Sure, you can take the Tube and pass London’s familiar icons. You can hit up Trafalgar Square, count lion statues, or even hunt for Paddington bears in the wild. But when the clouds gather (as they love to in this city), there’s no better refuge for a curious family than the British Museum in London. This place isn’t just for history buffs — it really can keep your kids wowed from start to finish, if you know what you’re doing.
Why The British Museum Hooks London Families
Let’s address the first question every Londoner with kids asks: “Will my little monsters actually like the British Museum?” Turns out, yes — especially if you make a game of it. The museum isn’t stuffy; it’s a treasure chest that sprawls over several city blocks and hides everything from Egyptian mummies to medieval chess pieces. Few places in the capital offer so much variety under one (very grand) roof, and better yet, entry is still free, which is a rare blessing these days in the centre of London.
What families love most? There’s sheer scale. Over eight million objects, from the Rosetta Stone to colossal Assyrian lions, and there are plenty of spots for little legs to rest. Galleries are stroller-friendly, floors are smooth, and any parent who has tried dragging a pram through a historic lane in Camden knows how precious that is. You can dip in for an hour or roam for most of the day, and if your gang tires out, the Great Court’s glass ceiling lets in so much daylight you feel like you’re outside, rain or shine.
The curators know you might have kids in tow. Check out the museum’s “Family Trails” — printed maps that double as scavenger hunts. Grab one at the information desk and send your budding Indiana Jones on an adventure. Themes change through the year, like “Ancient Egypt Adventure” or the “Time Travellers Trail.” The museum also hosts hands-on events during half terms and the long summer break, and you can usually avoid the big school-trip crowds if you arrive close to opening (10am is a safe bet) or after lunch when the coaches roll out.
Must-See Exhibits For Kids of All Ages
So where to start? Don’t try to do everything—unless you want to carry your exhausted child out like an Egyptian mummy yourself. Here are a few surefire winners for London families:
- The Rosetta Stone: This chunk of stone is world famous, not because it’s big (it isn’t) but because it helped decode Egyptian hieroglyphs. Kids love the idea that one stone opened up a whole lost language — kind of like a password for ancient texts.
- Ancient Mummies & Egyptian Gallery: Always a hit. Some of these mummies are more than 3,000 years old, and the stories (from cat mummies to pharaohs) capture imaginations.
- The Sutton Hoo Treasure: Imagine treasure under the English mud — a real Anglo-Saxon king’s haul, found by a local woman in Suffolk in 1939. Kids can see swords, golden buckles, and helmets straight out of Beowulf.
- Lewis Chessmen: Miniature Viking chess pieces, over 800 years old, and carved from walrus ivory. They look straight out of Harry Potter — tiny, quirky, and full of personality.
- The Bust of Ramesses the Great: This giant stone head is jaw-dropping in scale, and stands in Room 4.
If your kids respond better to hands-on exploration, check out the digital interactives. Many galleries have touchscreen displays, short films, or “Touch Trolleys” on weekends where they can handle replicas and even real artefacts with the staff’s guidance.
And don’t forget the “Hands-On Desk.” On weekends and holidays, friendly volunteers let kids touch ancient coins, tools, even fragments of pottery. This gets everyone engaged—it’s the opposite of “don’t touch!”

Local Tips: Making Your Family Day Easy
Start your journey at the Great Russell Street entrance, and use the Montague Place entrance if you’re arriving with prams or need step-free access. Both are well signed. Leave bulky bags at home, as the museum has pretty strict security. You can rent a cloakroom, but queues can get long, especially on rainy Saturdays or bank holidays when all of London’s tourists have the same idea.
Eating and drinking with kids in central London can be stressful, but the British Museum has you covered. The Great Court Café offers cakes, sandwiches, and proper English tea, but be warned, the kids’ options can run out early in the rush. For a treat, grab a pack of Percy Pigs from the Marks & Spencer Foodhall just north on Tottenham Court Road, or picnic on the benches in Russell Square gardens a short stroll away.
If your children are sensitive to noise or crowds, skip weekends and mid-term weekdays. London gets busy, especially around big Tate, Science Museum, or V&A events, and the British Museum is no different. The first and last hour of the day is calmest.
- There are plenty of baby change facilities, and toilets are clean compared to most London attractions. Use those closest to the back of the museum—the queues are usually shorter.
- The museum shop is a haven for kids’ books and quirky toys (if you can survive the “just one thing” pleas).
- Take a break in the Reading Room if it’s open—its blue domed ceiling is just as entrancing for adults as it is for little ones.
Fancy a detour? Walk south to Covent Garden for street performers and gelato, or follow the Harry Potter fan trail to King’s Cross. Loads of London families combine museums with walks through nearby Bloomsbury, which has some of the greenest playgrounds in town.
Learning More: Making History Personal
British kids love a good story — and the museum is crammed with them. Personalise the visit by linking objects to books or films your kids know. Seen ‘Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb?’ Keep an eye out for exhibits featured in the film. Older kids who devoured ‘Percy Jackson’ or ‘The Kane Chronicles’ will love spotting gods and monsters from Egypt and Greece.
Don’t be afraid to riff with stories. Why did those Egyptian cats get mummified? They were believed to bring luck — imagine if you had to wrap up your family cat and send him to meet Pharaoh. What about Roman coins — was this how people in London 2,000 years ago paid for birthday cake?
Ask museum staff if any pop-up family events are running. Often there are free craft stations, storytelling corners, or even live reenactments. During London’s big festivals (like Chinese New Year or Diwali), special exhibitions bring the city’s diversity to the museum itself, letting kids see London’s connections to the world.
If you plan ahead, you can book onto family-friendly workshops — these fill quickly, so check the website before the school holidays start. Older kids might enjoy the Museum’s digital “Virtual Visits” or YouTube tours, which are especially handy if your brood is nursing a cold or London’s rain is relentless.
Here’s a quick look at what’s most popular for families at the moment, based on recent museum surveys and local reviews:
Gallery | Visitor Age Group | Average Engagement (mins) |
---|---|---|
Egyptian Mummies | 5-10 years | 18 |
Greek & Roman Sculpture | 8-14 years | 11 |
Africa & Oceania | All ages | 12 |
Money Gallery | 9-15 years | 10 |
Family Trails (All) | 4-12 years | 35 (whole route) |
Notice how it’s not about running from gallery to gallery — it’s finding a handful of things that catch your family’s unique interests.

Planning Your Next London Museum Adventure
When it’s time to head home, don’t be surprised if you hear “Can we go again?” The British Museum nails what London does so well — mixing old and new, tradition and reinvention. The best bit is you can visit again and again, always seeing something different.
Want to keep the history bug alive? Use your British Museum day as a springboard. Get storybooks about Ancient Egypt from Daunt Books in Marylebone, or pop into Foyle’s on Charing Cross Road to browse for history kits and comics. Sign your kids up for the Young Archaeologists’ Club or join a family walk around the Roman London wall near the Tower of London. During the school break, plenty of London libraries run free museum-themed story sessions, too — look out for posters around your local branch.
If you’re new to the city or feeling overwhelmed by the choices, apps like “Kids in Museums” offer real parents’ tips and reviews just for London’s top attractions (and caffeine recommendations for flagging mums and dads).
One last trick—if your kids really love collecting things, bring home the Museum’s “passport” book. Each visit gets a fresh stamp, making every return trip feel like a new adventure.
Because honestly, history in London isn’t just old stones and glass cases. It’s wild stories, family debates over Vikings or Egyptians, and tiny hands pressing against the glass — just to peer a little further into the world’s past.