Join the Bakers, our regular test family, as they sample 2 of the best family attractions in London.
The school holidays may now be over, but London is still very much open for tourists and weekend visitors. But with so much on offer, where do you start when you want to enjoy a family day out? We selected two of the best sounding attractions and let the Bakers’ loose on them. Here, in their own words, is their report on a very exciting day visiting the best family attractions in London.
Wonderlab at the Science Museum
We started our day at the Science Museum. This is free to enter but some galleries are paid for. The Science Museum offers 3 floors of wall-to-wall galleries to explore and examine including an IMAX cinema experience. Our first stop was to visit the Wonderlab gallery for children aged 7-14. A full interactive experience with different stations and explainers on hand to help you understand all the experiments and forces to the fullest.
From friction slides, to gravitational pulls, to heat sources and music, there is something for everyone. On top of this, there are demonstrations and 20-minute-long live shows available.
Flash, Bang, Wallop is jam-packed with thrilling experiments and demonstrations designed to help children find out about fire and explosions. Whilst thinking about everyday applications of controlled explosions they demonstrate how energy is transferred through light, sound, heat and movement.
The Rocket Show involves becoming a human rocket to watching an ethanol rocket take off in front of their very own eyes. The show brings to life some of the rockets and spacecraft on display in the museum, including the Black Arrow rocket, Soyuz TMA-19M descent module and Apollo 10 Command Module.
Both our kids and us adults loved it. We had another place booked so had to leave the Science Museum after a few hours but felt we had so much more to see. Another visit is definitely on the cards!
Images (C) Science Museum.
Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds. The Immersive Experience
We made our way to our second activity with anticipation as it has recently unveiled new features to celebrate its fifth anniversary at the War of the Worlds Immersive Theatre at Leadenhall Street in the City. Created by Layered Reality, the company behind the equally successful Gunpowder Plot Experience, it’s based on the 1978 Jeff Wayne Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, a rock opera album musical which itself is based on H. G. Wells’ 1898 story War of the Worlds.
Not knowing much of the story, we had no idea what to expect, but wow, we weren’t disappointed. Scare alert: this is definitely not for the faint hearted!
Our small group took on the role of the journalist George Herbert and his fiancée, Carrie, in their quest to survive and write about the 1898 Martian invasion. Two hours and 24 interactive scenes of outstanding acting with some quite comedic moments. Plus a really impressive jeff Wayne music score, Martian technology VR googles, explosions, flickering lights, screams, and even a slide down the claw of a Martian Handling Machine before flying to Mars in a hot air balloon.
The building felt huge as we were led down paths and through doors of Victorian England. One memorable part was coming across a woman sitting in a blood-stained room, trying to ‘hold in her guts’. A child in our group was asked to sing her a song to keep her spirits up, to which he proceeded to sing ‘if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands!’. The dying lady thanked the child and said, “If I’d not been having to hold me guts from spilling out, I would have clapped along with yer!”
Halfway through our adventure we were taken to a holding area for survivors which doubled as the interval and the Red Weed Bar. Having been asked to leave all our property in the free lockers none of us had any way of purchasing any drinks or snacks. (Don’t forget to put a credit card in your pocket).
We eventually managed to escape the Martians and make it to the end of the experience but not before having the obligatory survivor photographs. Then, as we were taken back out to the bar and restaurant, an actor appeared and at the top of her voice announced us as survivors who required ‘a bloody big round of applause!’ Of course, everyone in the bar and those waiting for their own experience duly applauded.
Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds is a thrilling immersive ride from start to finish and probably one of the best attractions we’ve ever been to. A great way to spend a couple of hours and excellent value for money.
Images (C) War of the Worlds Immersive Experience.
Tell me more about 2 of the best family attractions in London
Wonderlab at the Science Museum is open daily, 10.00–17.40
Price: Day pass: £15, and £24 for Annual Pass / Family discounts available / Ages 3 and under, go free.
Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience:
General admission starts from £37.50 person and the group bundle (5+ tickets) works out at £35 per person. Other special tickets can also be purchased. Immersive Theatre: 56 Leadenhall Street, London, UK. EC3A 2BJ
