There is a good chance, that your journey to the London Transport Museum, will involve either an underground, bus or both – run by London Transport. Not many museums can claim they bring their visitors using their own transport!
What is the London Transport Museum? A wonderful collection showcasing the age of transport in London, with steam underground tube engines and vintage buses and trams from all eras of London Transport in a well-designed museum setting.
Very few visitors to London will miss the opportunity of travelling by underground or on the tube, as they are the most inexpensive ways to travel in the city, other perhaps than walking. The London Transport Museum appears to a wide range of ages and children will love the hands-on experiences of many exhibits.
6 Top Attractions at the London Transport Museum
1. Vintage bus and tram collection
2. Hand-on exhibits suitable for children
3. Early steam engines from the Underground
4. Dedicated under-sevens area
5. Pretend to drive buses and trains
6. Cafe and themed shop
All About the London Transport Museum
| LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM | |
|---|---|
| KID FRIENDLY? | Age 3+ |
| HOURS | Daily: 10:00am - 6:00pm |
| LOCATION | Covent Garden Piazza, WC2E 7BB 0343 222 5000 ltmuseum.co.uk |
| WHAT'S THERE | Stream trains from the early days of the tube, plus buses and hands-on experiences for children |
| UNDERGROUND | Covent Garden (Piccadilly)- 2 min walk Leicester Square (Northern, Piccadilly)- 4 min walk |
| BUS | Strand or Aldwich |
| VISIT TIME | Allow two to three hours |
| ENTRY COST* | Adult : £18 Concessions: £17 Under 18s : Free Keep your ticket, as it provide access for a twelve months |
| SAVINGS | Save by booking online. A member of London Pass. |
| SELFIE TIME | Sit and 'drive' a vintage bus |
| WHEELCHAIRS | Yes. Some vehicles are not accessible by wheelchair |
| FACILITIES | Shop Toilets |
 |
Is It Just a Load of London Buses?
Far from it. Yes, there is a collection of vintage London Transport buses, but that is to be expected at this museum.
The early buses, or omnibus to give them their full name, were horse-drawn before the age of combustion engines. Sitting inside one of the earliest examples of a horse-drawn omnibus, you can discover the rules of the road as they were way back in the early 1800s.
Horse-drawn omnibuses were withdrawn from service in 1911, so there isn’t anyone alive in London who would have travelled on one as a fare-paying passenger. You will discover early trams which used to ply their trade around the streets of the city in the days when cars were few and far between for most Londoners.
When the Underground first started, the engines were steam-driven, complete with all the noise and soot in the tunnels and stations. It couldn’t have been a very pleasant experience. The museum has some fine examples of these historic engines on display. The museum brings all this together across several levels in an imaginative way, which will appeal to adults and children alike.
What is There for Children to Do?
The museum is suitable for children from three to 11.
There are hands-on experiences for children as young as three. Your budding bus driver can climb aboard and “drive”, hit the bell, and to the toot hooters.
When you arrive, collect a card from the ticket desk and explore the museum, stamping the card at many of the exhibits.
The under seven’s have their own themed play area and there is somewhere close for parents and grandparents to sit while the kids wear themselves out (hopefully!)
For children aged between seven and 11, the push-button zone at the Interchange is where they can dress up and pretend to be drivers of eco-friendly modern public transport.
There are cartoon quizzes to stretch young brains and help them explore and discover more about the history of London’s transport.
You may have trouble dragging the kids away when you want to move on.
Selfies and Pictures
Your young bus drivers will want their pictures taken at the wheel in the cab and what grown man can resist the same.
After all, didn’t we all want to be bus drivers at some point?
Food and Drink
There is a cafe in the museum which serves drinks and snacks. Try a Circle Line smoothie, they are rather good.
You are welcome to bring your own food and drinks to the separate indoor picnic area.
Disabled Facilities
Wheelchairs are welcome at the museum. However, not all exhibits are suitable, with high steps and twisty staircases to upper decks of some vintage buses.
How to get to the London Transport Museum
The museum is in Covent Garden and there is an underground station only a couple of minute’s walk away. The Leicester Square underground is four minutes walk. The closest mainline rail station is Charing Cross and it takes less than ten minutes to walk. The closest bus stops are in the Strand and between six and ten minutes away.
WHAT IS CLOSE TO THE LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM?
Covent Garden
London Film Museum
Royal Opera House
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
* Entry costs are an indication and may change.