Centres in London

Funding: all funding types

KEY: Millennium-funded

All Hands and The Bridge Interactive Galleries

Home of the Prime Meridian of the World, The National Maritime Museum tells the story of Britain and the sea, and the importance of the oceans in our lives. The interactive galleries are themed around the lives of seafarers and the skills and technologies they used.

Themes: All Hands Gallery: life at sea. The Bridge: skills and technologies used at sea.
Type: Museum. 16 galleries. exhibits. Exhibition area: 1600 m2. Size: M. Opened: 1995 and 2005.
Open: Open every day 10.00 - 17.00. Last admission 30 minutes before closing. Closed 24th - 26th December inclusive. Early closing 31st Dec, late opening 1st Jan and on day of London Marathon. Ages: Aimed at 7-11 year olds. Enjjoyed by all ages.

The National Maritime Museum, Romney Road, Greenwich, London, SE10 9NF MAP
Tel: 020 8312 6565 Fax: 020 8312 6632
Web: www.nmm.ac.uk

Millennium-funded B.U.G.S. at London Zoo

B.U.G.S.(Biodiversity Underpinning Global Survival) is a museum-style exhibition that displays live animals to tell the story of biodiversity, its origins, the threats to its survival and its conservation.

Themes: Biodiversity, Conservation, Invertebrates
Type: Discovery Centre. over 140 exhibits. Size: M. Opened: 2000.
Open: Daily from 10.00. Closes at 17.30 March 6th - Oct 23rd and 16.00 in winter. Closed Christmas Day. Last admission one hour before closing. Ages: All ages.

London Zoo, Outer Circle, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY MAP
Tel: 020 7722 33 33 Fax: 020 7586 57 43
Web: www.londonzoo.co.uk

Benjamin Franklin House

Museum based in conserved house once occupied by Benjamin Franklin includes a hands-on student science centre.

Type: Other centre. Size: S. Opened: Jan-05.
Open: N/A

Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, London, WC2N 5NG MAP
Tel: 020 7930 9121 Fax: 020 7930 9124
E-mail: info@BenjaminFranklinHouse.org
Web: www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org

The Building Exploratory

The exhibition is currently closed for re-development and will re-open in 2012. The Building Exploratory is a unique organisation that helps people discover the secrets of their local area. ?It specialises in building, construction, design, planning, housing history and management.

Themes: Building
Type: Other centre. Exhibition area: 250 m2. Size: S. Opened: 1997.
Open: Schools: Mon - Wed 9.00 - 17.30. Exhibition: Thur & Fri 13.00 - 17.30. Ages: All

The Building Exploratory, 8 Orsman Road, London, N1 5QT MAP
Tel: 020 7275 8555 Fax: 020 7275 9184
E-mail: mail@buildingexploratory.org.uk
Web: www.buildingexploratory.org.uk

The Centre of the Cell

Opens March 2008, website launched March 2007. Centre of the Cell is a unique interactive multimedia experience embedded within a working research laboratory. The central themes are cell biology, disease and biomedical research.

Themes: Cells, biology
Type: Discovery Centre. Size: S. Opened: 2008.
Open: Opens March 2008 Ages: All ages. Schools 9-16

Centre of the Cell, Queen Mary, University of London, 64 Turner Street, London, E1 2AB MAP
Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 2562
E-mail: info@centreofthecell.org.uk
Web: www.centreofthecell.org

Discover

At Discover visitors can climb aboard the Lollipopter, cross a sparkly river over a rickety-rackety bridge, explore the Secret Cave, dress up, go to a party, and make puppets.

Themes: Stories and story-building; words, language, imagination.
Type: Childrens' Museum. 18 exhibits. Exhibition area: 500 m2 m2. Size: S. Opened: Jun-03.
Open: Termtime: 10.00 - 17.00 Tue - Sun. Open daily in school holidays. Ages: Children aged 0-8 and their adults.

Discover, 1 Bridge Terrace, Stratford, London, E15 4BG MAP
Tel: 020 8536 5555 Fax: 020 8522 1003
E-mail: francesca.seguiti@discover.org.uk
Web: www.discover.org.uk

Horniman Museum and Gardens

As well as being home to the most comprehensive musical instrument collection in Britain, the museum has an internationally renowned anthropological collection and a popular Natural History Gallery.

Themes: Provides an window in to the natural and cultural worlds. Galleries: Natural History Gallery, Music Gallery, African Worlds Gallery, Centenary Gallery.
Type: Museum. 5,000+ exhibits. Exhibition area: 1500 m2. Size: M.
Open: Daily, 10.30 - 17.30. Closed 24 - 26 Decemeber. Ages: All ages.

The Horniman Museum, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23 3PQ MAP
Tel: 020 8699 1872 Fax: 020 8291 5506
E-mail: enquiry@horniman.ac.uk
Web: www.horniman.ac.uk

Livesey Museum for Children

The Livesey is a fully interactive museum aimed at the under-12's, with an all-new exhibition every year.

Themes: Childrens' Museum
Type: Childrens' Museum. Size: S. Opened: 1974.
Open: Tue - Sat, 10.00 - 17.00. NB Telephone prior to visiting as the Museum closes periodically for work. Ages: Under 12s, families, parents, carers, teachers.

Livesey Museum for Children, 682 Old Kent Road, Peckham, London, SE15 1JF MAP
Tel: 020 7635 5829 Fax: 020 7277 5384
E-mail: info@liveseymuseum.org.uk
Web: www.liveseymuseum.org.uk

London Wetland Centre

Exhibition areas include a Discovery Centre, with touchscreens and interactives, glass viewing Observatory and World Wetlands with examples of endangered birds from around the world.

Themes: Wildlife; birds.
Type: Animals / Plants. Size: S. Opened: 2000.
Open: All year. Ages: All ages.

London Wetland Centre, Queen Elizabeth's Walk, Barnes, London, SW13 9WT MAP
Tel: 020 8409 4400 Fax: 020 8409 4401
E-mail: info.london@wwt.org.uk
Web: www.wwt.org.uk

Millennium-funded Millennium Seed Bank

The Millennium Seed Bank Exhibition allows the public an inside view into the processes involved in biodiversity conservation and seed banking.

Themes: Plants; biodiversity.
Type: Animals / Plants. Size: M. Opened: Nov-00.
Open: All year. Ages: All ages.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6TN MAP
Tel: 01444 894 000 Fax: 01444 894 110
E-mail: msbsci@kew.org
Web: www.kew.org/msbp/

Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green

Closed until Autumn 2006.

Themes: Childhood.
Type: Childrens' Museum. Size: M. Opened: 1872.
Open: Closed for redevelopment until Autumn 2006 Ages: All ages.

Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green, Cambridge Heath Road, London, E2 9PA MAP
Tel: 020 8983 5200 Fax: 020 8983 5225
E-mail: bgmc@vam.ac.uk
Web: www.museumofchildhood.org.uk

National Maritime Museum

The world's largest maritime museum, set in the beautiful and historic surroundings of Greenwich.

Themes: Sea, ships, time and stars
Type: Museum. Size: L.
Open: Every day 10am - 5pm, summer 10am - 6pm Ages: All ages

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, SE10 9NF MAP
Tel: 020 8858 4422
E-mail: info@nmm.ac.uk
Web: www.nmm.ac.uk

The Natural History Museum

Dedicated to our planet's life story, the Museum takes visitors on an unforgettable journey into Earth's past, present and future. Discover more about the Museum's world leading scientific research in free daily events and behind the scenes tours in the Darwin Centre.

Themes: Life and Earth Galleries, including Dinosaurs, Mammals, Creepy Crawlies and Earth's Treasury.
Type: Museum. Size: L. Opened: The Darwin Centre opened in 2002..
Open: Mon - Sat: 10.00 - 17.50. Sun: From 11.00. Ages: All ages

The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD MAP
Tel: 020 7942 5000 Fax: 020 7942 5430
E-mail: feedback@nhm.ac.uk
Web: www.nhm.ac.uk

River & Rowing Museum

The Museum has three main galleries devoted to the River Thames, the international sport of rowing and the town of Henley.

Themes: River Thames, Rowing, Henley on Thames
Type: Museum. Size: M. Opened: 1998.
Open: Open daily: Sep - April, 10.00 - 17.00; open until 17.30 May - end Aug. Closed Christmas and New Year. Ages: All ages

River & Rowing Museum, Mill Meadows, Henley on Thames, RG9 1BF MAP
Tel: 01491 415600 Fax: 01491 415601
E-mail: museum@rrm.co.uk
Web: www.rrm.co.uk

Royal Air Force Museum, London

From a total collection of well over two hundred aircraft, over a hundred full-size aircraft from all over the world are displayed under cover on the historic site of the original London Aerodrome.

Themes: Aviation.
Type: Museum. over 100 exhibits. Size: M.
Open: Open daily, 10.00 - 18.00. Closed 24 - 26 Dec & 1 Jan. Ages: All ages.

RAF Museum, London, Grahame Park Way, Hendon, London, NW9 5LL MAP
Tel: 020 8205 2266 Fax: 020 8200 1751
E-mail: london@rafmuseum.org
Web: www.rafmuseum.org.uk

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

The Gardens cover 300 acres and are home to themed gardens and plant collections, as well as a number of historic and 'working' buildings. The living collections are a resource for botanical science world-wide.

Themes: Plants from around the globe; science and horticulture; conservation of plants and habitats.
Type: Animals/Plants. 1000s exhibits. Exhibition area: 121,410 m2. Size: XL.
Open: Open all year except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Ages: All ages.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB MAP
Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 5000 Fax: +44 (0)20 8332 5197
E-mail: info@kew.org
Web: www.rbgkew.org.uk

Millennium-funded Science Museum

Where else can you take a trip to Mars, age 30 years in 30 seconds or participate in a controversial scientific debate? At the Science Museum you can do all this and much, much more.

Themes: Science, technology and medicine.
Type: Museum. Thousands. exhibits. Size: L. Opened: Wellcome Wing, 2000..
Open: Daily 10.00 - 18.00. Closed 24th - 26th December. Ages: All ages.

Science Museum (National Museum of Science & Industry), Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2DD MAP
Tel: 0870 870 4868 Fax: 020 7942 4447
E-mail: sciencemuseum@nmsi.ac.uk
Web: www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

Science Projects

Travelling hands-on exhibitions for science centres, museums, festivals or events. Current exhibitions on tour: Risk; The Senses: Medieval Machines; Puzzles and Illusions; Good vibrationsm - the science of sound; Feel the Force and Light and Optics.

Themes: Science
Type: Travelling or outreach. 10 to 18 per exhibition exhibits. Exhibition area: Per exhibition, 100 m2. Size: S. Opened: 1988.
Open: Varies according to host org. Ages: All ages.

Science Projects, Exploring Science Travelling Exhibitions, 20 St James Street, London, W6 9RW MAP
Tel: 020 8741 2305/6 Fax: 020 8741 2307
E-mail: info@science-projects.org
Web: www.science-projects.org