Families Ask Questions

Please see our Plan Your Visit page for information about public transport, parking, and getting around the museum. We recommend entering via the Tower entrance if using buggies or wheelchairs, as the lifts up from the Chambers Street entrance can be busy.

There is currently no buggy park or buggy storage available at the museum. You can leave your buggy at the side of our children’s galleries while playing in the space, but we ask you to please take them with you when you leave the gallery.

The Lunch Space for eating your own food has now reopened and is available to use – although please note that this space is prioritised for school groups during term time. Highchairs are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Please clean the tables and highchairs after use with the sanitising wipes provided. Please ask our friendly visitor experience staff if you have any questions upon arrival.

At busy times (during school holidays, for example) there may be designated picnic spots in various places throughout the museum for visitors to eat their own packed lunches. Please ask our visitor experience staff if picnic spots are open and to direct you to the nearest one.

Yes! You are welcome to breastfeed anywhere in the museum. There is seating on every level – please do ask our staff to show you the nearest comfortable seating or to point you in the direction of quieter spaces if you would prefer more privacy.

High chairs are available at the café on Level 3, the Museum Kitchen on Level 0, and the lunch space on Level 0.

Nappy changing facilities are available on every level of the museum. Please see the museum map, or ask our visitor experience staff to point you to the nearest one.

There is seating throughout the museum, and portable stools that you can borrow on every level – ask a member of staff to direct you.

No! Although our children’s galleries are designed specifically with children in mind, families are welcome to explore all the galleries throughout the museum. From our Ancient Egypt gallery to Fashion and Style, Natural World or Scotland galleries, there’s always something to inspire every age group. Our visitor experience staff are always happy to recommend different spaces to suit your needs and interests.

No! The museum is a place to explore and be amazed – and we understand that this isn’t always a quiet process! We only ask that all visitors remain mindful of those around them so that everyone can have a great time in our galleries.

We have lots of interactives throughout the museum, and everything you can touch should be clearly labelled and encourage you to get hands-on. If anything doesn’t clearly show that it’s for touching then please admire it with your eyes (or ears) to help us protect our collections from damage and wear.

All of the permanent museum galleries (including the children’s galleries) are free to enter. There is a £1 per session for our racing car interactive, and special exhibitions and some events may be charged for – see our Exhibitions and Events listings for more details.

Yes! Please see our Accessibility page for a video and link to our Sensory Map and information about which areas can be noisy (and which are quieter).

Yes! Please see our Accessibility page for information to support your visit, a sensory map, and information about our Sensory Backpacks and other resources.

We have something to excite every interest in the museum! But to get you started here’s a Top 10 Things for Families list, or see our Explore the Galleries section to get inspired.