V&A Museum of Childhood

This is a pretty cool museum. I thought it was only for kids so I didn’t go in it at first, but then I looked it up and seemed like it would be interesting, not just for children. I would just avoid it on the weekends, when probably all the families go, and earlier in day on weekdays, because seems like that’s when schools might have groups there. So, what does that leave?
Well, if you go on a quiet weekday afternoon, and you’re interested in the history of toys from an anthropological, societal, or even mechanical perspective, there’s quite a bit of stuff to look at and it seems well organized and nicely presented if you’re motivated to read the accompanying descriptions. There’s some amazing historical dollhouses, some neat puppet stages, and a collection of puppets from different cultures. There’s some creepy stuff too, like a doll a guy made to commemorate his dead baby, and a baby carriage from India that this guy’s parents shipped back to England because it had only been used for his sister who died at a few days old and I guess they didn’t want anyone else to use it but didn’t have the heart to give it away either. The sides of the baby carriage looked to be made from wire. Crazy right? We’re so spoiled these days with all our superprotective baby equipment. I’m totally putting my baby in a wire basket too. Unless that’s why she died after a few days. Ok, off on a tangent. Anyway, it’s a neat museum if you feel like noticing things like that.

This museum shows with actual toys, the history of childhood, a relatively recent invention of modern times. Through their displays they showcase what children played with from decades ago up to more recent times. A great collection to relive your childhood.

Could equally be renamed «The Museum of Hipster Parents», judging by the array of plaid shirts, facial hair, and camp flat caps on display here, of a Sunday morning. Some interesting stuff on display — the Scaletrix and old school Star Wars will excite many a parent, just as the 1800s dolls are the stuff of nightmares. Also, a few corners of interactive stuff, yunno, for kids– rocking horses, some dressing up, a coin operated train set. Upstairs galleries are given over to more serious exhibits on childhood related topics.
However, overall it’s quite badly laid out, lacking a narrative or flow– there’s nothing to pull you through the museum if you’re say, 4 or 5. The central hall is dominated by the (incredibly ineptly run) Benugo’s, with a chaotic queue stretching back towards the entrance, which is a shame.

You’d think being all the way in Hackney, this museum wouldn’t get as much traffic as some others. Ha! Wrong! The museum consists of a central open space filled with stands, games, activities, around which are galleries (the museum per se). We thought the museum would be strictly about childhood and childhood toys, but it is very much for children and their parents, so we felt quite out of place.
The exhibits are interesting and organized by theme (puppets, dolls, gadgets etc.). It must be said, there is something incredibly sad about seeing your own childhood toys behind glass in a museum. The current exhibit on doll houses is very interesting and made for a nice complement to our Geffrye visit. Still, if you don’t have children, or were expecting a quiet museum outing, this isn’t the place.

love this museum. just wander in and be a kid again. must see the doll houses on the top floor.

Took my little one here yesterday and was so glad I did! So much to see here, from toys from my youth to really neat hands-​on activities for the kids. There is a café inside that is very kid friendly as well as little shows and arts and crafts events daily. We’ll be back!

Un museo recomendado a los curiosos y a los que no han dejado nunca de ser niños. Uno de mis preferidos en Londres prácticamente desconocido para el turista.
El V&A Museum Childhood (Museo de la Infancia perteneciente al Victoria&Albert) está situado al noreste de la ciudad (Bethnal Green), y lo peculiar de este lugar es que reúné una colección fascinante de todo lo que rodea al mundo de los niños: juguetes, juegos, cuidados, mobiliario, ropas, etcétera, desde el siglo XVII hasta la actualidad, además de tener una de las mejores colecciones del mundo de casas de muñecas (esto es realmente increíble, ver como eran las casitas de madera con la que jugaban los ricos niños de la nobleza y alta burguesía de hace siglos).
El museo está en un gran edificio de ladrillo rojo dividido en varias galerías: una para juguetes en movimiento, otra dedicada a la creatividad, una tercera a la niñez y por último una gran sala de estar. Realmente, es un lugar especial, con una agradable coffee shop en la que hacer un alto en el camino; y una bonita tienda con cuentos, libretas y objetos varios de papelería (mi debilidad). Un rincón en el que podemos hacer un viaje a nuestra infancia y a la de aquellos locos bajitos que hace muchísimos años habitaron el planeta.

I stumbled across this museum while taking a walk around the neighborhood and, in need of some food and a sit-​down, we made our way inside.
The café is cute — a bit pricey, but it’s a museum café, so what can you expect? The museum is arranged so that the store and café are in the center of the ground floor, and the museum is next to it on that floor, and on a balcony going all around the first floor looking down onto the store/​café.
The museum itself was really interesting. I am not British, but went with someone who is, so he was able to tell me stories about how that toy was so popular one Christmas when he was 7, and how he remembers seeing other kids play with this one, and so on. Without that context, I think I would have found the museum less interesting. Also, there were tables out on which you could play games, so we played a bit of checkers.
The War Games exhibit, on now, was definitely the highlight. A really interesting depiction of war games through the years, from G.I. Joe type figurines, to costumes, to video games.
Overall, it didn’t seem like the best place for young kids, though I saw a few running around so who knows? A great place if you’re in the neighborhood, or if you’re really interested in the subject. It was the perfect way to beat the heat for an hour or so.

+ Nice building, a variety of interesting, well chosen toys, good exhibitions, some good adult books, exhibition also had stuff on Margaret Thatcher, knife crime (which gave us a view of childhood in urban areas now).
Lots of old toys are in glass cases as hundreds of kids playing with them could break them (or even pinch them). Some may even be on loan to the Museum. Some are very rare so it is important that kids don’t play with them. Some have to be kept behind glass for health and safety reasons. There are some toys that kids can play with but generally it is a museum not a crèche at Butlins. It is educational.
— shop — sells mostly plastic toys. Could do with some good quality ones that would be a legacy to grandchildren etc, rather than throw a way Made In China plastic ones you can get in the pound shop, poor quality of children’s books — pound shop variety with poorly illustrated covers, the café and galleries were noisy because of the kids, there wasn’t a glass par titian, mothers were whipping out their boobs at the café, without any courtesy to others. They assume that all people want to see this while they eating The galleries could do with more information, it felt a bit dumbed down.
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Ideas for future exhibitions:
Bullying in Childhood & PTSD
Consumerism & Childhood
A rural childhood –makings things, pets, nature, fishing, City Farms & Stables, Disabled Children (up to Modern Day)
Mental Health in Children
Norland Nannies
Child Abuse & Step parents
Health & Safety & Parenting — ie conkers etc
Teenage Vandals & drinking

I have visited this museum with little ones in tow at least a couple of times a year for nearly twenty years. It must be doing something right…
First off its free entry and most of the holiday activities are free. Its perfect for kids under 10 — although as an adult it is fun finding toys from your childhood., especially if sharing that with your kids.
There have been many changes over the years and it now houses a new bright and shiny extension with great activity rooms in the basement and a benugo café in the main museum. The toilets are child friendly and clean and modern.
They regularly change the special exhibitions which keeps the displays fresh — currently Happy Birthday Mr Punch! Now that’s the way to really do it… But the reason we keep coming back are the wonderful activities that they put on during the holidays.
Today I was with two 9 year olds at an awesome puppet making workshop run by the Little Angel Theatre. Two and a half hours creating a fantastic puppet to take home — cost £5. Really well organised and resourced We have done countless activities here and all have been excellent. They also had lots of free activities on from outside games, bag decorating, t-​shirt printing, shows, sand pits…
The café is expensive but food good although the coffee is ordinary. There is also a gift shop.
A great option if you have younger kids but somewhere adults can also enjoy — the fun is infectious. Lots of Mums with buggies and school visits during term time —

Lovely, gorgeous, full of interesting & fascinating things. Loses a star as it’s a museum as if your gran– you know, the ones with white lace & white carpets and «don’t touch anything ever» designed a museum.
I’d like to take the team over to the Exploratoium.
On the other hand, you could almost imagine a story occurring here where an old (er) lady comes in and remembers something from her childhood and is whisked away to right whatever wrong turned her into a miserable old bag.
I may be on to a movie idea here.

NEWS FLASH: Looking at toys through glass is not fun!
So the V&A Museum of Childhood is designed for kids and they’ve done pretty well with a selection of amazingly old bits and bobs from years gone by stuffed into glass cases. Surprisingly, a three year old doesn’t regally give a shit about this.
They do make up for it with a few interactive exhibitions and some wonderful yearly events, I was just a little surprised there wasn’t a Rasta Mouse greeting me and a chance to swim with the Octonaughts, but then, this is a museum and not a theme park…

This is predominantly a toy museum but they do have a few other things scattered about. There are a few play areas scattered about but they’re only suitable for the under 8’s mainly.
The building is beautiful, it used to be a train station I think and the shop and café are located where the trains used to stand.
They usually have an exhibition going on, at the moment it’s Judith Kerr so the little ones can dress up as Mog or have imaginary tea with the Tiger that came to tea.
They have some staff on hand who entertain a few groups and there’s enough to keep you occupied for a couple of hours. The bulk of the displays however, are behind glass and this is more of interest to adults who played with these toys are youngsters. I was surprised to see a cabinet with dolls of Kate and Wills, especially the dress up book with Will and Kate in their undies on the front cover.

Happened upon this place walking back to Bethnal green tube station. «What is this place… hey if it’s free and it has a bathroom, want to go check it out before we go back… ok cool»
Great two story museum of the history of toys filled with lots of interactive child friendly activities.
Would definitely go back if I have friends visiting with kids and they need a day to let them run around somewhere without fear of breaking things. Great place to run um ragged.
Someone definitely planned this place to be an all day event for a family. The center arena pit contains a cafeteria style food court and a gift shop.
If you’re in the area check it out!

Great for Kids. Small and largely perfectly formed and set in London’s East End.
It’s free.

I find it slightly depressing that toys that I grew up playing with are now in a museum — but at the same time it also makes me realize the value of how «normal» my childhood was, before PlayStations and Wii’s took over.
The museum is a lovely, airy building with lots of glass and natural light. The second floor looks down into the main atrium on the main floor and is where special exhibits are held periodically. During the week there are lots of school visits so it can get noisy.
I came here last year because there was a wonderful exhibit of Quentin Blake’s illustrations for Roald Dahl’s novels (of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, James & the Giant Peach, and Matilda fame). I grew up reading many of his books and to see the original watercolours was so wonderfully nostalgic. It’s hard to put into words how happy the exhibit made me feel.
The rest of the museum shows dolls, toys, clothing and baby carriages, rocking horses, etc. through the past couple hundred years. There is an XBox and Atari console in the «modern» section, which made me giggle a bit (and also feel old).
If you’re in London for more than a week, then I would suggest coming out to Bethnal Green tube stop to visit this museum. The reason I say over a week, it’s not really a «high priority» tourist attraction and there are many other museums that are much more interesting. Admission is free, as with most museums in London, and if you have a zone 1 & 2 tube pass it’s a nice way to spend a couple of hours.

Another great free attraction. This Museum is conveniently located close to Bethnal Green underground. The gallery was recently refurbished with a dazzling entrance where the windows frames the lush green scenery from the nearby Museum Garden.
The galleries are filled with exhibits and interactive displays for both children and adults. But be aware of little children who often make a break for freedom by quickly crawling away! It’s because they hate the sandy play pits… I liked seeing the toys I used to play with as a child but there are other displays on other themes.
There is a cute little exhibition by Roald Dahl featuring the illustrations and drawings from his books from his books along with several activities associated with the displays.

This recently renovated museum is really a great place if you have kids… or not .
The most extensive display of dolls houses (they have the only Bauhaus dollhouse I have ever seen) and various toys from many different eras .This museum is free and how many parents are thanking the city for this I can only imagine.
There are changing exhibitions but there are several standard interactive areas on all the time – areas for reading and books are provided — story telling — arts and crafts sessions and an area for playing dress up –
But the most used area and where I hate to admit, and have spent far too much time has to be the sandbox –This can get busy and be filled with children barely able to move but ineveitably screaming to be sitting in the box!
At the moment they have a little exhibition on childrens clothing — not entirely satisfying if you are an adult but that is the point –it is great for kids.

I ended up here one day after some serious construction to the nearby sidewalk had pedestrians taking a detour through the Museum of Childhood’s courtyard. When I saw the poster for the current exhibit — a survey of children’s fashion over the centuries — I thought, «Why not pop in and check it out?» What can I say? I’m like that. And from the number of other random singletons who also seemed to be venturing into the lobby, I don’t think I’m the only one.
In the end, I never actually made it to the special exhibit on clothing. I was too enthralled by the cases and cases of toys that greet you when you first walk inside. Toys are one of those unifying sort of things. I guarantee that even the most jaded person will find something among the collection that stirs up some childhood memory: a forgotten Nintendo game, some facsimile from Fischer Price, the Hollie Hobbie kitchen you desperately coveted from the little girl next door (that’s me). History buffs will also appreciate the back stories of the older toys; what inspired them and how they were made.
There’s a little gift shop and a café with kid-​appropriate food (the museum knows their target market), and from what I can tell, plenty of hand-​on activities. This is definitely the sort of place designed to not only captivate children, but also simultaneously entertain their adult chaperons — a rare find in that sense. And with me at least, the museum seems to have succeeded; I plan to make it back by April to see the child fashion collection, and (thank goodness) I certainly won’t have any kids in tow!

The Museum of Childhood is located a stone’s throw from Bethnal Green tube station and houses an enormous collection of childhood relics dating back as far as the 16^th century. To appeal to younger audiences there are many interactive features dotted about.
The best part about this museum for me was the way you can see how childrens entertainment has evolved through the years, sometimes its quite difficult to remember, in an age of computer games and television, that children could be besotted with these antique toys but, judging from the reaction of the swarms of children, their appeal still very much lives on.
This is a great outing for a family group and will certainly entertain parents, with a trip down memory lane, and children who will have the opportunity to learn and have fun simultaneously (such a difficult balance). Should mum and dads feet grow weary at any time their is also a café serving food and refreshments.

If you have children in tow and need to kill a couple of hours, then the Museum of Childhood is fantastic. It is by no means an all day activity, but the interactive exhibits, will certainly keep the kids occupied while you look at the array of toys games and clothing from around the world.
The building was moved to Bethnal Green from South Kensington, where it once housed the Victoria and Albert Museum (then called the South Kensington Museum), in 1866. The spectacular central atrium contains a gift shop and café, with child friendly food. The remainder of the building is taken up with exhibition space, with toys and games for children to play with throughout the building. During the week there are a number of school visits going on at any one time, but they tend to stay in their groups, so should not get in the way.