The planetarium is a great visit. I personally love anything space related so I thoroughly enjoyed…read moreit. Like most places in London the exhibits are free. That being said it is quite small. There are only 3 rooms. For those really into this sort of thing it possible to stretch the experience to 1.5 hours (if you read everything and play with every exhibit). Obviously because of it's size it really only has the bare bones of space related information. There are multiple exhibits to play with making it likely more enjoyable for kids. On my visit there was a photo exhibit which isn't permanent but a great exhibit nonetheless. I opted to see one of the planetarium shows. 6.5 quid. The show I was told was half an hour... That was a stretch. By the time the "astronomer" provided her safety instructions opening remarks we were a few minutes late, ended a few minutes early, and the closing credits lasted for probably 25% of the show. Saw dark matter. It had enough of the space visuals to check the box for what you want to accomplish when seeing something in a planetarium but again the very bare essentials of information if that's what your looking for. Overall a great stop off in grenwich but might not be enough on it's own to take a trip for. Luckily there is enough to see in the area

I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to things like planets and the stars though not so much that I…read moredon't need to be educated on them. I was surrounded by a few too many children here which made me feel a bit old for it but I loved it all the same. You're never too old to gaze at the stars.

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.

This is one of the best places my family and I have ever been to. Completely disabled friendly with…read morelots of parking. The recent addition of the planetarium has been a big hit causing the numbers of daily visitors to swell so get there early as queues can be long. This centre has interactive learning technology and science exhibits, like how much water we waste with baths and showers etc, sounds boring with me saying it but it really is lots of fun with lots of weird and wonderful gadgets to play with it's really hands on, kids and adults alike will love it. There's a great gift shop with very cheap momentoes and the food was reasonable to. The best part for us was the show in the planetarium, just amazing and such a great display, fully disabled friendly and the staff were very helpful. All in all a 5 star day out.

This is risking my hard to please badge, but this is a fantastic day out, lots to do, good value;…read morethe entrance fee is fair, the cafe has good sized portions at a reasonable price, while the gift shop fair and down to earth; unlike The Science Museam in London, from which my son came away empty handed. It's a good hours drive each way for us but very well worth it, I'm thinking about buying the 1annual pass (they'll credit me with today fee if I sign up within 14 days). My lad is seven next week and said that today was the best day of his life, for that alone it is worth five stars.

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.

Formerly the site of the Royal Observatory (from 1958-1990), the site is now run by a charity as a…read morevenue for exhibitions, lectures and educational programmes. The renovated telescopes can be visited by the public, for school visits, and are used by colleges and astronomical societies. It makes a great fun-but-educational family day out. Most people associate the Royal Observatory with Greenwich, where it was founded by Charles II in 1675. It was increasingly recognised that London was not a good location due to light and atmospheric pollution, and the effects of vibrations from rising road and rail traffic. Plans were made to relocate the observatory in the 1930s; transfer began to the new site at Herstmonceux in 1947 and was completed in 1958. The complex of buildings was constructed to house three reflecting and three refracting telescopes in six domes, of brick and concrete with green copper domes and balustraded balconies, with adjoining support buildings, all set around a central ornamental pond. These are themselves classic examples of 1950s architecture. The telescopes were joined in 1967 by the giant 98-inch Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) once housed in the silver dome to the south of the main complex. The UK was never an ideal site for astronomical observations because of the preponderance of cloud, and over time, increasing light pollution from Eastbourne. The growth of cheap air travel in the 1960s enabled astronomers to travel to parts of the world with clearer skies and in 1984 the INT telescope was moved to the Canary Islands. Eventually, the decision was taken to close the site and move the remaining staff to the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge. The site reopened in its current guise in 1995 and the site, including the telescopes, was refurbished in 2004. Visitors now enter through the eastern grounds of Herstmonceux Castle (itself now a college of Queen's College, Ontario). Car parking is available in a small car park but in summer most park on the lawn in front. The ticket office at the entrance houses a small shop with merchandise aimed at children and young people, covering a range of scientific subjects. Numbers are limited, so advanced booking is strongly recommended. There are guided tours of the telescopes (which take about half an hour) and separate science demonstrations. The site has both indoor and outdoor hands-on activities for children (of all ages!) covering aspects of science and engineering - a bit like a small hands-on science museum. We found the volunteer staff to be friendly and knowledgeable, and the sessions were very interactive for the children. We happily spent a couple of hours there. There is a small cafe on site, serving drinks and a limited range of snacks. The site is on several levels and has a lot of steps and gravel pathways, but there are ramps for level access and a disabled toilet: more details are on the main website. Children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times, and dogs are not admitted (except assistance dogs). As well as being open for general visits, there are periodic stargazing evenings: numbers are also limited for these and need to be booked in advance.

This is such an interesting place to take the kids for some star-gazing. They are so good at…read morekeeping everyone's attention on the go (things like this can get a bit boring). There's so many different night and daytime events on offer here and a lot of them depend on weather and, of course the stars but we had a great night there and got to see so many beautiful sights. There's a fantastic shop to pop into at the end of the day with some really interesting and informative books to buy.

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).

The Royal Pavilion is a MUST SEE in Brighton. This eccentric and extraordinarily unique former…read moreroyal residence stands out for its captivating and unexpected architectural style, which blends Victorian grandeur with the exotic influences of Indian and Chinese design...for some odd reason King George IV, Prince of Wales, was fascinating by all things Chinese and Asian cultures...the interior is full of Asian design influences with art, decor, architecture, statues, fabrics, and just about everything. So colorful, so unbelievable, so lavish, and so sad for the average British citizen having to pay for all this outlandish extravagance for the rich and wealthy Royalty...at least us modern folks get to enjoy it at the expense of their suffering for a rather pricy £20 entry fee.

This is a historical landmark and "must-see" sight in Brighton for visitors. It was the vision of…read moreKing George IV (when he was prince-regent) to create a Western interpretation of themes from India and China. Be sure to give yourself 1-2 hours to tour the rooms. I would strongly recommend the audio guide handset (it's worth the extra pound). If you're in Brighton for a conference, they'll give you a 10%-20% discount if you show your lanyard. Otherwise, the adult price of admission gives you free access up to a year (so you can visit a second day if you run out time). Lots of pluses - the opulent decorations are visually stunning and a bit fun and whimsical. The painful relationship between George IV and Caroline was quite sad to read. It was also interesting to learn that Victoria was a niece of George IV and his brother William did not have any legitimate heirs. The audio tour provides a lot of background context - and in my opinion, helps to fill in many details of the Royal Pavilion Tour. The music room is stunning - but also tragic given the arsonist and the damage from a minaret which collapsed and fell through the roof. At the end, there's a gift shop where you can pick up a tea towel and a coffee shop which also has iced tea and gelato. The town of Brighton now operates the Royal Pavilion - so your funds help to support the town. Enjoy!