Be warned you have to walk up a hill to get here but the views are great once you do and you will…read morefind yourself near the Prime Meridian a line that changes traveling forever. I've been to a lot of planetariums as my kid has an interest. I was expecting a lot of stars and space but gladly found this spot was all about longitude and latitude and how one instrument made traveling the ocean so much easier. I learned a lot here. Small but mighty in info. Make sure to take part in some of the free tours they offer to get the real historical point of view. Oh and make sure to be there at 1pm each day to see the ball drop. I won't explain as I will let you discover that on your own.

We hiked up the hill to the Royal Observatory but we decided not to pay the admission fee of about…read more£20. There is joint admission that includes the Royal Observatory and the Cutty Sark for £38. We did enjoy observatory park and the fantastic views of London. We also got to see the "ball drop" at 1pm which used to be how ships in the harbor could calibrate their clocks. Well worth the hike up the hill just for the view.

Housed in a grand and impressive building, the NHM is well curated, with impeccable displays, and…read moreit's free. However, a donation of £10 is HIGHLY suggested as you enter. As with all London museums, there is security checking all backpacks, but this museum was checking for alcohol! When you see all the school teens sitting on the stairways (perhaps waiting for parents to pick them up?), then the alcohol check is understandable. Out of all the displays, my favorite was the dimly lit Treasures room. Each piece exhibited tells an important story beyond what you actually see like an Iguanodon tooth from the Mesozoic strata and found by Gideon Mantell (or his wife) and the rivalry that ensued between Mantell and Owen, who later usurped Mantell's contribution in discovering the first known dinosaur species and shaping the early understanding of dinosaurs. While I find the digital text for each display as being the true treasures, only 1-2 people can read at a time so you feel a bit rushed if you're a person (like me) who reads everything, yet people are behind you waiting their turn. In addition to the wonderful displays, there is a photo booth whereby you can have 3 photos taken against a green screen depicting a dinosaur encounter. What they don't tell you upfront is that the photos are NOT free and can be downloaded (depending on the package you choose) from £12 to £22 pounds. When I asked the staff for information on particular exhibits, I found them to be more than helpful and friendly, too. Allow time for this expansive gem.

Lots of bones! Plenty of old stuff! Great turn-of-the-century over-the-top ornate architecture!…read morePlan on an hour unless you're hardcore. Ride the escalator into the middle of the earth to find out what music is playing inside. See extraordinary taxidermy handiwork. Even see a fake dodo bird thought to be an adjacent species that didn't exist. And if you like dinosaurs this is your Mecca. Just don't dare sit anywhere like on some stairs in the corner or some overzealous guard will kick you right out. But otherwise you'll have a great time. Also enjoy the outside grounds for a stroll, and hit up the West entrance for zero lines while the hoards line up on the other side.

Wow! What a museum. And FREE! There was not too much for my 3 year old. He did enjoy the play area…read moreat the bottom. But as someone in the medical field- the medical floors were so fascinating. It was very neat. My son also did love the planes on the top floor.

Outstanding world class science museum. Mostly technology oriented or applied science. It consist…read moreof five floors, with different themes: flight, energy, information age, mathematics, medicine, engineering, technicians, space, etc. Great place to bring the family and lots of hands-on exhibits for the kids as well as the adults. plan to spend a full day there.

Battlebridge Basin is one of the larger basins on the Regent's Canal, located just north of King's…read moreCross station. It's home to the London Canal Museum, housing and offices, as well as the brand new 'Kings Place' office and cultural centre. The Regents Canal opened from Paddington to Camden in 1816 and throughout to the basin at Limehouse in 1820. Battlebridge Basin, originally called Horsfall Basin, was opened in 1822. Like the other basins, it was originally intended for the trans-shipment of goods to and from the canals. Among the unusual cargoes carried were ice - imported from Norway from the 1820s - used for making (among other things) ice cream. The former ice warehouse is now the London Canal Museum. Over the years, goods traffic declined, due largely to competition from the railways and then the roads, although some traffic continued until the late 1960s. The canal basin was privately owned until 2000 when it was purchased by British Waterways. The basin has since been redeveloped and gentrified, and provides moorings as well as an attractive urban space. Since 1989 it has been the home of the London Canal Museum, and in 2008 the Kings Place development opened, with a cafe, restaurant, art gallery space and two auditoriums for music recitals and concerts. NB: The main towpath is on the other side of the canal from the basin. Access (except by boat) is easiest via the Canal Museum, as most of the moorings are private. For information about boat moorings, contact British Waterways' London Office on (020) 7985 7200. The museum itself opened in 1992 and is based in a former ice warehouse, dating from the 1860s. The main hall includes a view down into one of the two large circular ice stores. The museum tells the story of canals in general, and in particular how the canal network developed around London. There's a small section of a narrow boat which illustrates how the canal families lived, a small tractor used from the 1940s onwards in place of horses on some of the London canals, and a wide range of smaller canal items. The upstairs is largely given over to exhibition space, showing newsreels from the 1920s-50s depicting canal life in London, wildlife in canals and the story of canal restoration. Downstairs there's access to the side of the Battlebridge Basin, from where the museum runs canal trips in the summer. By the entrance there's a small shop selling books and souvenirs. Staff a friendly and very knowledgable. A diverting hour or so if you are in the Kings Cross area.

I'm glad we stopped in this museum. It was very interesting! Bonus points for the opportunity to…read morestep outside onto the canal walk. Make sure you watch the video upstairs for some rare peeks at the canal and area long ago (humor included).

Another one of my favourite places to visit in London. It looks beautiful at any time of day and…read morethey have a great selection of exhibits, music concerts, film screenings and it's also one of the nicest places to ice skate in the winter. Centrally located on Strand street and a worthwhile visit even if you only go to appreciate the architecture from the courtyard.

Somerset house is supposed to have a great ice skating rink and holiday d decorations right in the…read morecenter of London. If I'd known about that in advance I would have never come as I never developed skills to ice skate having lived all my life in California. Normally I would not pay money to see a museums in London as all the big government funded museums for the public are free of charge for entry. However we were walking down the embankment area next to the Thames and came across free public bathrooms something unheard of in Europe. The bathrooms were connected to a restaurant which was part of the somerset house. Wife and I feeling relieved gladly paid the money for the entry fee. Several buildings with paintings and photographs from around the world both of people and of animals in their natural setting. Looked like a series of pictures from covers of national geographic magazines. Ended up paying 30 GBP or $39 for two entries, an expensive public bathroom visit.

The staff are very friendly and efficient with getting everyone in the museum…read more Didn't care for the rappers, Rianna, and Beyonce. Thought they could do better with representing famous actors.

Every location of Madame Tussaud's is a little different - always uniquely tailored towards the…read morelocal culture and geography. This one has geographically irrelevant exhibits such as the theme park ride The Spirit of London, collection of various heads of State and royalty, and of course, media celebrities unique to the United Kingdom. This one location seems uniquely interactive as I've never seen attendees touching the wax figurines as much as here. The chamber of horror section here is focused on England's darker past. And there is currently a Marvel 4-D theater experience included in the entrance fee. on peak days the pre-reserved double Price ticket with a time slot might be convenient for the longer lines that conform here. Otherwise the wait time in queue is not very long and you might as well save your funds for more merchandise purchases from the gift shop within.

Huge crowds and it wasn't even a weekend. Reason: free…read more This is equivalent to Natural History ones in US. However, there are historical contexts with british roman empires and other inclusions that makes this place distinct in a variety of ways. There are also kid packet activities- ask front desk. Some areas have uneven heating and cooling so you may be prone to fainting / esp if the ennui alone is not enough to get you there- ha! Place is great for history buffs, though, as it is free- do not expect high end bathrooms and overall exceptional service. Otherwise, 5 stars for being free and for a very elaborate set up.

British Museum, London, April 5…read more Our family of four with kids ages 9 and 10 spent part of the afternoon at the British Museum as an easy cultural stop during our London stay. Entry to the permanent collection is free and straightforward, with no reservation required, which made it simple to drop in. There are paid special exhibitions, but the main museum itself is open access. Arrival and First Impressions Entry to the building was very easy, and once inside the scale is immediate. The Great Court sets the tone right away, and everything feels larger and more layered than expected. Even just orienting yourself takes a moment because of how expansive the space is. Getting in was smooth and flexible, and the museum handles steady crowds well without ever feeling restrictive, which helped a lot with kids in tow. The Highlights The Egyptian galleries are one of the first moments where the scale really lands. The large stone sculptures and statues are far bigger in person than photos suggest, and they create a dramatic backdrop as you move through the space. The Rosetta Stone was another key highlight. Seeing it in person adds a different level of context, especially knowing its role in unlocking ancient Egyptian writing. It is not large or flashy compared to some of the other artifacts in the room, but it carries a quiet importance that draws attention naturally. The Samurai exhibition was a standout and required a paid entry ticket. It was absolutely worth it. The display of full armor sets, helmets, weapons, and artwork created a complete and visually rich picture of samurai life. The craftsmanship in the armor in particular held everyone's attention far longer than expected, and it felt more immersive than a typical museum exhibit. We also spent time in the hands-on style learning stations, which were a strong break in pace. These included real artifacts like a flint knife that was thousands of years old and a Roman cosmetic jar believed to have been used for eye makeup. Seeing objects like that up close made history feel very tangible for the kids in a way that glass cases alone do not. There is also a family area tucked away downstairs that worked well as a short reset point. It felt quieter and more relaxed, and it gave the kids a chance to decompress before continuing, which made the overall visit more sustainable. The museum works best as a series of short, flexible stops rather than a structured route, and we naturally moved based on interest and energy levels. The Challenges The main challenge is scale. It is very easy to underestimate how large the British Museum is, and even with breaks built in, pacing becomes the key factor in how enjoyable the visit feels. Trying to cover too much quickly would likely be overwhelming, especially for kids. Would We Return Yes, but with a more focused plan and specific sections chosen in advance rather than trying to see everything broadly again. Final Thoughts The British Museum is best experienced in segments rather than as a single continuous visit. The Egyptian galleries, the Rosetta Stone, the Samurai exhibition, and the hands-on artifact stations all offered very different but equally strong experiences. It is free, accessible, and incredibly rich, but the real value comes from slowing down and treating it like a collection of smaller discoveries, with breaks built in, rather than a single museum to "finish."

The London Film Museum is essentially the James Bond Museum, with the "Bond in Motion" exhibits…read moreoccupying the vast majority of the space. It is a rather small museum though, and even if you take the time to look at every detail, one to two hours will be more than enough. The main exhibits are the hot cars that 007 gets to drive, as well as a few other cool surprises - remember the car that turned into a submarine when it hit the water (The Spy Who Loved Me)? Or the plane with folded wings that emerged from a trailer (Octopussy)? Many of those exhibits include detailed specifications as well as videos of the scenes that highlight the vehicles. Some exhibits also play the theme songs in the background. Other memorabilia that Bond fans would love include original costumes, props, photo of backstage scenes, theatrical posters, etc. Admission is GBP14.50 (about USD18), which is rather expensive for such a small place (hence only 4 stars). But Bond fans, don't you dare say it's too expensive so you'll never go. Never Say Never Again! You Only Live Twice! You can go tomorrow since Tomorrow Never Dies. Go see it with your own Golden Eye. After all, this museum is For Your Eyes Only...

007 fans, you do NOT want to miss this!! This was only ever meant to be a temporary museum, but was…read moreso successful, they've opened it indefinitely. What you'll find in here is gold if you're a Bond fan; from the first ever original car insurance deal for filming, props used in the films like passports, keys, money to a range of vehicles used throughout all the films - it's well worth the money. Here's a tip - buying tickets online is actually more expensive than in person, only by a couple of pounds, but when there's six of you going, that's 6 coffees I could buy at Pret a Manger around the corner!!!! Keep your change, and buy when you get there.