London for Families
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These 20 attractions are popular with children, though not all will suit every age group:
1. London Zoo. Some 8,000 animals and birds from around the world live here, in spacious grounds on the north side of Regent's Park. The Aviary by Lord Snowdon is of architectural interest, as is the Penguin Pool by the Russian architect Berthold Lubetkin, although the penguins have recently moved out. The cuddlier variety of animals can be handled in the children's enclosure. The Web of Life Exhibition, an ecologically designed glass pavilion, celebrates the variety of biological diversity. 10 minutes' walk from Camden Town tube station or 274 bus from Camden Town or Baker Street; open daily 9am-5.30pm, last ticket 4.30pm; http://www.londonzoo.co.uk/; admission charge.
2. London Aquarium. Built deep beneath County Hall, the former home of the Greater London Council, the Aquarium houses thousands of specimens representing 350 species of fish and other marine species. Atmospheric sounds, smells and lighting have been employed to great effect. It's worth catching the shark and rainforest talks (tel: 020 7967 8029 for schedule) and feed times (shark feeding Tues, Thurs, Sat 2.30pm; piranha feeding Mon, Wed, Fri and Sun 1pm), when divers deliver a mix of mackerel and squid. 5 minutes' walk from Waterloo station; open daily 10am-6pm, last admission 5pm; http://www.londonaquarium.co.uk/ admission charge.
3. London Eye. A ride on the world's biggest observation wheel, standing at 450 ft (135 metres ) tall, overlooking the Thames next to County Hall. The British Airways-sponsored wheel is supported on one side only, like a giant desktop fan, and was built to mark the turn of the millennium. The 32 enclosed capsules, each holding 25 people, take 30 minutes to make a full rotation - slow enough to allow new and departing passengers to step in and out of the capsules at ground level while the wheel keeps turning. On a clear day you can see for 25 miles (40 km). Plan ahead if you hope to ride the wheel during busy periods (automatic telephone booking: 0870 5000 600; www.ba-londoneye.com).
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4. Science Museum. From early steam engines to modern spacecraft, London's Science Museum traces the history of inventions and technological progress, and is a favourite with children of all ages. With more than 10,000 exhibits, plus additional attractions and special shows, including an IMAX theatre, this museum could occupy a whole day. An important point to note is the distinction between the main wing, dating to 1928 and containing the steam engines and planes, and the Wellcome Wing, opened in 2000 with sponsorship mainly from the Wellcome Trust and concentrating on information technology. When visiting with young children, don't miss the hands-on Launch Pad section, hidden in the basement. 10 minutes' walk from South Kensington tube station; open daily 10am-6pm; www.sciencemuseum.org.uk; admission free.
5. Natural History Museum. From dinosaurs to creepy-crawlies, this grand Victorian pile dominating Exhibition Road in South Kensington was built between 1873 and 1880. If any of London's museums encapsulates the Victorians' quest for knowledge and passion for sifting and cataloguing data, it's this one, with its colossal collection of 75 million plants, animals, fossils, rocks and minerals - not to forget its celebrated dinosaurs. 5 minutes' walk from South Kensington tube station; open daily 10am-5.50pm, Sun 1-5.50pm, admission free; tel: 020 7942 5000; www.nhm.ac.uk.
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6. Madame Tussaud's. As close as most will get to their heroes, these waxy lookalikes make up London's top visitor attraction, leading to queues of sometimes up to 7000 people long. One major factor for the collection's success is that the models are no longer roped off or protected inside glass cases. You can stroll right up to most of them - an impertinence their bodyguards would never permit in real life.
Adapting to modern technological tastes, Madame Tussaud's now has a “Spirit of London” ride, complete with moving and speaking figures, from William Shakespeare (“To be or not to be”) to contemporary street hawkers. Next to the Planetarium on Baker St, 2 minutes' walk from Baker St tube station; open daily, weekdays 9.30am in summer, 10am in winter; www.madame-tussauds.co.uk/; admission fee.
7. London Dungeon. For kids who prefer their history gory and grisly. This chamber of historic baddies and scarey scenes includes exhibits of the Black Death, the 1666 Great Fire of London, and Jack the Ripper's exploits. On Tooley Street, a few minutes walk from London Bridge station, the London Dungeon is open daily 10am-5.30pm in winter, 6.30pm in summer; www.thedungeons.com.
8. Funland. A huge indoor entertainment centre within the Trocadero Centre, on Piccadilly Circus, with video games, dodgems, ten-pin bowling, a sports bar and a pool hall ). Funland is a good place to spend a rainy afternoon, though the emphasis is on “spend”, as nothing here is free (open 10am-midnight weekdays, 10am-1am weekends).
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9. National Museum of Childhood. Showing how children have lived and played throughout the ages, this collection of games and toys is a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Displays range from classic children's toys (including hands-on objects such as a rocking horse and model railways) to the development of nappies and the roots of adolescent rebellion. The small museum is in the East End's Bethnal Green neighbourhood, once London's poorest area. The building's airy layout and stream of delightful diversions conjures up the kind of serendipity associated with childhood.
And there is much here to appeal to children, as you might expect. A magnificent rocking horse can be ridden; the model railways can be activated; you can rifle through and use a dressing-up box; and in the basement a modern “soft centre” (admission charge) allows younger children to tumble around safely in a padded play area. Cambridge Heath Road, a couple of minutes' walk from Bethnal Green Tube station; tel: 8980 2415; www.museumofchildhood.org.uk; closed Friday; admission free.
10. Firepower. The Royal Artillery brings its big guns to bear, at the Royal Arsenal, in Woolwich. The centrepiece of this military museum is the ground-shaking “Field of Fire”, which puts viewers in the midst of battle. Bombs and shells whizz overhead, guns roar and smoke fills the room. There is a large two-level gunnery gallery, which has an impressive display of artillery and “have a go” simulators. Trains to Woolwich from several central London stations: Waterloo East, Charing Cross, London Bridge and Cannon Street; open daily 10am-5pm; tel: 8855 7755; www.firepower.org.uk; admission charge.
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11. Hamleys. Where to buy the toys of today, with seven packed floors of toys and games. Younger customers are kept amused by staff entertainers demonstrating the latest must-have gadgets and gizmos. 188-196 Regent Street, London; nearest Tube stations Oxford Circus or Piccadilly Circus; tel: 0870 333 2450; www.hamleys.com; open daily.
12. London Transport Museum. Trams, trains, bicycles and buses, well presented, in Covent Garden's former flower market. This large collection includes horse-drawn coaches, rail carriages, and some working displays. It effectively traces the social history of modern London, whose growth was powered by transport, and deals intelligently with issues such as congestion and pollution.
Facilities for children are particularly good; there are extensive play areas, simulators to allow them to “drive” a Tube train, and actors as transport workers recreate scenes of life on the roads and rails of yesteryear. Covent Garden Tube station is a few minutes' walk; open daily 10am-6pm; tel: 7565 7299; www.ltmuseum.co.uk; admission charge for adults but free to accompanied children under 16.
13. Theatre Museum. Next door to the Transport Museum, the Theatre Museum is a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum containing portraits, costumes, stage sets and much memorabilia. Although the exhibits are a bit static and will appeal mostly to theatre fans, costume workshops and make-up demonstrations are popular with both children and adults. Covent Garden Tube station; open 11am-5pm, closed Monday; tel: 7943 4700; www.theatremuseum.org; admission free.
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14. Golden Hinde. Moored in St Mary Overie Dock on London's Southbank, this is a full-sized replica of Sir Francis Drake's famous Galleon, and recreates what life was like on the 16th-century sailing ship. The Devon-built ship, launched in 1973, is the only replica to have completed a circumnavigation of the globe. It has thus clocked up more nautical miles than the original, in which Drake set sail in 1577 on the greatest piratical voyage in English history. London Bridge station 7 minutes' walk; open daily, though times vary; tel: 0 8700 11 8700; www.goldenhinde.co.uk; admission fee.
15. HMS Belfast. The last surviving gun-bristling British warship to have seen action in World War II. Its tour ranges from the bridge to the engine rooms, capturing the cramped facilities of the 950 crew, showing what life was like on a World War II warship. Archived film shows the Belfast in action at sea. London Bridge station 10 minutes' walk; open daily 10am-6pm, Oct-Apr 10am-5pm; tel: 7940 6300; http://hmsbelfast.iwm.org.uk; admission fee.
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16. Imperial War Museum. See tanks, cannon and fighter planes close up. The museum has expanded its remit from the strictly military to include a rolling programme of exhibitions, many aimed at young people, as well as the Blitz and Trench “Experiences”, which recreate life at the time.
The new programmes cover many aspects of modern history, often only loosely connected with conflict - from code breaking and refugees to fashion and sport. For the more traditionally inclined, there are plenty of immaculately restored armaments, tanks and warplanes. Lambeth North or Elephant and Castle Tube stations 10 minutes' walk; open daily 10am-6pm; tel: 7416 5439; www.iwm.org.uk/; admission free.
17. Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience. Experience the sounds and the smells of everyday life in London during the Blitz of World War II. School parties have fun trying on helmets and gas masks; the museum also has a lot of 1940s memorabilia. London Bridge station 10 minutes' walk; open 10am-4.30pm in winter, til 5.30pm in summer; www.britainatwar.co.uk
18. St James's Park. A peaceful place to feed the ducks. The oldest park in London, beautifully landscaped, with fountains and views of Buckingham Palace and Whitehall. Its pond is home to a colony of exotic wildfowl and pelicans.
19. Hyde Park. Sail boats or row them on the Serpentine, a large recreational pond on the south side of Hyde Park, which even has its own lido for hardy swimmers all year round. Flanking one side of the pond is Rotten Row (derived from William III's Route du Roi), where the well-heeled exercise their horses before breakfast; on the other side is a wide promenade where the rest of the populace walk, jog or show off their skating skills. The Diana Memorial Playground, close to her former home at Kensington Palace, is one of the best in London.
20. Coram Fields. Children rule the roost at Coram Fields, just beyond the children's hospital in Great Ormond Street, with a paddling pool, grazing farm animals and café. A sign on the gate enclosing the sheep-grazed field says that adults are allowed in only if accompanied by children. Russell Square Tube station 5 minutes' walk; open daily 9am-8pm summer, til dusk in winter; admission free).