I nonetheless keep in mind my very own childhood visits to the Pure Historical past Museum in London โ Dippy the well-known dinosaur skeleton made an impression that lasts many years โ so I made positive to start out my daughter off younger, planning a primary journey to the Pure Historical past Museum with a toddler.
Weโve been numerous instances since, to find extra at this free world-class museum however thereโs nonetheless loads to entertain toddlers, whether or not theyโre dinosaur followers or would moderately stare upon an elephant, whale and giraffe (together with Hope the blue whale skeleton which changed Dippy).
Itโs additionally enormously household pleasant with loads of lifts, bogs normally inside scuttling distance, excessive chairs within the cafes and child-friendly meals (plus locations to eat your individual picnic). However should youโre planning a go to, listed here are 9 issues you must know earlier than visiting the Pure Historical past Museum with a toddler.
1. Use the Exhibition Highway entrance
If you happen to prebook tickets โ which Iโd extremely suggest, particularly at school holidays and at weekends โ you may skip many of the queue.
However for an additional option to bypass the strains, keep away from the principle Cromwell Highway door for the smaller entrance on Exhibition Highway, because itโs the quietest and step-free.
Thereโs a cloakroom right here too, though that does refill shortly, and when you donโt get the dramatic impression of the suspended whale skeleton within the Hintze Corridor (Dippy the diplodocus now having been changed), it does imply you donโt must distract their consideration as you wrangle them out of coats or fold up buggies.
2. Go within the morning
Mornings are normally the quietest instances all year long, so attempt to get there for opening at 10am โ itโs a a lot much less overwhelming expertise within the Pure Historical past Museum for toddlers should you can keep away from some crowds.
One of the best time to go to? The Pure Historical past museum isn’t quiet, and also youโll encounter faculty teams year-round, in addition to individuals on the lookout for issues to do on a wet day in London however weekdays in winter are an excellent wager.
Faculty holidays and peak vacationer season are unsurprisingly the museumโs busiest time, so itโs greatest to reach early should youโre visiting with faculty age siblings.
If you happen to stay in or close to London, you can too get precedence entry and skip the Pure Historical past Museum queue should youโre a member โ plus free entry to ticketed exhibitions and different bonuses. Household membership is an possibility.
For my full set of tips about visiting Londonโs museums with toddlers and children, try my final information in addition to the perfect issues to do in London with toddlers and preschoolers
3. Skip the dinosaur queues
If you wish to see the Dinosaur Gallery, make this your first cease on the Pure Historical past Museum because itโs one of the crucial standard areas. For teenagers, itโs in all probability high of their checklist anyway, and even when there are strains, they transfer fairly quick.
You could possibly at all times play the museumโs on-line โwhich dinosaur are youโ quiz to cross the time if you’re ready for T-Rex.ย
For nervous toddlers, do remember that T-Rex does transfer and roar, in case you need to put together small dinosaur followers and reassure them they arenโt about to be eaten.
4. Make a plan
The museum is so huge, I typically really feel like I ought to depart a path of breadcrumbs to seek out my means again out. And roaming randomly together with your fingers crossed isnโt the perfect strategy should youโre visiting the Pure Historical past Museum with toddlers.
Cut up into 4 colour-coded areas, there are indicators dotted round but it surelyโs price trying on the map on-line to work out the place youโd most wish to go earlier than you go to and which areas are prone to upset toddlers.
My daughter, for instance, was by no means a fan of the noises within the Crimson Zone or the flickering lights as you trip up the escalators.
For different preschoolers, this may be one of the crucial thrilling sections โ however even should you stick with the Blue and Inexperienced zones (my mini animal-loverโs favourites), youโll have loads to fill your time.
The museum additionally has concepts for two-hour excursions, together with one for household favourites with some highlights.
There are such a lot of discoveries round each nook, you might simply wander and see what you stumble throughout, which is good should you can go to recurrently, however in any other case itโs simple to overlook one thing wonderful.
Or strive my scavenger hunt to be sure you discover a number of the greatest highlights.
5. Pack gentle
There are two cloakrooms within the Pure Historical past Museum, though the Central Entrance cloakroom on Cromwell Highway is for big baggage and suitcases solely, which is one other good purpose to go in through Exhibition Highway.
It prices ยฃ5 to go away a pushchair, however these do must be folded up (so cramming plenty of baggage beneath isnโt an excellent technique except youโre ready to hold them.
Coats and baggage may also be left for a charge, in addition to folding bikes, whereas kidsโs scooters price ยฃ3. You too can wheel or carry these across the museum, however you mayโt scoot round.
6. Do some homework
The Pure Historical past Museum web site has a terrific children solely part with video games, info and little introductions to the celebrities of the museum.
Itโs nice for getting toddlers excited and helps cease them getting too overwhelmed when thereโs reveals they know a bit about. If you happen toโre undecided what theyโll like most, this may also help with the planning too.
7. Go to Andyโs clock
In addition to the Pure Historical past Museum kidsโs actions for various ages, donโt miss a go to to Andyโs clock.
The clock, which might be acquainted from the CBeebies TV reveals Andyโs Dinosaur Adventures and Andyโs Prehistoric Adventures, is within the Central Cafe close to the Hintze Corridor.
Probably essentially the most thrilling factor within the Pure Historical past Museum for three-year-olds if my daughter is any informationโฆ One phrase of warning: Andy may want it again for an additional journey at any time, so thereโs at all times the chance it is likely to be gone whenever you go to.
8. Take a deep breath
If the museum is getting overwhelming, the gardens are the right area to flee the crowds โ newly reopened, youโll stroll within the footsteps of evolution, discovering historic fossils and recognizing a grazing Hypsilophodonย within the Evolution Backyard.
Thereโs additionally the Nature Backyard, with grassland, wetland and woodland habitats, all designed to encourage you to decelerate and admire nature.
You’ll be able to undergo the Darwin Centre within the Orange Zone to achieve it โ there are additionally typically free household actions right here.
There are some quiet areas contained in the museum as effectively. The minerals gallery tends to have fewer crowds, whereas there are different areas to go should you want some respiratory area.
9. Find time for the Examine Centre
[EDIT: currently closed] Tucked away within the basement โ one other good purpose to verify the map โ the incredible Examine Centre permits you to decide up and look at every kind of objects from meteorites to shells, with a microscope to see extra element.
Nevertheless itโs reserved for college visits on weekdays throughout time period time, so that youโll want to go away it till after 4pm should youโre visiting then.
In contrast, on weekends and holidays, the centre is open from 11am so itโs greatest to reach as early as potential, and higher for older preschoolers than youthful toddlers.
Take a look at my expertise visiting the Pure Historical past Museum with a toddler and our return journey to see the dinosaurs plus my tips about the perfect issues to do in London with toddlers and preschoolers
**First printed 2015, up to date 2026**
PIN FOR LATER: LONDONโS NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM WITH A TODDLER
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