Green themed summer fun for families at London Transport Museum
This summer we’re inviting families to take part in our line-up of school-holiday activities that will get them thinking about how transport shapes life in the Capital and imagining what a greener future for London could look like. These activities are the first in our new 18-month Climate Crossroads programme which aims to shine a light on sustainable cities, travel, transport and greener skills for the future.
Over ground, Underground at London Transport Museum
From Saturday 24 July to Sunday 15 August, families can navigate an urban trail around the Museum’s galleries to find out how London’s transport system has shaped the city’s environment and discover some of the curious solutions engineers have come up with to help make life in the city better. Find out how one London family has been a part of this change in a brand-new interactive storytelling session, suitable for children aged seven and under. Storytelling will take place at 10:30, 11:30, 13:20 and 14:20 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Between Monday 16 August to Wednesday 1 September families visiting London Transport Museum should be on the lookout for an adventurous bird searching for green spaces and fellow city wildlife living along London’s railway tracks, from kestrels and foxes to bees and bats. Discover who the bird meets on their journey in an interactive family storytelling session suitable for children aged seven and under. Storytelling will take place at 10:30, 11:30, 13:20 and 14:20 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Families with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, can enjoy an Early Explorer Morning on Saturday 31 July from 08:30 to 10:00 and an Explorer Evening on Saturday 21 August from 18:15 to 19:45. Families can explore the Museum at a quieter time, free from the general public, and with many of the gallery sounds turned off. Advanced online booking is essential.
We also throwing open the doors of our Museum Depot in Acton Town, west London, for families to explore on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 and between Wednesday 11 to Sunday 15 August.
As families marvel at historic buses and Tube trains from the Capital’s past, they will follow a trail and see how the city’s transport network has evolved over time and imagine what a greener London could look like in the future. Get creative with a hands-on activity inspired by surprising green spaces in the city and enjoy storytelling about the wildlife we share our city with. Families can also enjoy an outdoor display of London taxis through time, showing models from the 1930’s onwards and learn about green travel choices, from cycling to scooting.
Timed tickets to visit must be booked in advance online. Adult tickets cost £15 and £7.50 for children. Kids aged 3 and under go free.
On Saturday 14 June, the first time slot of the day between 10:00 to 10:30 is reserved for SEND Explorer Time to ensure a quiet and warm welcome to the Depot for families with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Advanced booking online is essential and standard ticket prices apply.
Climate Crossroads
Our summer line-up of family activities are the first in its new 18-month Climate Crossroads programme, which will shine a light on sustainable cities, travel, transport and greener skills for the future. The programme aims to get people thinking differently about how to make our city a greener place to live, and, inspired by the great engineering ingenuity of London’s past, will explore what innovations, skills and jobs we need to build this sustainable future.
Global engineering, management and development consultancy Mott MacDonald is leading the way with its support for the programme as the first Climate Crossroads industry coalition partner. For over 150 years Mott MacDonald has designed infrastructure to keep London running. The consultancy also delivers infrastructure projects around the world, improving society and delivering great social and environmental outcomes for cities and their citizens.
As a leading champion for the decarbonising of transport, Mott MacDonald is working with governments, clients and institutions to develop responsible solutions that meet increasing demand and reduce carbon emissions. The consultancy has also joined Race To Zero; a United Nations initiative to rally leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions, and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery.
Over the next 18 months, the Climate Crossroads programme will feature family school-holiday activities, green-themed After Dark events, thought-leadership debates for business leaders and policy makers and skills and employability support for young people. Details of the activities will be publicised throughout 2021.
Sam Mullins OBE, Director, London Transport Museum, said: ‘We all have a part to play in building a green, sustainable future. With much of the Capital’s landscape associated with transport, London Transport Museum has an important role to play in igniting our audience’s curiosity to shape a green future for our city, from its climate and air-quality to its transport and urban environments and its nature and biodiversity. Our Climate Crossroads programme will shape our focus over the next 18 months and offer our visitors a lively programme of family activities and industry-led thought-leadership.’
Neil Henderson, Key Account Director for Transport, Mott MacDonald, said: ‘As major centres of production and consumption, a large proportion of the UK’s carbon emissions come from infrastructure that is within the boundaries of cities. London alone generates about one third of the carbon emissions in the UK. Transport is also the largest source of air pollution and therefore has a key role in helping London and the UK achieve carbon neutrality and improve the health of its citizens. We are very excited to be the first Climate Crossroads coalition partner. The programme will play a key role in educating and shaping travel behaviours as we transition to a carbon-free transport future.’
The launch of the Museum’s Climate Crossroads programme follows the publication of our Rethinking Sustainable Cities in March, which was produced in partnership with Jacobs, Gowling WLG and Thales, and the opening of its new gallery, London 2030.
Created in collaboration with postgraduate students from Central Saint Martins, University Arts London, London 2030 offers an intriguing glimpse into how environmental change and technological advances could transform life in London by 2030, from ‘15-minute cities’ and car-free neighbourhoods to autonomous electrical vehicles and delivery drones.