V&A Museum of Childhood

Museums

Cultural centre

Bethnal Green

Free

Main space

Ben Rowe / Time Out
Collection of toys

Scott Wishart / Time Out
Display of toys

Ben Rowe / Time Out
Children's Toys

Scott Wishart / Time Out
Sooty & Sweep puppets

Ben Rowe / Time Out
Railway station

Ben Rowe / Time Out
Toy display cases

Ben Rowe / Time Out
Toy soldiers
Vintage toys

Scott Wishart / Time Out
Museum of Childhood

Trans Reference:  Credit: Ben Rowe / Time Out

Main space

Ben Rowe / Time Out

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Time Out says

Wed Jun 20 2012

Home to one of the world's finest collections of children's toys, dolls' houses, games and costumes, the V&A Museum of Childhood shines bighter than ever after extensive refurbishment, which has given it an impressive entrance. Part of the V&A museum, the museum has been amassing childhood-related objects since 1872 and continues to do so, with 'Incredibles' figures complementing bonkers 1970s puppets, Barbie Dolls and Victorian praxinoscopes. The toys, including stunningly detailed dolls’ houses, historic teddy bears, dolls dating back to 1,300 BC and each new year’s top ten Christmas toys, are still displayed in traditional fashion, in glass cases. But the refit includes new features that encourage hands-on interactivity, including a zoetrope and a new trainset. New floor-length display cases allow information to be displayed at different heights depending on its level of sophistication – one height for labels that children can read for themselves, another for adults to read out, and another for academics and serious toy collectors, who want chapter and verse on the exhibits’ provenance and manufacture. There are regular exhibitions upstairs and the V&A Museum of Childhood has plenty of hands-on activities for kids and special events at weekends and during school holidays, while the café helps to revive flagging grown-ups.

Critics' choice

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Venue details

MAP

Address:
V&A Museum of Childhood Cambridge Heath Rd
London
E2 9PA

Venue phone:
020 8983 5200/020 8983 5235 (information line)
Venue website:
www.vam.ac.uk/moc
Opening hours:
10am-5.45pm daily
Transport:
Tube: Bethnal Green
Map
1. V&A Museum of Childhood
  - Cambridge Heath Rd
    London
    E2 9PA
  - 020 8983 5200/020 8983 5235 (information line)
  - www.vam.ac.uk/moc
  - 51.527660,-0.054812

What's on at V&A Museum of Childhood

Introduction to Chess Basics

Things to do, Chess

At this drop-in event for families, children will learn how to start a game and pick up a range of tactical tips and strategic skills. Age 6+.

Sat Jun 22
V&A Museum of Childhood Cambridge Heath Rd, E2 9PA
£3

More info

Red Balloon 86

Children, Photography, Things to do, Film and video, Installation

Free

Czech artist Hana Vojáĉková's installation about the 1986 Chernobyl disaster is comprised of five large-format photographs and a video telling the story of a ghostly boy wandering around an abandoned city in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, referencing both...

Thu Jun 20
– Sun Nov 3
V&A Museum of Childhood Cambridge Heath Rd, E2 9PA

More info

A Treasured Collection

Things to do

A new display of 'mini museums' exploring personal collections of treasured objects and keepsakes. The exhibition has been made with adults from Toynbee Hall Luncheon Club and Kuverum Museum Switzerland, students from Tower Hamlets College and children...

Thu Jun 20
– Sun Sep 1
V&A Museum of Childhood Cambridge Heath Rd, E2 9PA

More info

War Games

Children, History, Military and maritime, Things to do

Critics' choice
Free

An exhibition exploring the history and role of warfare in play from 1800 to the present day. Some 100 objects will cover toy weapons, strategy games, fake guns, computer games and popular fighting action figures in a bid to shed light on how toys have...

Thu Jun 20
– Sun Mar 9 2014
V&A Museum of Childhood Cambridge Heath Rd, E2 9PA

More info

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Comments & ratings

(4 ratings)

The flea's Flea Market, please!

Louis Profeta About 16 hours ago
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Fun for the kids for free+ visit the childhood museum in Bethnal Green London. Hands on and the dinosaurs at the Science museum etc..

Fiaz Sat Jan 19
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Brilliant fun for 0-10 year olds (at least), with a surprising number of interesting little corners and interactive zones packed away in what looks like a single, big space. My only criticism is that the cafe is not as great for kids as you might (reasonably) expect.

mother of two Fri Aug 26 2011
Rated as: 4/5
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it was ok something to do i guess but not for 12 year olds and above

goodguy Thu Aug 11 2011
Rated as: 2/5
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This looks like a fun museum.. I am a teacher of 8-yar olds on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii. I have a "dog with a blog". I am coming to London this summer and looking for child friendly activities and places that I will profile on the blog. check it out: www.surfdogsunsetbeach.com Do you have discounts for teachers for admittance. Aloha.

Rexann Dubiel Mon Mar 15 2010
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V&A Museum of Childhood

Main space

Collection of toys

Display of toys

Children's Toys

Sooty & Sweep puppets

Railway station

Toy display cases

Toy soldiers

Vintage toys

Museum of Childhood

Main space

User ratings:

Time Out says

Venue details

Map

What's on at V&A Museum of Childhood

Filter

Introduction to Chess Basics

Red Balloon 86

A Treasured Collection

War Games

Comments & ratings

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