The Science Museum for Kids: 7 Must-See Favourites

Planning on taking the kids to the Science Museum in London? You won’t regret it. This is the magical place where dull and dry classroom subjects come alive.

You’ll look hard to find more inspiring exhibitions when it comes to explaining science and technology to children. Here are the museum’s top highlights summarised by a London family

The Science Museum feels less like a museum in the traditional sense and more like an interactive learning centre for everyone to explore. But because of the vast size, it’s just impossible to see everything in one day, especially with small kids in tow.

Nevertheless, a bit of planning goes a long way in avoiding the feeling of being overwhelmed by all the choices, honing in on interactive activities and hands-on displays. So if your kids are restless little buggers like ours, you’ll enjoy the family favourites on our list.

1. Wonderlab Science Museum (paid entry)

Great for: Anyone enjoying a hands-on play-based approach to learning about Science

This is our absolute favourite at the moment. Everything is basically hands-on, which is great for our kids and really good for us as parents. You don’t need to worry about your child breaking anything. There are plenty of “Explainers” on hand to organise the different areas avoiding chaos to erupt. The installations are really cool and engaging, taking learning through play to a new level.

There are live experiments taking place at the Chemistry Bar and several Science Shows in a purpose-built auditorium. There is an admission fee for Wonderlab, but you get an annual pass for the price of fewer than two tickets. Which is something to consider if you live in London since chances are HIGH that your kids will beg to come back. Our kids will easily spend at least two hours here each time.

2. The Space Exhibition (free)

Great for: Learning about the history of space travel

The exhibition does an excellent job of telling a compact and understandable story of space exploration. Starting with the first telescopes, going through the significance of the Nazi’s V2 rockets through to near-future Mars expeditions. Less hands-on than Wonderlab, this is great for kids interested in space and astronauts.

You can see a real-size replica of Eagle, the lander that took Neil Armstrong to the Moon in 1969. There are also two substantial original space rockets suspended from the ceiling. This is part of the free exhibition, and we would set aside an hour at least.

3. Flight: The Wonders of Flying (free)

Great for: Anyone with an interest in aviation history

It’s just incredible how many iconic planes they’ve managed to squeeze in on the top floor of the museum. Anyone with an interest in aeroplanes will enjoy this exhibition. Since the exhibition area is so compact, you get a good sense of how technology developed from primitive glider planes to modern jet planes.

The youngest kids will probably get very excited at the sight of all the planes and then get bored after 20 minutes when realising very little is hands-on. For older kids with a more profound interest in aeroplanes, I would set aside around one hour. We can also highly recommend the Red Arrows 3D movie and jet simulators for some action. Any child (or adult) interested in planes will feel like Christmas comes early from this experience. It’s actually a great gift to give someone that enjoys planes (hint hint).

4. The Garden: Interactive Play Area (free)

Great for: Restless toddlers eager to explore

It’s funny that it’s called “The Garden” since the play area is buried deep in the basement. Recommended age is 3-7, but definitely a lot of fun for 2-year olds as well. Through hands-on sensing, children can explore sound, motion, water, shadows, reflections… This is a really popular area during school holidays and weekends, so make sure to arrive early or after 4 PM when most are heading home. This is a really well-planned play area and a “must” for everyone with a toddler in tow. The only downside is that your child will probably make a fuss when leaving. We usually spend around one and a half-hour here.

We would usually do just a couple of these activities in one day. But if you are visiting London from afar, you might want to squeeze in some more while you are in town. Our advice is to prioritise and begin with the activities your kids enjoy the most to make sure you cover them while the kids’ energy levels are high.  

5. Imax: The Ronson Theatre (paid entry)

Great for: Sitting back and enjoying incredible 3D films about the natural world

The museum offers an incredible cinema experience with its giant 3D IMAX screen, one of the largest in the UK. With a 7-year-old daughter passionate about the environment, we were really looking forward to seeing Antarctica 3D by BBC Earth. Captured by the film crew behind Planet Earth with incredible underwater scenes of all the surprisingly wonderful creatures living under the ice, this is a film we recommend everyone to see. Even our 3-year-old sat still through the 60 minutes duration, captivated by the incredible 3D experience. Relaxing in the comfortable cinema seats for an hour was also a welcome break for both kids and parents.   

Keep in mind that the cinema itself is a good 10-minute walk from the museum’s main entrance, so book your general admission tickets with some buffer in between. You basically need to walk to the far end of the exhibition hall, walking straight past the information desk through the Exploring Space and Modern World exhibitions. 

Other great family-friendly 3D films shown at the time of writing include Beautiful Planet 3D, narrated by Jennifer Lawrence and Hubble 3D, narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio. Check the museum website for the latest update on which films are on show. 

6. Free activities for kids 

Great for: Families getting even more out of their visit

One of the great things about the museum is all the free activities they organise throughout the year. A great example of this is the “CoderDojo” free coding session for 7-17-year-olds held once per month. Kids get the opportunity to try different coding projects, from basic programming of simple robots to creating advanced apps. Knowledgeable volunteer mentors are at hand, guiding and encouraging the kids to learn more about coding. 

Suppose you have already booked your next visit to the Science Museum. In that case, we recommend checking the museum website’s see and do tool, where you can filter on the type of event and age group. In this way, you can easily find an activity that suits your family. Attending a live event or workshop often makes the museum visit extra memorable! 

7. The Science Museum Shop

We save the museum’s gift shop towards the end of the day because it’s a highlight the kids can look forward to. With cool toys like old-school steam engines, board games, talking robots and science kits, it’s clear that a lot of effort was made to curate a high-quality selection of games and toys. Finding toys that are educational and entertaining for kids is not easy, and browsing through the gift shop is a great way to get ideas for Christmas and birthdays.

In the museum store, you’ll find toys branded as approved by the museum in addition to popular brands like Lego and Playmobil. Of course, some of the items might be a couple of pounds more expensive than on Amazon. Still, in return, you get the real shopping experience, which I think is valuable for the kids to take part in. Plus, you get to support a fantastic museum!

Places to eat near Science Museum

Depending on your budget and mood, there are several lunch options in and around the museum. Here are a few places to consider: 

Places to eat in the Science Museum

Energy Cafe: Located on the ground floor just after the main entrance, the Energy Cafe serves sandwiches, salads, and hot food like pizzas. We also like their “Kid’s Bag” with a sandwich and selection of healthy snacks. 

Shake Bar: Located right outside the main entrance of Wonderlab on the third floor, this is the place to indulge in creamy, decadent milkshakes and ice-creams.  

The Diner: Located on the ground floor, just outside the entrance to IMAX, here you can get a decent selection of salads and sandwiches as well as hot and cold beverages.

 Basement Cafe: Right outside toddler-friendly The Garden, you’ll find a small cafe with essential treats like ice cream, cakes and sandwiches.

Bringing your own packed lunch  

We absolutely love the Science Museum. Not only is the museum completely free to enter (while encouraging donations). They’ve also made an ample open space available for anyone bringing their own food to have a picnic. With several large tables geared towards groups of families, this is perfect for anyone preferring to bring their own food. The Shake Bar is also conveniently close by if you want a treat after having your packed lunch.

Places to eat around the Science Museum

With a large selection of places to eat in South Kensington, you don’t need to walk far to find restaurants near the museum. You’ll find several child-friendly restaurants in the area, such as:

• Pizzetta Pizza
• Honest Burgers
• Memories of India 
• Pappa Roma
• Byron
• Light of India    

Places to eat in the parks close to the museum

Last but not least, if it’s a hot summer day, you might want to consider a picnic in Kensington Gardens nearby. Not only do you have plenty of green space, but you also have Diana Memorial Playground within a short distance. The Diana Fountain in nearby Hyde Park is perfect for cooling off on hot days.

The History of the Science Museum

Ever wondered how old the museum is? Here’s a brief introduction to the museum’s history and how it evolved from the Victorian age.

This history of the museum began more than one and a half centuries ago, with its origins from the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park. The museum’s original building was an iron-framed structure that had an unattractive factory-like appearance. Nicknamed the “Brompton Boilers”, it was open to the public on Wednesday, 24 June 1857.

Well categorised and labelled

The museum’s present building was designed by Sir Richard Allison, with the East Block first built in 1913. Still, it was abandoned after the First World War and not fully opened until 1928. Its galleries reflected the museum’s thinking at the time: The displays were organised by the subject in glass-topped showcases lit mainly by sunlight. And the labels of the exhibits were often excessively long and complicated, more targeted towards subject matter experts than ordinary visitors exploring new topics.

The move to modern interactive museums

Today the museum’s focus is very much targeted towards inspiring everyone. And you certainly don’t need a degree in physics to enjoy all the marvellous interactive galleries! With award-winning exhibitions, iconic objects and stories of incredible scientific achievement, the museum continues its journey providing knowledge of science and technology to the masses.

A brief description of each level of the Science Museum

Level Zero

The most visited galleries are located on the ground floor. The first gallery you’ll see is Exploring Space, which features authentic rockets and satellites as well as the full-sized replica of “Eagle,” the lunar lander which carried Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon in 1969. The next stop is the Making the Modern World Gallery, a visual collection of planes, locomotives, automobiles, engines, and other innovative inventions (penicillin cameras, penicillin, and other breakthroughs). It also features a complete and groundbreaking Nazi V-2 Rocket, with the panel removed, revealing its inner workings. Finally, you will see Major Tim Peake’s (the UK’s first officially-certified astronaut) Soyuz TMA-19M, a descent module.

Level 2

The amazing Information Age Gallery on the 2nd floor (Level 2) exhibits how information and communication technology, including the telegraph and smartphones – has changed our lives from the 19th century onwards. The most impressive exhibits include wireless transmissions made by the sinking Titanic and the very beginning of the BBC radio broadcast, as well as the Soviet BESM supercomputer from 1965. The same floor houses there is the Clockmaker’s Museum is a stunning and brand new collection of timepieces.

It includes more than 1000 watches, 80 clocks, and the sundial and maritime chronometer. Journeys through Medicine is also located on the 2nd floor explores the field of medical interventions. In 2019, the vast PS24 Million Medicine Galleries will open. The brand new 2nd-floor Mathematics: The Winton Gallery, designed with Zaha Hadid Architects, is a fascinating study of mathematics within the world. Atmosphere Gallery Atmosphere Gallery explains the science of global weather throughout billions of years and examines the present issue of climate change.

Level 3

The 3rd floor (Level 3.) Flight Gallery is a favourite spot for children, featuring hot-air balloons, gliders and aircraft, like The Gipsy Moth, that Amy Johnson flew to Australia in 1930. You can also check out the plans for the first aerial steam car that was an effort to use steam energy to fly. The floor also houses the Red Arrows 3D flight simulation theatre and Fly 360-degree flight simulator capsule. A different simulator is Typhoon Force which is a replica of the low-level missions of the Typhoon fighter aircraft. Finally, on the 3rd floor is an Interactive Wonderlab to explore fascinating scientific concepts playfully and educationally, with regular programming.

Basement & Garden

If you have children younger than five, visit the basement (Level 1) and the Garden with an enjoyable play area with a splash area and a water play area surrounded by toddlers in orange waterproof overalls.