The awesome V&A Museum chronicles kid-dom through the ages in this location, pulling from a considerable archive of toys, clothing, dollhouses, books, teddy bears, and games. Objects are placed at kids’ eye-level with simplified descriptions. Some young ones don’t grasp the concept—toddlers burst into tears when they see a crib behind glass that they can’t climb into—but if they’re too young for exhibits, bring them to one of the daily kids’ activities, such as stories or drawing. Child-rearing history is also addressed; look for the “Princess Bottle” of 1871, which had a reservoir shape that allowed for quick milk dispensing but also incubated bacteria, a fact that wasn’t realized until countless babies died. The MoC’s double-galleried glass-andsteel hall, which has a cafe, is itself an artifact; it began its life in South Kensington as the home of the nascent V&A collection but was re-erected here in the 1860s—the fish-scale mosaic floor was assembled by female prisoners, many of whom (in an ugly irony) weren’t allowed to see their own kids.
London
Travel Guide
London› Attraction
Museum of Childhood
Cambridge Heath Rd., E2
Our Rating
Hours
Daily 10am–5:45pm
Transportation
Tube: Bethnal Green
Phone
020/8983-5200
Prices
Free admission
Web site
Museum of Childhood

Map
Cambridge Heath Rd., E2 LondonNote: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.