There’s plenty to see and do at London Transport Museum this summer. From Hidden London tours with exclusive behind the scenes access to disused stations, to a programme of family-friendly activities, we’ve summarised the highlights here.
Charing Cross: Access All Areas Tour
With this Hidden London tour, visitors can explore areas of the station that are no longer being used, walking under Trafalgar Square and seeing London from a different perspective. This tour is definitely something to put on your calendar as these areas are exclusive and not usually accessible to the public. The tour is aimed for young children (10 and older) who must also be accompanied by an adult.
Tours last for 75 minutes and run on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 10:00, 11:55, 14:35 and 16:30 at Charing Cross station. General tickets cost £45 or £42 for concessions and the matinee tickets cost £40 or £37 concessions.
As well as the tour, visitors can go to the London Transport Museum for half price on the day. The starting point for the tour is at the Northern Line entrance of Charing Cross station, opposite the gate line where a member of the Hidden London team will meet you. To ensure the tour runs as per its schedule, it is important that visitors arrive 15 minutes before the time on the ticket. Visitors are advised to wear comfortable, flat shoes. Sturdy walking shoes are also recommended as the floor underground can be uneven. It is also important to note that there are no toilets or cloakroom facilities on the tour and the area does not have step free access. It should be noted that the tour somewhat confined areas.
To elevate your experience and fully immerse into the British culture, guests have the option to pair the Charing Cross tour with an afternoon tea at The Clermont, one of London’s greatest 19th century hotels. More information can be found here.
Aldwych: The End of the Line Tour
Aldwych: The End of the Line is a recurring tour which happens from Wednesday to Sunday until 18th August 2024. Tickets for this tour cost £45 or £42 for concessions and lasts for 75 minutes.
Aldwych station was originally opened in 1907 but it wasn’t used as much as the government had hoped and consequently closed down almost 100 years later in 1994. The station has always been a prominent place historically speaking. It provided shelter for Londoners during the blitz and many films and tv shoots were conducted here. This incredible tour allows guests to explore abandoned platforms, tunnels, lifts and ticket hall of the former terminus of the Piccadilly line.
Visitors can meet at the entrance of Aldwych station on Surrey Street WC2R 2ND 15 minutes before the time stated on the ticket. It is advised that visitors wear comfortable footwear such as trainers or sturdy walking shoes due to the uneven flooring in the station. All children over the age of 14 are permitted on this tour but must be accompanied by an adult. It is important to note that there are no toilets or cloakrooms on this tour. Find out more and book here.
Summer Family Fun
Over the summer, London Transport Museum are hosting a variety of different events which people of all ages can take part in. These events range from storytelling sessions, family-friendly workshops and crafts. During some of the events, presenters touch on sustainability and enlighten guests on the small changes they could make in their day– to– day lives that would help transform the Earth into a greener, more eco-friendly place to live in. As well as this, an interactive Green Journey Garden featuring four tactile areas has been installed. This instillation enables children to learn about the ways we can be sustainable in a way that is fun and enjoyable.
There are activities happening every day, so there are plenty of events for families to participate in. Most of these family activities are free with the museum admission ticket and children go free! Find out more here.
On Mondays, there is a Zero-Waste Transport event activity at the Transportorium which takes place during the day from 22 July to 26 August. Both children and parents can express their creativity with recycled resources to produce a model vehicle with the aim of creating a design using zero-waste.
On Tuesdays, there are 2 activities:– ‘Calculating Curiosity’ and ‘What’s In a Name?’
Calculating Curiosity takes place from 23 July to 27 August is a storytelling session which allows children to evaluate risk and be curious about the transport history and innovation. This activity is perfect for children aged 7 or under and their families.
What’s in a Name is an activity held at Luke Skills’ Space at 10:30-12:00 or at 14:00-16:00 where people can express their creativity on paper and write a poem for one of the new overground lines. Perfect for people of all ages and those who are particularly interested in trains and writing.
On Wednesdays, there is a City Soundscapes activity, happening from 24 July to 28 August at the Transportorium. This activity allows guests to create a soundscape with everyday objects.
What’s in a Name also takes place on Thursdays as well as the Climate of Hope Event. The Climate of Hope event is hosted at the Transportorium and allows visitors to share stories about the planet and its future that may have caused worry or concern. There is also a workshop that includes movement and dance elements to explore hope for the future planet. This particular workshop is aimed for young children aged between 12 and 16 years old. Prior dance experience is not necessary for this workshop. Tickets must be booked for this workshop here and cost £5 per person.
The Ingenious Inventions take place on Friday from 26 July to 30 August at the Transportorium. This activity allows guest to discover incredible inventions from different periods of time and guests can then decide if they are for or against these inventions. This activity is most suitable for children aged 7 and older and their families.
On Saturdays, another storytelling session takes place at the Transportorium, Nutty and the Neighbours. This family friendly storytelling session help to educate children on the alarming future of the planet if no action is taken now through the fun character Nutty the Squirrel. This activity is perfect for children under 7 years old and their families and will run from 20 July to 31 August.
The ‘Don’t Panic, Let’s Act!’ event happens on Sundays from 21 July to 1 September at the Transportorium. This is not your average history lesson. This interactive session uses historical objects and anecdotes to elucidate the different ways how London’s Transport has adapted to various disasters over the years. This activity is aimed towards children aged 7 years old and over as well as their families.
