Top family-friendly museums for kids

Environment, ecology and human cultures exist side-by-side in this unique museum. Tucked away in London’s Forest Hill, the Horniman is home to idyllic gardens, thousands of unique objects and even an aquarium. From the Butterfly House and Animal Walk to galleries exploring world cultures, music and natural history, there’s so much here for the whole family to enjoy together. Please note: the Natural History Gallery is closed for refurbishment until 2027.

This magical museum in Oxford is made up of a range of immersive spaces that bring stories to life, including an Enchanted Library, a Whispering Wood and the Small Worlds story space for very young children. Climb through the wardrobe into Narnia or fly through 1,000 years of Oxford's story history. There’s a secret waiting to be told around every corner, and spaces to spark the imagination for all ages. Over the summer holidays, kids can explore the museum with their free summer trail which includes a craft activity to take home.

Ride the Mail Rail, explore fascinating exhibitions or take under-8s to the Postal Play Space – interactive spaces that will help you learn about the fascinating history of the postal service together. Learn about secret messages being sent in pneumatic tubes, marvel at the world’s first adhesive postage stamp, and even catch some cryptic Victorian Valentine's cards at this unique museum dedicated to how we communicate by post.

The museum is participating in the Great British Summer Savings campaign. Visitors between 25 June and 1 September can save £2.50 per adult and over £1 per child.

Crowned the UK's most family-friendly museum in 2023 and shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2024, Skipton's Craven Museum brings history to life, promising a fun day out for all. Offering free craft workshops, object handling sessions and other interactive activities, visitors of all ages can learn about and get inspired by local history and culture through displays ranging from rocks to rare books, art to taxidermy.

East London's Young V&A is a fun-filled interactive museum where families can imagine and play together, while exploring around 2,000 objects from the V&A's impressive collections. Spaces include a den-making area, a marble run, a storytelling stage and an open design studio. The Young V&A was crowned Art Fund Museum of the Year 2024 and if you're looking for a perfect summer exhibition that the whole family will enjoy, Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends is perfect for fans films by the iconic stop-motion animation studio.

Home to a vast collection of children’s literature and illustration including work by Sarah Garland, Philip Pullman and Quentin Blake, Seven Stories is another great space dedicated to the art of storytelling for children. Regular events are designed to inspire young bookworms and feature iconic characters from literature such as Judith Kerr’s loveable cat Mog. There’s plenty on offer to inspire adults as well, including a beautiful set of watercolour illustrations by Edward Ardizzone for Graham Greene’s The Little Train, acquired by the museum with Art Fund support in 2011.

Woodland, gardens, an adventure playground and adorable animals are all on offer here. Meet the majestic Suffolk Punch horses or spot the wild creatures that call Gressenhall home through nature cameras. There are old village shops and recreated gardens where you can explore the history of the area. Don't miss the fun activities taking place during the summer holidays, from Woodland Wednesdays to river walks.

The colourful spaces at Firstsite are designed to be welcoming, inclusive and easy to navigate. Striking permanent installations celebrate and explore culture in Essex, while intriguing exhibitions showcase contemporary artists and bring artists and families together. The children and families events in the venue's programme include a Holiday Fun series, including free creative sessions.

This open-air museum explores the story of people who emigrated from Ulster to North America in the 18th and 19th centuries. With costumed guides on hand to help you find your way around, you can journey back in time to explore traditional crafts, a recreated town and authentic period buildings.

Explore fascinating creatures, get up close to nature and learn about the science that underpins our natural world – there’s so much to explore in the Natural History Museum’s permanent collections, which span human evolution, dinosaurs, oceans, space and plenty more. Plus, there are several specifically designated family-friendly galleries to explore, on volcanoes and earthquakes, birds and minerals.