The London Transport Museum is hidden in plain sight in a corner of Covent Garden. While everyone else is paying too much for souvenirs and watching magic shows, take yourself instead to this awesome museum full of everything you could possibly want to know about the history of London's transportation.
It's set up amazingly well, and is laid out beautifully. Sweeping flyover walkways and spiral staircases make the most of the museum's space in an old flower market. The architecture alone is beautiful!
This is one of the most engaging museums I've ever been to. Magnifiers for photos, touch-screen displays with digitized tickets, real restored horse-drawn buses, buttons galore, animated maps, and audible personal stories from the first days of London's transportation. Plus a woman from the early days of commuter rail who was just delightful to chat with.
But perhaps the best thing about this museum is that the ticket is actually an annual pass. Your £13 lasts ALL YEAR and you can go AGAIN and AGAIN. Which is really really great because there is So. Much. Information. By the time we were two-thirds of the way through, I had information overload, even though I was genuinely interested in learning more! I will be returning to find out more about the iconic double-decker buses, the history of the Underground and how London used different vehicles during World Wars I and II.
I know you're thinking, "Buses and trains? Sounds frighteningly dull." But I promise this museum is fascinating. I spent three hours in there, and will be ready for more throughout the year.
They also have a lot of activities geared toward kids — like the stamp card I'm showing off below — and a play zone for the littlest ones, so it's a great family attraction.
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