• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Discover where children can be seen and heard from our contributing editor, who spent three years with her own three kids exploring this fabulous British city.

Samuel Johnson once remarked that "when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford." Little did he know that two centuries later, men, women and children would be traveling in record numbers to the burg Newsweek magazine called the "Coolest City on the Planet."

Not since Mary Quant designed her first mini-skirt has this capital city been so hot. With Lily Allen at the top of the music charts and movies based on Shakespeare's plays breaking box office records, it is little wonder that families are taking advantage of the heightened publicity to go "across the pond" to see what all the fuss is about.

The British are known for their civility, a term that would, perhaps, seem to leave out all people under the age of about l5. So where in London is it possible for children to be seen and heard?

Museums & Monuments

First time visitors will definitely want to spend some time at the traditional repositories of Britain's cultural patrimony: British Museum, WC1; Victoria and Albert, SW7; National Gallery, WC2; Tate Gallery, SW1. During the British school holidays and on most weekends, all the museums have special children's programs. Some, like the British Museum, give out wonderful treasure hunt maps and other play-along tools; others, like the National Gallery, have even produced clever and funny audio guides for kids' ears only.

Additionally, there are a number of incredibly kid-friendly museums open year round. The following exhibits (followed by the nearest Tube stops) are guaranteed "kid-pleasers" from toddler on up, and more than mere fun for adults, too.

Science Museum
SW7 (South Kensington)
44/794 870 4868
Open Daily: 10am-6pm
This totally hands-on environment will captivate even the most seasoned museum-goer. Kids love the Launch Pad where they can conduct their own experiments. Downstairs, 3-6 year olds can play in the Garden while the 7-11 year olds enjoy their own interactive area. Families can also take a virtual voyage across the solar system.

The Natural History Museum 
SW7 (South Kensington)
44/207 942 5000
Open Monday-Saturday: 10am-5:30pm, Sunday: 11am-5:30pm
Here there are animatronic dinosaurs as well as the new multimillion dollar Earth Galleries, where children can experience a volcano or stand in the middle of a reconstructed Japanese grocery store to experience the terror of Kobe's 1995 earthquake (simulated). Quite earthshaking.

Imperial War Museum
SE1 (Lambeth North or Elephant & Castle)
44/207 416 5320
Open Daily: 10am-6pm
The stories of World Wars I and II are dramatically exhibited in this museum. Children seem particularly fascinated by the historic aircraft and tanks.