Visitors can explore a variety of historic vehicles, posters, and engineering drawings, all of which celebrate the city’s rich transport heritage. This museum serves as a valuable educational resource and a captivating journey through the history of public transportation in London.
History
The museum’s collection started in the 1920s when the London General Omnibus Company started preserving buses being retired from service. The collection was housed in several places before the museum relocated to its current site in Covent Garden in 1980. It underwent a £22 million transformation starting in 2005, modernising and expanding its exhibition space. It reopened in 2007 with interactive displays and educational programmes, making it a popular destination for families and history enthusiasts.
Collection
The London Transport Museum continues to be a testament to the evolution of the city’s transport system, reflecting London’s journey from the horse-drawn omnibus of the early 19th century to the extensive underground and bus network of today.
When you get on the lift and descend to the museum area, you’ll start to feel and experience the history of public transport. You’ll see transport modes from many eras, including gorgeous horse-drawn carriages, historical double-decker buses, and tube carriages that look nothing like the current tube network.
The museum also explains how public transport has changed, how it has affected London, and how new lines have been built. Tickets and posters from the past are also interesting to see.
Tips for Visitors
Adults need to get one of the annual pass types to access the museum, while children under 18 have free entry. You’ll also need to book a timed entry slot. The entry slot can be booked when purchasing the pass or from the museum website after you’ve purchased the pass. The annual pass options are:
- Unlimited Annual Pass that gets you in any time of the day
- Off Peak Annual Pass that can be used on weekdays after 2 PM during term-time or summer holidays
- Annual Pass Plus that also provides access to Depot Open Days in Acton
For most people, the Unlimited Annual Pass is the best option. As it’s an annual pass, you can enter the museum multiple times and book a new entry slot after the previous one has passed.
There is also a museum shop should you want to buy souvenirs for home.
Events and Exhibitions
In addition to the permanent displays of intriguing public transport items such as double-decker buses and historical tube cars, the museum regularly organises events and special exhibitions. One such event is Music in the Museum, which has live classical and jazz music performances in the museum setting.
Tours
London Transport Museum also organises exciting Hidden London tours, where you can access tube station areas that are usually unavailable to the public. For example, the Piccadilly Circus: The Heart of London tour provides access to areas closed to the public in 1929. Aldwych: The End of the Line tour takes you to a station closed to the public more than 30 years ago. Many more tours are available, and you can check them out on the official website.
