Science Museum London: Complete Visitor Guide

The Science Museum in South Kensington is one of the world's great science museums — five floors covering the history of science, technology, medicine and space exploration, with free entry to the permanent galleries.

What to See

The Making the Modern World gallery on the ground floor is the essential introduction — Stephenson's Rocket, early cars, the Apollo 10 command module. The Exploring Space gallery covers the history of space exploration. The Wonderlab (ticketed, around £14) is a hands-on interactive gallery aimed at ages 7 and up, with live science demonstrations throughout the day.

IMAX Cinema

The museum's IMAX cinema shows science and nature documentaries on an enormous screen — tickets separate from general admission, around £14.

Hours & Access

Open daily 10am–6pm. Free permanent galleries; Wonderlab and IMAX ticketed separately. South Kensington station connects via pedestrian tunnel.

Tips

• Book Wonderlab online in advance — it sells out on weekends and school holidays.
• The permanent galleries alone are worth 2-3 hours and completely free.
• Combine with the Natural History Museum next door for a full South Kensington day.