works are now on display and could inspire your children or grandchildren too.
Download the immersive app The Keeper of Paintings and the Palette of Perception and your youngsters can take part in a magical quest. Using the latest augmented reality technology, children can complete puzzles to search out paintings and unlock portals to new levels as they learn about the gallery’s masterpieces.
Ideal for children between ages 7 and 11, parental supervision is advised at all times.
2. Natural History Museum
Dippy the dinosaur first walked the earth during the Jurassic Period, between 155 and 145 million years ago. Since 2017, Dippy has been on a tour of the UK but he’s back at London’s National History Museum until January 2023.
Take the Family Favourites self-guided tour and you’ll see Dippy, along with the rest of the museum’s dinosaur exhibits. The tour will pass Hope too, the huge blue whale skeleton currently displayed in Hintze Hall. Keep an eye out for Andy’s clock from the CBeebies show Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures and Andy’s Prehistoric Adventures.
Be sure not to miss the Volcanoes and Earthquakes gallery. Kids will be fascinated by the sheer power of nature and can even experience it, in the museum’s terrifying earthquake simulator.
3. Museum of London
Just a seven-minute walk from Barbican tube station, the Museum of London charts the settlement’s history from 450,000 BC, through periods of plague, war, and the Great Fire of London. The copper cauldron sculpted to commemorate the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics brings the exhibits right up to date.
There’s plenty of family fun to be had. With electronic devices at the ready, exhibits feature QR codes that can be scanned for additional information and fun facts. For a more analogue experience, download and print the family packs available on the museum’s website.
You’ll also find a fully recreated Victorian street complete with shops. And find out what it would have been like to live in the Saxon age, with the museum’s replica home from that period of human history.
4. Science Museum
At the science museum, you’ll find plenty to occupy inquisitive young minds. If concentration does begin to wane though, why not download the Treasure Hunter app that allows you and your family to team up or compete against each other in a photo challenge.
Accept a mission, then hunt for the best item you can find that matches the description and take a picture of it. With so many missions to choose from, you can even keep playing when you get home!
While you play, you’ll discover permanent displays like the space suit worn by the first Brit in space, Helen Sharman, during her eight-day mission to the Mir space station back in 1991.
For an additional fee, you can enter Wonderlab: The Equinor Gallery for hours of interactive fun. Or head to the IMAX theatre for your choice of immersive cinema experiences, all on a screen the size of four double-decker buses!
5. Royal Maritime Museum
Part of Royal Museums Greenwich, the Royal Maritime Museum has plenty of activities for kids.
Begin by exploring the AHOY! Children’s Gallery, perfect for the under-sevens. There are ships to explore and games to play. Stoke the boiler of your very own steamship or buy and sell your produce at the marketplace.
Check out the website to plan your day trip to coincide with under-five playdays, encounters with historical figures, or a new sensory experience – SENsory Sailors – specifically designed for children with special educational needs.
Dates throughout the school holidays have been set aside for a Summer of Play. This features indoor and outdoor activities for kids of all ages. These will be running at the Maritime Museum, as well across its other sites, the Cutty Sark, Queen’s House, and the Royal Observatory.
