Science Museum

Visit the Science Museum on a trip to London and you may have a problem: once your children get inside this museum, they may refuse to leave! The focus of the Science Museum is high tech, hands-on, interactive and up-to-date, with just a smidge of history.

The displays reach out and grab a child’s attention like no other museum in the city. Start with the Launchpad—it looks like a giant indoor playground, but kids playing here may not realize that the Launchpad is really a huge physics lab. There are exhibits on fluid dynamics, suspension construction, weight, force, and other physical properties. Kids don’t just look at the exhibits or press a few buttons, they climb on machines and make them work. There’s an undercurrent of cooperative play here, since several of the experiments will only function if visiting children join together in a group effort. A model rocket spins around overhead, but it only works if four kids synchronize four air pumps. Another conveyer belt/lift contraption moves beans from one end to the other with the cooperation of five or six operators. There are over 50 stations in the Launch Pad so it can accommodate a large crowd of kids and they can all get their hands on something.

The Launchpad is appropriate for children ages six and older (and their parents!), but the museum has not forgotten younger kids. The basement Garden is an interactive area where three to six year olds can experiment through play. For ages seven to eleven a similar area—simply called “Things”— is right next door. Older children will enjoy producing a show in the radio and recording studio located upstairs in the museum.

The Science Museum devotes one complete area to an exhibit on materials. In the middle of this area, suspended from the ceiling, is the complete framework of a house. The museum has constructed familiar objects out of unusual materials. A glass bridge transverses the gallery and on quiet days you can hear it “sing” harmonically as you walk across.

The Science Museum is a popular destination for school groups and it can get a little crowded at times. If you are visiting while British schools are in session, plan to arrive either early or late in the day. The museum is well-designed to accommodate crowds—they even have indoor areas where school groups can eat brown bag lunches without overrunning the museum’s cafe. The cafe is an acceptable place for a snack or light lunch and it serves special box lunches for kids.

With all it has to offer, the Science Museum is not resting on its laurels. The museum has an elaborate new wing and is constantly updating its displays. So when you finally drag your kids out of the museum, you can promise a return visit on a future trip to see what’s new at the Science Museum.



from London's Science Museum Visit the Science Museum on a trip to London and you may have a problem: once your children get inside this museum, they may refuse to leave! The focus of the Science Museum is high tech, hands-on, interactive and up-to-date, with just a smidge of history. The displays reach out and grab a child’s attention like no other museum in the city. Start with the Launchpad—it looks like a giant indoor playground, but kids playing here may not realize that the Launchpad is really a huge physics lab. There are exhibits on fluid dynamics, suspension construction, weight, force, and other physical properties. Kids don’t just look at the exhibits or press a few buttons, they climb on machines and make them work. There’s an undercurrent of cooperative play here, since several of the experiments will only function if visiting children join together in a group effort. A model rocket spins around overhead, but it only works if four kids synchronize four air pumps. Another conveyer belt/lift contraption moves beans from one end to the other with the cooperation of five or six operators. There are over 50 stations in the Launch Pad so it can accommodate a large crowd of kids and they can all get their hands on something. The Launchpad is appropriate for children ages six and older (and their parents!), but the museum has not forgotten younger kids. The basement Garden is an interactive area where three to six year olds can experiment through play. For ages seven to eleven a similar area—simply called “Things”— is right next door. Older children will enjoy producing a show in the radio and recording studio located upstairs in the museum. The Science Museum devotes one complete area to an exhibit on materials. In the middle of this area, suspended from the ceiling, is the complete framework of a house. The museum has constructed familiar objects out of unusual materials. A glass bridge transverses the gallery and on quiet days you can hear it “sing” harmonically as you walk across. The Science Museum is a popular destination for school groups and it can get a little crowded at times. If you are visiting while British schools are in session, plan to arrive either early or late in the day. The museum is well-designed to accommodate crowds—they even have indoor areas where school groups can eat brown bag lunches without overrunning the museum’s cafe. The cafe is an acceptable place for a snack or light lunch and it serves special box lunches for kids. With all it has to offer, the Science Museum is not resting on its laurels. The museum has an elaborate new wing and is constantly updating its displays. So when you finally drag your kids out of the museum, you can promise a return visit on a future trip to see what’s new at the Science Museum.	Where? When? Ł?

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