3 London museums to visit with children this summer

The National Gallery
With a tremendous collection of artworks from different centuries, The National Gallery, is one of the museums I would like to visit with school-aged children to introduce them to famous painters, ranging from Da Vinci and Van Gogh to Britain’s Turner and Gainsborough. This month, the museum is hosting a variety of family events, including themed drop-in workshops on select dates. Families visiting this week can join the free drop-in sessions on Bermejo’s glittering details and create a garment with embossed gilt details on 13, 14 and 15 August (See full details on the museum website).

Museum of London
Another museum I would like to visit this summer is Museum of London, which is ideal for anyone learning about the Great Fire of London, but also other topics relating to our capital and how the city has developed through the centuries. Right now, I would like to visit the current immersive, digital installation called Beasts of London, where visitors walk through theatrical sets and learn about how animals have shaped the city through the times. The stories are told by the city’s animals–some voiced by celebrities like Kate Moss–and the experience lasts around an hour. The exhibition is open until 5 January 2020, and this summer, there is also a museum family trail, letting families search the museum’s galleries for beasts that have escaped the exhibition.

The Postal Museum
With courtyard BBQs on select dates in August, ice creams and a busy programme of family arts and crafts workshops and activities, The Postal Museum near Farringdon is another museum I would like to visit. This month, one of the activities for families with children is sea-side stamp shrinkies workshops on 24 and 31 August, and attendees can make mini stamp souvenirs on shrink plastic, choosing between making a keyring, magnet or badge. The Postal Museum opened in July 2017 and its Mail Rail–a 15-minute underground experience on miniature trains–opened in September 2017.

For more suggestions for family activities in London, read my review of 15 outdoor attractions to visit in and around London.

Tags: Family day out, London, Museum of London, Museums, The National Gallery, The Postal Museum