I nonetheless bear in mind my very own childhood visits to the Pure Historical past Museum in London – Dippy the well-known dinosaur skeleton made an impression that lasts a long time – so I made positive to start out my daughter off younger, planning a primary journey to the Pure Historical past Museum with a toddler.
We’ve been numerous instances since, to find extra at this free world-class museum however there’s nonetheless lots to entertain toddlers, whether or not they’re dinosaur followers or would slightly stare upon an elephant, whale and giraffe (together with Hope the blue whale skeleton which changed Dippy).
It’s additionally enormously household pleasant with loads of lifts, bathrooms often inside scuttling distance, excessive chairs within the cafes and child-friendly meals (plus locations to eat your personal picnic). However when you’re planning a go to, listed below are 9 issues that you must know earlier than visiting the Pure Historical past Museum with a toddler.
1. Use the Exhibition Highway entrance
In case you prebook tickets – which I’d extremely advocate, particularly in class holidays and at weekends – you’ll be able to skip many of the queue.
However for one more strategy to bypass the strains, keep away from the primary Cromwell Highway door for the smaller entrance on Exhibition Highway, because it’s the quietest and step-free.
There’s a cloakroom right here too, though that does replenish rapidly, and when you don’t get the dramatic impression of the suspended whale skeleton within the Hintze Corridor (Dippy the diplodocus now having been changed), it does imply you don’t must distract their consideration as you wrangle them out of coats or fold up buggies.
2. Go within the morning
Mornings are often the quietest instances all year long, so attempt to get there for opening at 10am – it’s a a lot much less overwhelming expertise within the Pure Historical past Museum for toddlers when you can keep away from some crowds.
One of the best time to go to? The Pure Historical past museum is never quiet, and also you’ll encounter college teams year-round, in addition to folks in search of issues to do on a wet day in London however weekdays in winter are wager.
Faculty holidays and peak vacationer season are unsurprisingly the museum’s busiest time, so it’s greatest to reach early when you’re visiting with college age siblings.
In case you stay in or close to London, you too can get precedence entry and skip the Pure Historical past Museum queue when you’re a member – plus free entry to ticketed exhibitions and different bonuses. Household membership is an possibility.
For my full set of tips about visiting London’s museums with toddlers and children, take a look at my final information in addition to one of the best 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 it’s one of the crucial standard areas. For teenagers, it’s most likely high of their record anyway, and even when there are strains, they transfer fairly quick.
You may at all times play the museum’s on-line ‘which dinosaur are you‘ quiz to go the time in case you are ready for T-Rex.
For nervous toddlers, do bear in mind that T-Rex does transfer and roar, in case you need to put together small dinosaur followers and reassure them they aren’t about to be eaten.
4. Make a plan
The museum is so massive, I typically really feel like I ought to go away a path of breadcrumbs to search out my manner again out. And roaming randomly along with your fingers crossed isn’t one of the best method when you’re visiting the Pure Historical past Museum with toddlers.
Cut up into 4 colour-coded areas, there are indicators dotted round however it’s value trying on the map on-line to work out the place you’d most wish to go earlier than you go to and which areas are more likely 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 journey up the escalators.
For different preschoolers, this may be one of the crucial thrilling sections – however even when you follow the Blue and Inexperienced zones (my mini animal-lover’s favourites), you’ll have lots 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 can simply wander and see what you stumble throughout, which is right when you can go to commonly, however in any other case it’s straightforward to overlook one thing wonderful.
Or attempt my scavenger hunt to be sure to discover a few 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 giant luggage and suitcases solely, which is one other good cause to go in by way of Exhibition Highway.
It prices £5 to go away a pushchair, however these do should be folded up (so cramming a number of luggage beneath isn’t technique except you’re ready to hold them.
Coats and luggage will also be left for a payment, in addition to folding bikes, whereas kids’s scooters price £3. You can too wheel or carry these across the museum, however you’ll be able to’t scoot round.
6. Do some homework
The Pure Historical past Museum web site has an ideal youngsters solely part with video games, details and little introductions to the celebrities of the museum.
It’s nice for getting toddlers excited and helps cease them getting too overwhelmed when there’s reveals they know a bit about. In case you’re unsure what they’ll like most, this may help with the planning too.
7. Go to Andy’s clock
In addition to the Pure Historical past Museum kids’s actions for various ages, don’t miss a go to to Andy’s clock.
The clock, which might be acquainted from the CBeebies TV reveals Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures and Andy’s 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 information… One phrase of warning: Andy may want it again for one more journey at any time, so there’s at all times the chance it is perhaps gone whenever you go to.
8. Take a deep breath
If the museum is getting overwhelming, the gardens are the right house to flee the crowds – newly reopened, you’ll stroll within the footsteps of evolution, discovering historic fossils and recognizing a grazing Hypsilophodon within the Evolution Backyard.
There’s 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 succeed in it – 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 when you want some respiratory house.
9. Find time for the Examine Centre
[EDIT: currently closed] Tucked away within the basement – one other good cause to verify the map – the unbelievable Examine Centre allows you to choose up and look at all types of objects from meteorites to shells, with a microscope to see extra element.
Nevertheless it’s reserved for varsity visits on weekdays throughout time period time, so that you’ll want to go away it till after 4pm when you’re visiting then.
Against this, on weekends and holidays, the centre is open from 11am so it’s 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 one of the best issues to do in London with toddlers and preschoolers
**First revealed 2015, up to date 2026**
PIN FOR LATER: LONDON’S NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM WITH A TODDLER
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