Railway, an automated train that runs
back into the City. If you sit at the
front, you can even pretend to be the
driver.
Money, money, money
The Square Mile is a fascinating
place to wander around and soak up
the city’s financial origins. Hidden
away behind the majestic Bank of
England is a small museum devoted
to all things money. Whilst it may test
the attention spans of the under-sixes,
older kids will enjoy the educational
video games and interactive exhibits,
like testing your own strength by
lifting a real gold bar. During UK
school holidays, the museum runs
interesting workshops, including the
chance to design your own bank
note. Best of all, the Bank of England
Museum is free!
Taxis, trains and more
One museum that’s sure to light up
the eyes of any Thomas the Tank
Engine fan is the London Transport
Museum. Admission is free for
children and approximately HK$180
for adults. The museum is wonderfully
presented, taking visitors on a journey
of London’s transport through the
ages, from buses and trams to trains
and taxis. There are lots of trains and
buses to clamber onto, as well as the
opportunity to pretend to drive a big
red London bus. Even I was delighted
with that! On entry, kids are given a
souvenir card that requires them to
go around the museum and obtain
nine stamps. I have never seen my
two-year-old so excited about a task
– whilst she was less interested in the
trains, she loved punching the holes in
her card.
The London Transport Museum
is also located in Covent Garden, a
large pedestrianised area and home
to many street buskers, artists and
musicians. If the kids are flagging, it’s
a great place to perch for 20 minutes
and watch some free entertainment.
A tip here: local ice cream vendors
can be jaw-droppingly expensive,
so purchase one from a minimart
instead.
Taking flight
If your kids are aviation enthusiasts,
you might want to head north (a
30-minute Tube ride) to London’s
Royal Air Force Museum. Whilst
the more centrally located Science
Museum houses a few aircraft, the
RAF Museum has more than 100.
My kids loved running around the
hangars and gawping at the fighter jets
and helicopters. Their favourite part
was the Aeronauts Interactive Gallery,
where they could pretend to fly planes
and conduct science experiments. The
RAF Museum has free admission and
you can pay extra to experience the
4D Theatre and Flight Simulators.
If you’re heading back into
Central London on the Northern
Line, be sure to stop off at Camden
Town for a fun, eclectic experience.
Here you’ll find open-air markets,
a good selection of restaurants and
pleasant walks alongside the canal.
Toys and games
The Museum of Childhood in Bethnal
Green fills me with nostalgia, as I
spent many a Sunday afternoon here
as a child. Don’t confuse this with your
typical US-style children’s museum,
as this is a museum devoted to old toys
and games. It’s easy to feel old when
the toys you recognise from your own
youth are now on display – surely the
80s weren’t that long ago! Interspersed
amongst the beautiful displays are play
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