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Fun things to do with kids in South Kensington

Looking for family-friendly activities in South Kensington? Dive into a world of exploration and experimentation with interactive experiences tailored for families. From music and science to arts, performance, film, parks, playgrounds, immersive galleries, and beyond, there's plenty of inspiring fun for your kids to discover!

Bibliothèque Quentin Blake

Daily
10am-9.30pm
Institut français
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The children's library has reopened providing children with easy access to a wide range of interactive resources.

Dinosaur Trail

Daily
Natural History Museum
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Are you big on museums, but short on time? NHM's knowledgeable visitor assistants have designed just the dinosaurs tour for you. It will introduce you to some of the Museum's most famous and imposing specimens. One hour

RCM Sparks

Various - term time
Royal College of Music
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From babies to teens, RCM Sparks run a variety of inspiring events for a range of abilities, including family workshops, concerts and courses

Go back in time with My Dino Mission AR

Free downloadable app
Natural History Museum
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Combining the latest augmented reality technology with STEM skills, children can recognise a dinosaurs’ species, what it eats, likes and needs to survive. Young explorers can care for and capture fun photos of themselves interacting with their new dinosaur friend in the backdrop of their home or back garden. Age 7-10

V&A trail: Explore as a family

Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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Are you ready to go on an adventure? This trail takes you on a journey through V&A galleries, exploring some of the incredible cultures and traditions you can see. You will discover objects that are hundreds of years old, uncover secret meanings behind animals and colour in art, and learn about some of the wonders of the museum, from an emperor's throne to dragons, from plaster casts to wigs!

Energy Hall

Daily
10am-6pm (last entry 5:15pm)
Science Museum
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Trace the remarkable story of steam and how it shaped the world we live in today. Steam has been the driving force behind British industry for 300 years. Without it, the Industrial Revolution could never have happened. Even now, steam provides 75% of the electricity we use every day.

Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries

Daily
10-6pm (last entry 5:15pm)
Science Museum
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Showcasing extraordinary medical artefacts including the world’s first MRI scanner, Fleming’s penicillin mould, a professional pianist’s prosthetic arm and even robotic surgery equipment.

Mathematics: The Winton Gallery

Daily
10am-6pm (last entry 5:15pm)
Science Museum
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Mathematics is too often perceived as dry and complex, but this new gallery will tell stories that place the subject at the heart of our lives, exploring how mathematicians, their tools and ideas have helped to shape the modern world.

Dippy's Naturenauts

Natural History Museum
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Welcome, naturenauts! Are you ready for an adventure? Grab your phone or tablet to explore the nature on your doorstep.

Investigate for Families

Daily
Mon-Fri 4pm-5:15pm; School hols 10:30-4:30pm
Natural History Museum
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Get a feel for how scientists work by having a go yourself. Come and explore hundreds of real nature specimens that form the evidence museum scientists use in their daily work.

Princess Diana Memorial fountain

Daily
Hyde Park
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A unique fountain memorial to Princess Diana designed to reflect her spirit of life and love of children.

Pattern Pod

Daily
Science Museum
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Pattern Pod is an amazing multi-sensory area for children under 8 years old. Fun, interactive exhibits encourage them to recognise and copy patterns.

The Garden

Daily
Open 10am- 3:40pm term time, 10am-5:40pm weekends and school holidays
Science Museum
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The Garden is an exciting interactive space, created especially for children aged 3–6 and their parents and carers in the basement of the Museum.

Princess Diana Memorial Playground

Daily
During winter/spring 6am-7:45pm
Kensington Gardens
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Explore and have a great adventure in the playground with a huge wooden pirate ship which is the centrepiece of the Diana, Princess of Wales' Memorial Playground.

Under the sea 3D (U)

Dates & Times vary
Science Museum
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Narrated by Jim Carrey and using incredible 3D technology, Under the Sea will leap off the screen and take you on a fascinating journey to discover the mysteries of the ocean floor.

Who Am I?

Open Daily
Science Museum
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Explore the science of who you are through intriguing objects, provocative artworks and hands-on exhibits. Discover what your voice sounds like as a member of the opposite sex, morph your face to see what you’ll look like as you age, or collect DNA to catch a criminal.

A Beautiful Planet 3D (U)

Dates & Times vary
Science Museum
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Experience Earth like never before in a breath-taking portrait of the planet captured from the International Space Station on the biggest screen in Europe. See fantastic images of the Earth from the Space Station and gain a new understanding of how wonderful and unique our planet is.

Making the Modern World

Wednesday-Sunday
10am-6pm (last entry 5:15pm)
Science Museum
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Chart 250 years of science and technology and discover some of the most iconic items that have shaped our society. The Making the Modern World gallery presents some of the Museum’s most remarkable objects.

Dinosaurs

Natural History Museum
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Explore the different time periods dinosaurs lived, sort the facts from the myths about why they died out, and find out what our scientific research has taught us about these prehistoric giants.

Cocoon

Daily
Monday-Sunday 10am-5:50pm (last entry 5pm)
Natural History Museum
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Inside the Cocoon see hundreds of Museum specimens. Marvel at beetles and butterflies, metre-high plants, huge tarantulas and historic herbaria.

Volcanoes & Earthquakes

Daily
Natural History Museum
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Through dramatic film footage, exhibits, interactive games and our famous earthquake simulator, explore how the powers within shape the world in which we live.

Antarctica 3D (U)

Dates and times vary
Varies
Science Museum
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With never-before-seen footage and the latest underwater filming techniques, this epic documentary transports you to the farthest reaches of this majestic land and reveals that what happens there affects every single one of us.

Astronights

Dates and times vary
Science Museum
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If your child has ever wanted to explore the museum after dark, or if the idea of spending the night in one an iconic galleries fills them with excitement, then they’ll love Astronights, a sleepover at the Museum!

Dino Snores for Kids

Various Dates
6:45pm - 10am
Natural History Museum
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Have you ever wanted to have a sleepover with a giraffe? Or spend the night camped beneath a blue whale? This unique sleepover gives kids aged 7 to 11 the chance to explore the Museum after dark while taking part in fun and educational activities.