Museum of London (Docklands) – make a trip now!
About Museum of London Docklands
The Museum of London tells the story about the first settlers to current times and here, you will get the chance to dive more into the stories of Londoners. This building was originally the No.1 Warehouse on West India Docks. There are multiple permanent galleries in the museum, and there are also events as well as paid exhibitions (sometimes).
There are a total of 9 permanent galleries across 4 levels – No. 1 Warehouse, City and River, Warehouse of the World, Trade Expansion, Sailor town, Docklands at War, Sugar & Slavery, First Port of Empire and New Port, New City. Take your time to walk through and learn about history, and the great thing about this museum is that there are interactive play components for your kids scattered throughout the museum. I really like this aspect and it helps to keep the kids interested while walking through the galleries.
Mudlarks Family Gallery
And on the ground floor there is also a permanent Mudlarks family gallery. Online ticketing is required for entry into this interactive space which includes soft play and water play for children aged up to 8 years old. They will also get to role play with construction outfit while building and constructing with foam bricks. Session is normally 40 minutes long, and it cost £2.50 for each adult and child above 9 months old. Tickets normally go on sale two weeks in advance on Saturday at 10am. In the past, entry was free and tickets usually get sold out pretty fast. Currently, tickets are still available at times but it is important that you try to book your timed tickets in advance.
Family events
The museum also offers family and kids friendly events, and one of the special event that my daughter and I liked is the Tots at the Docks event! Tots at the Docks is a free drop-in, 3hr 30 mins long session for under 5s, held once per month (you will be able to see the drop-in dates till March 2024 here), inspired by the history of the Docks.
It is a chance for your kid to play and have fun depending on the theme. On 26 July 2023, we had fun with building blocks, having a “tea party”, playing in the ball pit as well as water and sand play. For younger babies, parents can also use the chance to provide sensory stimulation with different materials available in the event room. This is a good chance for your kid to have fun in an “enclosed” and safe environment, and for parents to interact with each other.
Look out for more family events or activities at the Museum of London Docklands here.
Our thoughts
WHAT WE LIKED:
- Interactive play components scattered throughout the museum
- Monthly free drop-in play sessions for under 5s
- Mudlark’s family gallery was clean and well maintained when we went in for the session
- Sheltered
WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED:
- Free event tickets are allocated at the counter, but some people might not turn up after getting the tickets. In my opinion, it may be more ideal to have a first come first serve 15-30 minutes before the start of event system.
Getting there:
Place: Museum of London Docklands
Address: No.1 Warehouse, West India Quay, London E14 4AL
Opening hours: Daily, 10am to 5pm. Last entry is 4pm as it will take about an hour to look around the museum. Galleries will close 20 mins before closing time.
Ticketing: Not needed for museum (but you will need to purchase tickets for exhibitions or for the mudlark’s play)
Accessibility: Lift is available in the museum
Prams: You can park your prams at their designated parking space
Food: Café on-site
Website: https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london-docklands
Nearest DLR station with step free access: West India Quay – 2 mins walk
Nearest underground station with step free access: Canary Wharf – 10 mins walk
Click here for updates on other places of interest for you and your family! I will be posting again soon 😌 I will be happy to help if you have any queries, let me know!
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