Wednesday 24 August 2011

Tiny tots visit: London Transport Museum

London in the 1920s and 1930s © London Transport Museum
Being a Scot, I'm normally averse to paying for a museum visit, but the London Transport Museum now gives you unlimited entry for a year. With a bus-obsessed three-year-old, I know I'll get my money's worth, so we headed there last week.

Mum liked: Having a peek inside the brand new London Routemaster bus, although disappointingly, there's a pole in the way of one of the buggy spaces, so squeezing two prams in could be tricky.

Dad liked: Spotting a horse-drawn number 12 bus, which followed the same basic route as it does today.

Tiny tot 1 liked: Getting behind the wheel of a bus and climbing to the top deck of an old Routemaster.

Tiny tot 2 liked: Playing with wooden trains in the All Aboard kiddie zone.

Sum it up: The museum guides you chronologically through London's public transport history, from the first bus and boat services to the building of the world's oldest underground railway to 21st-century interactive bus stops. An impressive collection of objects and vehicles is beautifully laid out and you can actually climb aboard many of the buses, trains and trams in the main hall. Will we see the soon-to-be-defunct bendy buses next year?

Facilities: Both kids loved the All Aboard area for children under 6. As well as toy trains, it has miniature buses and taxis which kids can drive. Thankfully, the bus has a steering wheel at every seat to avoid a mini riot over the driver's position. Right by this area is a simple cafe selling mini sandwiches and treats (and larger portions too). There are also tables where you can eat your own packed lunch. Baby change and loos are upstairs, along with a fun space for 6-to-11-year-olds with activities and costumes. Once you leave the exhibition, you'll find yourself in a shop full of books, posters, postcards, toys and souvenirs - well worth visiting for that tricky-to-buy-for relative at Christmas. There's a more interesting-looking cafe above the shop, which we'll save for another visit.

And if you've not seen enough: The Museum Depot in Acton, which holds most of collection, houses over 370,000 objects. It opens for monthly guided tours and occasional weekends.

Cost: £13.50 for adults (ticket valid for a year); free for children under 16.
More info: www.ltmuseum.co.uk