I nonetheless keep 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 many years – so I made certain to begin 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 a lot 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, bogs often inside scuttling distance, excessive chairs within the cafes and child-friendly meals (plus locations to eat your individual picnic). However in case you’re planning a go to, listed below are 9 issues you should know earlier than visiting the Pure Historical past Museum with a toddler.
1. Use the Exhibition Highway entrance
In the event you prebook tickets – which I’d extremely advocate, particularly in class holidays and at weekends – you may skip many of the queue.
However for one more strategy to bypass the traces, 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 refill rapidly, and whilst you don’t get the dramatic affect of the suspended whale skeleton within the Hintze Corridor (Dippy the diplodocus now having been changed), it does imply you don’t have to 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 in case you can keep away from some crowds.
The perfect 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 guess.
Faculty holidays and peak vacationer season are unsurprisingly the museum’s busiest time, so it’s finest to reach early in case you’re visiting with college age siblings.
In the event you stay in or close to London, you may as well get precedence entry and skip the Pure Historical past Museum queue in case 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, try my final information in addition to the most effective 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 probably the most in style areas. For youths, it’s in all probability prime of their listing anyway, and even when there are traces, they transfer fairly quick.
You may all the time play the museum’s on-line ‘which dinosaur are you‘ quiz to move the time if you’re ready for T-Rex.
For nervous toddlers, do bear in mind that T-Rex does transfer and roar, in case you wish to put together small dinosaur followers and reassure them they aren’t about to be eaten.
4. Make a plan
The museum is so large, I typically really feel like I ought to depart a path of breadcrumbs to seek out my method again out. And roaming randomly together with your fingers crossed isn’t the most effective strategy in case 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 the map on-line to work out the place you’d most prefer 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 Pink Zone or the flickering lights as you experience up the escalators.
For different preschoolers, this may be probably the most thrilling sections – however even in case you persist with the Blue and Inexperienced zones (my mini animal-lover’s favourites), you’ll have a lot 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 good in case you can go to repeatedly, however in any other case it’s straightforward to overlook one thing wonderful.
Or attempt my scavenger hunt to be sure you discover a number of the greatest highlights.
5. Pack mild
There are two cloakrooms within the Pure Historical past Museum, though the one on Cromwell Highway is for giant baggage and suitcases solely, which is one other good purpose to go in through Exhibition Highway.
It prices £4 to go away a pushchair, however these do must be folded up (so cramming numerous baggage beneath isn’t technique until you’re ready to hold them.
Coats and baggage can be left for a payment, in addition to folding bikes, whereas kids’s scooters price £2. You too can wheel or carry these across the museum, however you may’t scoot round.
6. Do some homework
The Pure Historical past Museum web site has an ideal children solely part with video games, information 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 the event you’re unsure what they’ll like most, this can assist 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.
Presumably probably 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 all the time the likelihood it may be gone if you go to.
8. Take a deep breath
If the museum is getting overwhelming, the Wildlife Backyard is the proper area to flee the crowds (closed to early 2024 whereas work is underway)
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 nicely. The minerals gallery tends to have fewer crowds, whereas there are different areas to go in case you want some respiration area.
9. Find time for the Examine Centre
[EDIT: currently closed] Tucked away within the basement – one other good purpose to verify the map – the improbable Examine Centre allows you to decide up and look at all types of objects from meteorites to shells, with a microscope to see extra element.
Nonetheless it’s reserved for college visits on weekdays throughout time period time, so that you’ll want to go away it till after 4pm in case you’re visiting then.
In contrast, on weekends and holidays, the centre is open from 11am so it’s finest to reach as early as potential, and higher for older preschoolers than youthful toddlers.
Try my expertise visiting the Pure Historical past Museum with a toddler and our return journey to see the dinosaurs plus my tips about the most effective issues to do in London with toddlers and preschoolers
**First printed 2015, up to date 2024**
PIN FOR LATER: LONDON’S NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM WITH A TODDLER
Photographs copyright MummyTravels
