On one of our trips to London during the summer holidays we were a bit stuck for ideas of what to do, having already spent a week there not too long beforehand. One of our favourite restaurants is around the corner from the British Museum though so we thought we would combine the two for an afternoon. This place is huge though so I wanted to share some tips for visiting the British Museum with children.
Research
The British Museum is huge and covers 4 floors with so many different areas to explore. Even if you spent the whole day at the museum there is no way that you would be able to see everything, especially if you’re visiting with children. Take some time to look over the museum map and see what areas there are on each floor and think about what you might want to see and what you’re not so bothered about.
Get the children involved
Younger children might not be quite so fussed about what they see if they haven’t studied certain subjects yet at school. If this is the case it might be more difficult to get the children involved ahead of your visit. However, what you can do is explain to them what they might be able to see at the museum and see if there’s anything that sparks their interest.
For older children they may have already learned about things like the Ancient Egyptians at school (or other topics) and already have an interest in these areas. If this is the case, talk to your children about this and figure out which areas of the museum everyone in the family might like to visit.
Plan ahead
Before you arrive at the museum it’s a really good idea to have a solid plan worked out. This could be your time of arrival, how long you plan to spend at the museum and what you’re going to do while you’re there. The map on the museum website comes in really handy because you can see what there is to see on each floor. Work out where to start and a plan of action to move around to different sections. This will save you valuable time and help to stop your children getting bored or annoyed too quickly.
Snack breaks
The British Museum can be a lot and there is so much to see and take in. You can spend ages just looking at one particular section and children are bound to get tired and hungry. It’s so important to make sure you keep this in mind and ensure children have regular snack or drinks breaks. You can find out where is open for food and drink on the website or when you arrive or find a quiet area away from the galleries to grab a quick snack.
Hit the shops
Although the British Museum is free to enter there are some really great gift shops on the ground floor. The gift shops really cater well for everyone and there is a specific area just aimed at children with so many amazing products on offer. The shop has different products for the bigger sections such as Egypt so children will be able to find something similar to the things they have seen. There are also some amazing books so you can continue your learning.
Of course, adults will have plenty to look at in the shops and will want to buy some things as well. Be sure to put aside some spending money so that you can end your visit with a memory to take home with you.
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