Name: Summer at the Museum: Build Better
Start: 2023-07-22T00:00:00+01:00
End: 2023-07-22T23:59:00+01:00
Location: London Transport Museum

May Half Term: Routes and Roundels

Fuel your imagination at our Festival of Curiosity this half term as your family enjoy curious and creative problem-solving challenges and meet real-world engineers. Follow our STEAM-inspired family trail, join an interactive workshop or storytelling session, and much more!

Down Street: Churchill's secret station

Experience the Railway Executive Committee’s bomb-proof headquarters during World War II, the warren of tunnels where Churchill sheltered.

Plan your school visit

Find the information you need to plan and book your visit to London Transport Museum in Covent Garden or the London Transport Museum Depot in Acton, west London.

Join us for six weeks of green-themed family fun!

Our Green Journey installation returns to the Transportorium Garden this summer, with fun family-friendly interactives that help children to learn about big topics like climate change and sustainability in an engaging way.

Creative family workshops, sensory storytelling and movement sessions and a stamper trail around the Museum galleries inspired by the themes of the Green Journey installation will also run on selected dates throughout the holidays.

Grandparent and grandchild holding hands and skipping on colourful hopscotch tiles on floor

Child wearing goggles drawing on colourful worksheet

Parent watching as child reaches up to stick leaf-shaped magnets onto display shaped like tree

What's happening?

Green Journey Stamper Trail

Every day, Saturday 22 July – Sunday 3 September

Weave through the Museum’s galleries following a green-themed stamper trail, exploring our amazing collection, learning interesting facts, and answering quiz questions as you go.  

Green Journey Garden Installation

Every day, Saturday 22 July – Sunday 3 September

Explore the different sections of this installation and experiment with interactives designed to spark conversations around climate change and sustainability. Explore four tactile areas that delve into subjects such as global warming and its effects on London, the role of public transport in ensuring a greener future for the capital, the sustainable solutions already underway – such as Transport for London’s hydrogen buses – as well as new green jobs and the people behind them.

Creating Healthy Streets Reflective Activity

Every day, Saturday 22 July – Sunday 3 September, in Luke’s Skills Space   

Did you know that 80 percent of journeys made by people in London each year happen on our streets? To get more people walking, cycling and using public transport, TfL have developed the Healthy Streets Approach, creating streets that are attractive, safe and inclusive. How ‘healthy’ is your street? Who lives there? How do you travel down it? Drop in to the quiet space of Luke’s Skills Space, next to the Information Desk on Level 1, to reflect on your own neighbourhood and changes that could improve it, and design your own healthy neighbourhood!

Saturday 22 July - Saturday 5 August: Lessons From London’s Past

For centuries, public transport in London has been driven by the need to move people across the capital cheaply and efficiently. During this fortnight, we’ll be considering the history of London’s transport from a new perspective - as a fascinating narrative of invention and innovation, where technological development accelerated in response to the changing needs of the growing city. What impact did this have on the environment?
Agent Chronos’ Sustainable Journeys – Sensory Storytelling
23, 24, 30, 31 July and 1 August
10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 14:30 and 15:30 in the Transportorium
Meet an adventurous time-traveller and embark on a sustainable mission, journeying back in time to explore environmentally friendly modes of transport from London’s past. We’ll be physically acting out the story together, moving around the room, adding sounds and even discovering a surprising smell!
Each session will last approximately 45 minutes. Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Best suited to children aged under 7 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Locomotion Parade and Puppetry Workshop
26, 27, 28, 29 July, 3 and 4 August
11:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:00 in the Transportorium
Collaborate with other families to operate a giant, multi-sensory, ‘living’ locomotive puppet constructed from recycled materials, chuffing around the Museum to a catchy chant, visiting different kinds of transport from London’s past during our journey.
Each workshop will last approximately 45 minutes. Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Best suited to children aged 7 years and above. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Sunday 6 - Saturday 19 August: Living Green

We want London to thrive for generations to come. Examine what action is being taken by Transport for London and others to meet the immediate needs of the city today, supporting the Mayor of London’s goal for the capital to be a net zero carbon city by 2030.
Storytelling Session: Kayla the Kestrel’s Party in the Park
6, 7, 13, 14, 15 August
10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 14:30 and 15:30 in the Transportorium
Team up with Kayla the Kestrel to investigate the habitats of London’s parks using song and dance, encountering the creatures that call these green spaces home along the way. Meet her cuddly toy animal friends and learn some new action songs!
Each session will last approximately 45 minutes. Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Best suited to children aged under 7 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Make It Greener Challenge Junk Modelling Workshop
9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19 August
11:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:00 in the Transportorium
Cut, stick, draw and build, as we take a look at the actions Transport for London is taking to care for our planet. Pick a card challenging you to build a sustainable place - a bus stop, train depot, or somewhere else - and use recycled materials to bring your sustainable ideas to life. You can either take your model home or add it to our display!
Each workshop will last approximately 45 minutes. Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Best suited to children aged 7 years and above. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Mastercard Girls4Tech Takeover  
Thursday 17 August, in the Transportorium  
Youngsters can drop in to Mastercard’s Girls4Tech STEM workshops for sessions on algorithms, cryptology and big data, learning about these topics through fun problem-solving games. The Girls4Tech workshops will be run by Mastercard staff looking to inspire the next generation to pursue a STEM career. This activity is open to all.

Sunday 20 August - Sunday 3 September: Fuelling London's Future

Confronting Climate Change is about more than just reducing emissions from vehicles. Step beyond London and the capital’s transport network, to embark on an adventure into the intriguing world of innovative and experimental scientists and engineers, thinking up ground-breaking ideas to tackle Climate Change.
Storytelling Session: The Recycling Rangers and the Quest for the Golden R
20, 21, 27, 28, 29 August
10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 14:30 and 15:30 in the Transportorium
Join the Recycling Rangers on a courageous quest, deciphering puzzling clues using an ancient map to find the legendary Golden R, a symbol of recycling excellence. Work together with other families to help the puppet characters work out the answers!
Each session will last approximately 45 minutes. Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Best suited to children aged under 7 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Ingenious Inventions Interactive Workshop
23, 24, 25, 31 August, 1 and 2 September
11:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:00 in the Transportorium
Around the world, scientists and engineers are exploring exciting new ideas to tackle climate change. Starting with a game to fire up your imagination, design your own invention for a greener London on a pop-up card, which you can either take home or leave with the Museum to show to others. Everyone who completes this session will get a certificate!
Each workshop will last approximately 45 minutes. Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Best suited to children aged 7 years and above. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

While exploring the Green Journey Garden you’ll meet superheroes like Ted, who is working to make London more sustainable!

Photo of man with hands on hips with design of a cape over his shoulders and trees in the background

Ted Morris Dawson

Sopra Steria
Software project leader

What do you do?

I help people build great software so that TfL can look after the cars, buses, roadworks, traffic lights and cycle lanes in London.

How does your job help tackle climate change?

Our software makes it easy for TfL to spot problems and respond to them, reducing pollution from traffic jams. It also helps manage all the bus routes and bus stops. This makes bus journeys less stressful, so people are more likely to choose the bus when they travel.

Museum floor plan

Tickets

All family activities are free with your Museum admission - and kids go free!

The Museum can be very popular during the school holidays, so we recommend that you book your annual passes online in advance. If you would prefer a quieter visit, afternoons are usually less busy.

Tickets

Climate Crossroads

These summer activities are part of London Transport Museum’s Climate Crossroads programme supported by ABM, Mastercard, and Sopra Steria. The programme aims to create experiences that get people thinking about what the future of our city could look like and - inspired by the great engineering ingenuity of London’s past - also explores what innovations, skills and jobs we need to build this sustainable future.