Crowds
| Wed 15 | Thu 16 | Fri 17 | Sat 18 | Sun 19 | Mon 20 | Tue 21 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 | 11:00 | |||||||
| 11:00 | 12:00 | |||||||
| 12:00 | 16:00 | |||||||
| 16:00 | 18:00 |
Our tips
How to avoid crowds
The Science Museum is usually pretty easy to visit and not too crowded!
Come at opening time as it’s the quietest time of the day: you’ll have a couple of hours before it fills up with visitors.
Go on a weekday for a quieter visit: Tuesday and Thursday are the calmest days.
The Science museum gets twice as busy during the school holidays: expect crowds and some queueing if your visit is during the summer holidays, October half term, Christmas holidays, February half term, Easter holidays or May half term. These are the busiest periods. On the other hand, the Museum closes one hour later on holidays, so prefer an afternoon visit, after 15:00-16:00 to avoid crowds.
Saturday is the busiest day.
Plan to eat lunch at the museum, there’s a cafe or restaurant on almost every floor. Leaving and re-entering the building just to have lunch outside will make you lose time as the building is huge!
The average visit time is about 3 hours.
Good to know
Entry to the Museum is free, but charges apply for the IMAX 3D Theatre, simulators and for some special exhibitions.
Explorer ticket (it includes an IMAX film, Legend of Apollo, Red Arrows 3D, Typhoon Force and a guidebook):
- adult : £22.50
- concession : £20.00
- child 7+ : £19.00
- child 4–7 : £19.00
IMAX 3D ticket (no simulators or special exhibitions included):
- adult : £11.00
- child/concession : £9.00
- family of 3 (up to 2 adults) : £27.00
- family of 4 (up to 2 adults) : £30.00
There is a Cloakroom in the museum: the price varies from £1.00 to £4.00 per item.
Photo credits to rejar via Flickr
Useful links
Contact Number
Address
SW7 2DD
London
By Tube: South Kensington station (5 minute walk) or Gloucester Road station (15 minute walk)
By bus: routes 14, 49, 70, 74, 345, 360, 414, 430 and C1 stop outside South Kensington Underground Station.
By car: the nearest pay and display car park is at Prince Consort Road and Queen’s Gate.
By bicycle: docking stations are available outside the Museum on Exhibition Road and on Thurloe Place near South Kensington tube station.
Photo credits to Steph Gray via Flickr