This review of the Natural History Museum was part of my epic sightseeing tour of London. In one day I did St Paul’s Cathedral, the British Museum and here, followed by a picnic in Hyde Park! I’ve taken the kids before, but this particular trip was without them. Smallest Child is desperate to go on a train to see the dinosaurs so we’ll be taking her soon! I’m just waiting for Dippy to come back!
There are two entrances to the Natural History Museum. Both are quite dramatic but I’d say go in by the Cromwell entrance so the first thing you see is this!
If you’ve got CBeebies age kids make sure you walk down the side of the steps in Hintze Hall to find Andy’s clock from Andy’s Dinosaur Adventure.
The dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum
The dinosaur exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London has to be one of the most popular galleries in the museum. It’s really cool in there. They have changed the route so you now start off at the animatronic T-Rex. The first time we took Middle Child he was quite young, and was actually scared of it. It’s also quite popular so you can skip this bit if you don’t want to queue.
Even if you do skip the massive T-Rex then the rest of the dinosaur gallery is very cool and there’s plenty more to see and hands-on exhibits to explore.
Rocks are boring right?
There’s a massive gallery dedicated to all things minerals which, let’s face it, could be the most boring gallery here. The fact you are greeted by several big ol’ diamonds (and burly security guards to accompany them) changes things slightly. Also, who knew the weird and wonderful things rocks and minerals can look like.
Make sure you check out The Vault. In here you’ll find one of the biggest known emeralds, the meteorite found in a Gloucestershire back garden in 2021 and a massive black diamond. There’s also the beautiful Aurora Pyramid of Hope. It’s nearly 300 “fancy” diamonds of various colours, some of which are at their most spectacular under UV light.
The Earth Hall
Just WOW! When I came back to do this review of the Natural History Museum I nearly missed the Red Zone which would have been rubbish! In the hall is the world’s most complete Stegosaurus fossil ever found. Going up this escalator is epic. I’d actually misremembered this place and thought it was at the Science Museum next door! Doh.
The kids LOVE this bit of the Natural History Museum. It’s incredibly hands-on. It’s got obsidian they can touch for goodness sake! And an actual meteorite to get their grubby mits on. Just like at the National Space Centre I always get excited about stuff like this. Touching stuff that’s actually been in space!!
Within the Earth Hall there’s all kinds of awesome experiments to do. There’s also stuff about how life on earth has evolved, and how the Earth has changed. There’s even an earthquake room that recreates the 1995 Kobe earthquake.
Creepy Crawlies
I don’t like bugs! Particularly massive ones, but kids do and they’re here in abundance in the creepy crawlies gallery! Again it’s packed full of hands-on stuff for the kids to do. Include a mock-up that highlights all of the bugs that might be living in your house. And a massive termite mound to walk through.
Everything else
There’s sooo much to do and see here. In fact there’s far too much at the Natural History Museum to do justice in just one review! It is very easy to spend a full day here. And it’s an incredibly family friendly museum as well. The Natural History Museum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the London so, particularly at weekends and during school holidays, it can be very busy.
If I’m honest the but with all the whales and dolphins is looking very tired now. They’ve also got lots of hands-on bits, but they’re so old. Most of the videos are from the 1980’s I reckon. Given how cool the rest of the museum is, it mind of lets it down a bit.
If you get time, and the weather is nice enough, then make sure you explore the wildlife garden. They’ve packed a lot into a small space and there’s plenty of, well, wildlife to spot!
Our Natural History Museum London Review
The Natural History Museum really is a gem. Yes, I miss Dippy, but the blue whale is a decent replacement! It’s got a really good balance between being informative and family-friendly. And it’s good for kids of all ages. You can either pop in for a bit, or spend all day there.
Admission cost
Free. Certain exhibitions may be chargeable. At the time this review was written the Natural History Museum sometimes requires you to pre-book tickets at certain busy periods. Check their website if this is the case when you intend to visit.
Parking / How to get there
Parking – None on site. Use public transport
Address – The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD
Toilets
On-site, including baby change
Food
Cafe on-site. There’s also an indoor picnic area.
What else is there to do nearby?
The Science Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum are all just down the road from the Natural History Museum. Hyde Park is great to explore with the kids, including Kensington Palace. There’s also the Tower of London, British Museum, London Zoo or Kew Gardens. Or why not check out one of the London Treasure Map Trails (affiliate link)?
If you’ve found this post useful please consider supporting the future of blog by buying me a coffee. You can either click the blue coffee icon in the corner, or the blue button below. It’s quick, secure and very much appreciated!
Hi, I’m Vicky. My husband and I live in Aylesbury with our three children; a 14 year old son, an 12 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. I (mostly) love spending time together as a family. We visit all kinds of places and we’re quite happy to drive a fair distance for a decent day out. A few years ago I decided to set up Free Time with the Kids as a way to share our experiences of these family days out.
You’ll find the essential information you need to know before your visit that can be surprisingly hard to find out. Where do I park? How much will it cost me to get in? Are there any discounts available? Are there loos? Can I take a picnic or get food? My aim is to be your go-to guide for all your free and cheap family days out across Bucks, Beds, Oxon, Herts & slightly beyond. I really hope you find the reviews helpful. If there’s anywhere that you’d recommend please get in touch contact@freetimewiththekids.com or get in touch via Facebook
