London Transport Museum – October Half Term: Secrets Of The City!

When we lived in London we visited the London Transport Museum usually at least once a week. The great thing about this place is that kids go FREE and once you buy an adult ticket (currently £21 for peak entry and £18.50 off peak – off peak is term time and summer holidays only after 2pm) it counts as an annual meaning you can visit unlimited times for a 12 month period. Of course we utilised this and visited often as there’s a stamp trail, play areas both up and down stairs and so much to see and do with lots of hands on exhibits where you can try your hand at driving a DLR for instance.

Now that we live in Norfolk it’s still a place we like to make a trip to because especially for the little two it’s something they’re not so familiar with, making it all the more exciting. When I take Flo and a friend to London in the second week of their half term (lucky ducks getting two weeks) I will pop in for a couple of hours only just as I used to with the bigger two and just have a play. That’s the brilliant thing about the ticket being an annual, you don’t feel like you have to maximise your day by seeing and doing everything. We will make a beeline for the play areas on our flying visit as well as taking a look at the new permanent exhibition: Legacies, London Transport’s Caribbean Workforce, a celebration of the contributions Caribbean people have made to London Transport and British culture in general. It has some interactive elements with a “guess the station” game apparently, I’ll keep you posted on that one!

It’s a fantastic whole day out too – something we need to do as a family again very soon. The last time we visited was for Christmas last year when they had their Father Christmas grotto (all included in the ticket price) and lots of festive touches. Right now when you visit for half term they have turned their hand again to the season and you can expect a little bit more for the school holiday cheer!

But hey, we’re not on Christmas JUST yet are we… We have October and Halloween to do first!

This October at the London Transport Museum: Secrets Of The City

Family activities this half term

Bring your family to London Transport Museum over the October half-term to discover another side to the capital and try activities inspired by the secret lives of some of the city’s residents.

Discover London’s nocturnal wildlife and weird and wonderful jobs on the transport network through movement workshops, a ‘make and take’ craft activity and a family trail around the Museum’s galleries.  

Hidden Jobs self-guided family trail 

Dates: Saturday 22 October – Sunday 30 October 2022
Times: 10:00-18:00

Audience: Families with children aged between 6 and 12 years old

Pick up your family trail booklet at the Ticket Desk, then weave around heritage buses and trains and past iconic transport posters and quirky objects on a trail through the Museum’s galleries to find five different locations. At each stop, you’ll carry out challenges to discover the ‘secret workers’, historical and present day, who help keep London’s transport network running smoothly – as well as the tools they use. When you’ve finished the challenges, bring your booklet to the resource table outside the Transportorium (Ground Floor) to transform it into a special Staff Pass! 

Animal movement and sound workshop

Dates: Saturday 22 October – Sunday 30 October 2022
Times: 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:30, 15:30 (Sessions last for approximately 20 minutes)

Audience: Families with children aged between 3 and 7 years old
Capacity: Up to five families per session

Location: The Transportorium, Ground Floor

Betty the bus driver needs YOU to join her on her night-time mission to help keep the nocturnal animals of London safe. In this active and immersive workshop you’ll learn about fascinating creatures, as well as taking on their movement and voices, as you explore London to an enchanting soundscape which transports you into the story.

Make-and-take bat masks 

‘Make and Take’ Bat Mask-Making Activity Overview

Dates: Saturday 22 October – Sunday 30 October 2022
Times: 10:30-16:00 (drop-in)

Audience: Families with children aged between 5 and 12 years old
Capacity: 6 to 8 families at a time

Location: Luke’s Skills Space

Described as ‘a secret wilderness hidden in North London’, Transport for London’s disused Highgate Station now serves as a secluded urban sanctuary, home to protected species, including a colony of bats. Learn about these special creatures and how we can help and protect them, and make creative bat masks to wear and take home. 

Hidden London exhibition 

While you’re at the Museum, don’t miss the award-winning Hidden London exhibition in the Global Gallery. You’ll learn more about the protected bat colony at the disused Highgate station, as well as other secret locations on the transport network. 

Other highlights for families at the Museum include seeing real buses, Tube trains and maps spanning 200 years of the capital’s transport history; learning how to drive a modern-day Elizabeth line train in the Future Engineers gallery; and having fun climbing aboard an array of kid-sized London vehicles in the All Aboard play zone.