With history, geography, nature and engineering combined, these six London locations offer an immersion into our landscape built around water – and you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a great day out
London is a city built around rivers, and this has played a key role in its growth and fortune. This provides an endless stream of stories covering the history, engineering and geography of the place – not to mention the importance and sheer power of water. Our six locations take you around the capital and into surprising territory – perfect for captivating young explorers on a great (and not too expensive) day out.
Tower Bridge Museum
It may be one of the most famous landmarks to tourists, but it’s surprising how Londoners take Tower Bridge for granted. Tower Bridge Museum will change your mind and – provided you don’t become overwhelmed by vertigo – offers one of the top viewing points in the capital.
Highlight is undoubtedly the Glass Floors walkway, a dizzying 42m above the Thames itself (top spot for selfies). You can explore the Bridge and then follow the Blue Line to the magnificent Victorian Engine Rooms. These tell the story of the steam engines that once powered the Bridge, and you’ll also find plenty of detail about the history of a bridge that always seems much older than it is.
The museum is very family friendly – offering drop-in activities such as bridge-building challenges, art sessions and trails, as well as relaxed openings for neurodiverse visitors. Book ahead and you can schedule your visit around a bridge lift, but even without that, you’ll find lots to see and do at the museum.
Entry: Adults from £13.40, child from £6.70
Good to know: Guided tours, BSL guided tours and relaxed openings feature
towerbridge.org.uk
Creekside Discovery Centre
This charity offers one of the most unique experiences in London – the opportunity to wade in the tidal riverbed in Deptford Creek, equipped with waders, walking stick and waterproof coat. Since it opened in 2002, up to 7,000 people a year have done just that.
As well as offering a glimpse into the river’s industrial past, there’s a strong conservation angle – and some wonderful nature on show. Thanks to a 2002 installation of sloping banks that were once a feature along much of the tidal Thames – and sensitive restoration – this riverbank and garden site is one of the most biodiverse for its size in London. Volunteers are always needed on the conservation side, and with regular birdwatching and other nature events.
Many visits are by school groups, and the children have a fabulous time with activities such as mud pie making and mud splatter painting, and there’s a strong community programme. Regular low tide walks and other events are posted in advance on social media.
Entry: Varies by event, with some free – low tide walks £10-£15
Good to know: Waders and walking sticks are supplied
creeksidecentre.org.uk
Boat to Barrier
The Thames Barrier remains a great engineering wonder four decades since it officially opened to protect the London flood plain – threatened by high tides and storm surges since Roman times. It’s a fiendishly clever rotating design, inspired by the taps of a domestic gas cooker. There are expensive ways to visit, but a trip to/from Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) and Barking Riverside piers on Uber Boat by Thames Clippers (adult ticket, around £11.20) takes you right through the Barrier unless it’s shut for flood or maintenance reasons.
thamesclippers.com
London Museum of Water & Steam
Formerly the Kew Bridge Steam Museum, and before that a waterworks, this fascinating heritage centre tells the story of the capital’s water supply. It is perfect for even very young children, with lots of hands-on and whizz-bang water engineering, as well as more complex exhibitions and events for teenagers, and occasional fun after-hours tours.
One highlight is the regular STEAM! events, where the museum’s spectacular collection of stationery steam engines – Cornish, Rotative, Allen among them – are brought back to life. This is the largest collection of its type in the world (also two of the largest machines of their type in the world) and a fascinating insight into our history and the engineering that powered the industrial revolution. There’s a narrow-gauge railway to delight young visitors – you can ride around the site on it on event days.
There’s a real community here, making it fun and inclusive for families. And, for parents, Pump & Grind Coffee Shop is a treasure, with its excellent coffees, cakes and light meals – picnics are also welcome in the garden. The Splash Zone is great fun for children – they get to turn wheels, push pumps and make water flow.
Entry: From £11.50, child £4, under 5s free
Good to know: Book ahead for STEAM! and other special events
waterandsteam.org.uk
Horniman Museum Aquarium
The Horniman Museum & Gardens needs no introduction and you can happily while away days exploring its eclectic treasures. But the aquarium is not so well known, and it offers a calmer and mindful alternative to the big-ticket with big-fish destinations.
Here, there are 15 exhibits that showcase aquatic environments from around the world. There’s the British pond (not so humble when you get up close) and from there you can travel to warmer climes, getting up close to coral gardens, reef fish moon jellyfish and other glorious marine life.
It’s a fascinating underwater world to explore, and with lots of background information about the habitats you are viewing and the symbiotic relationships developed between species. You can also find out more about the Horniman’s groundbreaking coral conservation research.
Entry: Adult from £6, child from £3, under 3s free
Good to know: Book in advance to guarantee entry
horniman.ac.uk
Dam it!
One of the most exciting water engineering projects in London is happening right now, thanks to Ealing Wildlife Group’s Beaver Project. These native mammals were hunted to extinction 400 years ago but are slowly returning in a managed way. This wonderful project sees them back in the capital in an area known as Paradise Fields, where it’s hoped the ‘ecosystems engineers’ will use their genius to reduce local flooding, improve water quality and increase biodiversity. While you are unlikely to see shy beavers, you will see their progress if you join an Ealing Beaver Project guided walk. Tickets (£27.80) sell out fast, so book ahead.
ealingwildlifegroup.com
Further reading: Six of the best child-friendly museums
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