A museum checklist

Plan your Journey

Check your location, all of the museum's websites provide maps and details of nearest public transport. Spend a few minutes planning your route the night before, print out the map, and buy rail tickets in advance.

Kit and Kaboodle

Inevitably the grown-ups carry all the stuff, including discarded jumpers, hats and toys. Bring a buggy or lightweight shoulder bag to carry the stuff round, encourage children to tie jumpers round their tummies and leave toys at home. Check what you don't need into the cloakroom.

Don't Over Do It

Stepping through the portals of many of these magnificent buildings can be a daunting experience and the inclination is to try and rush round seeing as much as possible. The bonus of many of these museums is they are free to get in, so why not come again? Instead of cramming too much in, choose one of two things that you all want to see and explore them properly. Remember to take a few minutes at the start of your visit to orientate yourselves, get a museum guide and if it's too costly ask if they have a free map.

Age Range

You may find that you are visiting a museum with a mixed age range and varied requirements. You have to tailor your visit to the smallest pair of legs, so make sure that the older children see their exhibit/event early on before the younger ones get tired or bored. Try and find ways of keeping the smaller ones interested by playing I Spy, counting the steps between exhibits, or translating the printed information into understandable language.

They're Not Taking Any Notice

I remember being mortified that the best part of my son's first visit to the Natural History Museum was running around the ground floor and going up the steps to shout at me over the balcony. When he discovered the water fountain by the café I thought he would faint with joy. Children take several goes at something as huge as a museum before they appreciate it. In addition, kids love repetition, so although we do visit the Blue Whale every single time we are at the Natural History Museum, the bonus is they know quite a lot about it now.

Always Read The Label

As a kid, I never read the information by the side of the exhibits, but as a grown-up I do, and I find that if you give it some expression, simplify the language and ask the children to find examples of the information in the exhibit, it can really improve the experience. If you sound interested they will be.

Don't Touch

Obviously, it is not possible to touch a lot of what you see on display, but do ask at the information desks if there are any areas of the museum where the children can touch or even handle exhibits, as this is a great way of enhancing children's experience and understanding.

Packed Lunch

Though many of the museums now provide quite decent food, it can soon add up when there's a few of you. Most museums have picnic areas so bring a packed lunch. Have water bottles for a quick drink while you go round, and schedule toilet breaks at regular intervals.

Gift Shops

The highlight for my kids is always the gift shop, and before I learnt my lesson I had cupboards full of discarded souvenirs. Limit the children to a set amount of cash BEFORE you even leave the house, and stick to it. Buy a scrap book and encourage the children to find things (either free or cheap) at the museum that they could stick in there, museum guides, stickers, postcards, napkins, this has the benefit of keeping them focussed on stuff other than the gifts and is less costly.

Click here to read our recommendations for child-friendly museums in London.

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