A cultural guide to London for families

London is overflowing with thrilling and stimulating cultural experiences for families, from sleepovers beneath a gigantic blue whale skeleton at the Natural History Museum to adventures aboard HMS Belfast, a World War 2 battleship-turned-museum.

Read on for our guide to the best family-friendly culture in the English capital.

Museums & galleries

London’s selection of museums and galleries is arguably the best in the world, with huge variety, mostly free entry and regular blockbuster exhibits. You’ll need at least several days to explore just a few of them but you can start by hopping on a double decker bus to South Kensington to visit the V&A, the Science Museum and The Natural History Museum, all within five minutes’ walk of each other. Here, you’ll find a multitude of engaging exhibits for children, such as the Science Museum’s immersive, 360-degree virtual reality trip into outer space with astronaut, Tim Peak, as the guide. In winter, families can skate on the ice rink just outside the Natural History Museum and in summer, you only have to walk 20 minutes to Hyde Park and the Serpentine Lake to have a picnic and hire a pedalo.

When it comes to art, Tate Modern could keep the whole family occupied for hours. Located right on the River Thames, it’s a gallery that’s packed to the rafters with interactive exhibits, an under-five’s play area, ‘explore the gallery’ workshops, a digital drawing bar with activities, and the cavernous exhibition space that is the Turbine Hall (the building was originally a power station). Cram in some more culture at the Imperial War Museum, not far from Waterloo, where gripping exhibits bring to life British history. Or at Madame Tussauds, where wax works depict a host of celebrities from Madonna to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Stay a 3-minute walk from the Tate Modern at the ibis Styles, where kids will appreciate the hotel’s playful style.

History

Following on a history theme, your next stop should be HMS Belfast, a World War 2 battleship-turned-museum permanently moored on the Thames just by Tower Bridge. It’s a surprisingly good playground for children, who can run around and climb up and down the ladders connecting all nine decks, while also absorbing educational stories about the ship’s history and what life would have been like for her 950-strong crew. Disembark and head to Tower Bridge, where those not suffering from vertigo can stroll the glass walkway exhibition connecting the two towers. Just across the river, families can visit the Tower of London for chilling ghost stories and to see the Crown Jewels up close. Check into citizenM Tower of London and enjoy free movies on-demand for the kids after a busy day out.

Parks & zoos

London is one of the greenest cities in the world, with eight vast, well-kept green spaces within the city centre alone. Visit St James’ Park to feed the ducks and see the pelicans, or Regent’s Park, which houses London Zoo. The Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew is a year-round wonderland of sensory attractions, light shows and educational exhibitions (Kew Gardens is a centre of cutting-edge research and conservation); check out the mighty, rainforest-like Palm House and climb the wrought-iron, spiral staircase to look down over the canopy. And don’t miss the Temperate House – the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world – containing rare flora that includes a plant germinated from 200-year-old seeds found inside a wallet at the National Archives. Elsewhere in the capital, a picnic in the Rose Garden of Hyde Park is a quintessentially British summer experience, while in the lead up to Christmas, you’ll find Winter Wonderland lighting up the east end of the park. Make the whole family feel at home by staying in a roomy apartment at Native Hyde Park.

Sleepover experiences

In recent years, many of London’s top attractions have started offering overnight adventures for children, leaving you child-free for an evening of London exploration. First up, there’s Dino Snores at the Natural History Museum, beginning with a torch-lit trail among the fossils, before a science show and workshop. Finally, kids will snuggle up to sleep beneath the enormous blue whale skeleton suspended from the Hintze Hall’s ceiling with breakfast and a live animal show the next morning. But the best bit by far is that there’s an adult’s edition and it’s also cheaper than many London hotels.

Another experience on the London sleepover scene is The Golden Hinde Night Voyage, aboard the replica of Sir Francis Drake’s historic ship, docked on the banks of the Thames. Guests aged six and over can dress up in 16th-century costumes, be taught about the history of navigation by enthusiastic actors and eat a Tudor-style dinner served on pewter plates. After the fun and games, kids bed down on the gundeck but – if you’re visiting during summer and you’re joining the young ones on board – head up to the top deck first, as it’s a very special spot for some stargazing. For seafaring-enthusiast children, the HMS Belfast hosts sleepovers, too; the snappily titled ‘Kip in a Ship’. Next up, there’s Astronights at the Science Museum (of which there’s also an adults’ version), during which kids conduct experiments, print t-shirts and eat breakfast in front of an IMAX 3D film. The museum also hosts SENsory Astronights, a low-key evening exploration of the museum for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Parents can stay at the nearby MEININGER Hotel.

Sightseeing

Head up to the river for the eternally-popular London Eye experience, a 25-minute ride on a giant observation wheel that’ll slowly take you up 135 metres in one of 32 high-tech glass pods. The 360-degree views of London, with the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben just below, are phenomenal and each pod is equipped with six interactive touchscreen displays to help you identify London’s major landmarks. For a different but equally enjoyable view of the river, take a boat tour of the Thames – there’s plenty of choice, from London Duck Tours in distinctive, amphibious vehicles, to fantastically fun speedboat rides. Stay just across the river from the London Eye in this contemporary Private Apartment.