London Transport Museum

London Transport Museum Refurbishment

The London Transport Museum has undergone a £22 million refurbishment project dramatically improving the Museum’s Victorian Grade II listed building. The museum reopened in November 2007.

The new galleries show the development of London and its transport systems, along with giving an insight into the lives of past commuters and transport workers over the past 200 years. It also looks at future transport projects and compares London's transport to five other major world cities: Delhi, New York, Paris, Shanghai, and Tokyo.

Pros:

• Fully accessible (building refurbishment completed in 2007)
• Free cloakroom (can accommodate buggies)
• Chance to try driving a tube train
• Can dress up and pretend to drive a bus

Cons:

• If you stop to use the cafe you have to go back to the top floor to get back down to the lower floors
• Too many computer displays that could go wrong

Visit Duration:

2 hours+

London Transport Museum's collection was started back in the 1920s but was brought to its present home in Covent Garden in 1980. The building looks like a Victorian railway station but was in fact the Flower Market building for Covent Garden till 1974. It also reminds me of the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green which is another large Victorian building.

Museum Highlights

It's hard to choose but I would include the chance to pretend to drive a tube train. Instructions were still being printed when I visited but it was quite straight forward. You have to make the train go fast in the tunnels, keep an eye out for stop signs, and stop in each station with all the carriages next to the platform - not in the tunnel!

I also enjoyed dressing up and pretending to drive a London bus in the over 6s play area. I'd also recommend climbing in train carriages (where allowed) as it's a lot of fun.

Museum Opening Hours

Saturday to Thursday: 10am to 6pm (last admission 5.15pm)
Friday: 11am to 9pm (last admission 8.15pm)
(Closed 24, 25, & 26 December)

Museum Shop Opening Hours

Sunday to Tuesday: 10am to 6.30pm
Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday: 10am to 7pm
Friday: 11am to 9pm

Upper Deck Café Bar Opening Hours

Monday to Thursday: 10am to 9.30pm
Friday: 11am to 10.30pm
Saturday: 10am to 9.30pm
Sunday: 10am to 6pm

Admission

Adults: £8.00
Seniors: £6.50
Students: £5.00
Freedom Pass holders and Under 16s: Free

Contact details

Address:
London Transport Museum
Covent Garden Piazza
London
WC2E 7BB

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7379 6344

Official Web Site: www.ltmuseum.co.uk

Nearest Tube Stations:

• Covent Garden
• Charing Cross
• Holborn
• Leicester Square

Use Journey Planner to plan your route on public transport.

Upper Deck Café Bar

This small gallery cafe offers informal dining and cocktails. There is only table service available (no self-service) so the prices are somewhat expensive at £2 for a pot of tea and £6.50+ for lunch. Do note, a 12.5% service charge is added to your bill so there's no need to leave a gratuity.

Souvenirs

There is a well-stocked shop that is great for gift shopping. Some recommended purchases include a £2.99 rubber duck bus, the £5 official guidebook, and £8.99 mugs.

London Transport Museum Review

There's a sloped walkway to lead you to the first elevators (lifts) that take you to Level 2 and the start of the museum tour. Once the doors close an audio sets the scene taking you back in time to London in 1880. Here you can see London's first omnibus and horse-drawn transport from the day.

Take the elevator or steps to Level 1 and see a fabulous model of the underground train tunnels being dug. When you look through the viewers you can also hear audio of the characters you see.

This side of Level 1 also has a steam locomotive from the world's first underground railway: the Metropolitan Railway from 1866.

If you need to relax, take a seat in the 1930s living room as the armchairs and sofa have speakers in the backrest so you can sit back and watch the TV.

Walk round to the other side and there's a study area and information desk plus a play area for 6 years and over (yes, that includes you!) where you can pretend to drive a real bus. Don't forget to get your uniform out of the closet and dress up before playing along. There are plenty of interactive puzzles in this area but I felt they needed more instructions as I was unsure how to work them all.

Moving down to Level 0 you come to the under 6s play area called "All Aboard!". This also has a table and chairs picnic area with extra space available for busy times.

I took a break after this to visit the cafe for a 'pit stop' before carrying on. The cafe is above the shop so you have to go out of the main area of the museum. Do remember to hold onto your ticket in case you do want to stop for a drink and a snack as you have to re-enter the museum at the main entrance. I then found it frustrating as I had to get the elevator to Level 2, then down another elevator to Level 0.

When I visited floor plans were not available but I've been informed they are now provided at the main entrance which will help you find your way around the museum. There is a recommended route so follow the signs so that you don't miss anything.