London Museum Docklands, The Galleries

Outstanding free museum. Much bigger than it looks from the outside or even when you first walk in. We spent over 2 hours. Best for older children 12+ because of the exhibition content which can be overwhelming. Detailed and powerful materials documenting the capture and transport of African people and the reality of the slave trade. Including logs of named individuals, illustrations and maps. If you have younger kids please note there are really excellent work shops for pre school children. Check the website! We saw huge groups of younger children dancing, sketching, listening to stories for Chinese New Year. They were mesmerised. Also Sailor’s Alley. Pirates. Beautiful maps which I love. Excellent WW2 section. Less than 10 mins walk from Canary Wharf Underground.

I spent a happy afternoon here learning about the history of the docks from when and why they where built through to the redevelopment. It was very interesting to learn about how the docks developed from serving sailing ships in the olden days through to its dark time in slave trafficking and on to the part it played in the war. The museum is highly informative and provides an eye opening account that is very honest and candid. Highly recommend.

We visited specifically to catch the Secrets of the Thames exhibition before it wraps up, and it was absolutely worth it. The museum itself is lovely. Welcoming staff, well organised, and a very manageable size for families. It never feels overwhelming, which makes it easy to explore at a relaxed pace with children. When we went, there were Lunar New Year activities taking place, with kids making paper lanterns. It was busy, but very well managed, and the children were clearly having a brilliant time. The exhibition was excellent. Mudlarking is such a fascinating hobby and for some, perhaps even becoming a profession. The idea that the Thames quietly preserves centuries of history and keeps returning these small treasures to us is extraordinary. Having tried mudlarking ourselves in the past, it was especially interesting to see what experienced mudlarks have uncovered. The stories behind the finds bring London’s past vividly to life. A charming, thoughtful, family-friendly museum set in a beautiful historic building. Highly recommended. And we’re rather fond of the pigeon logo, too.