Museum of the History of Science (Oxford)

Advantages: Its free entry and your chilren learn as they play
Disadvantages: A nightmare to get to, very busy at peak times

...Science Museum During the Easter holidays, hubby and I decided to take our children to The London Science Museum. Though it was a very long and tiring day, it was agreed we had an enjoyable time. The museum was started in the nineteenth-century. Its aim was to improve science and technical education. Prince Albert was the key figure in this development and he was responsible for the "Great Exhibition" of 1851. The buildings exterior looks aged and dated; if you walk around the rear of the museum there are various large craters in the concrete walls. These were caused by bombing in the last war and were never repaired as a show of just how much damage was done but the building still did not disintegrate. A plaque on the wall commemorates the strength of the building and its part in sustaining the war... Read review

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Advantages: Interesting history, building and contents especially if combined with a visit to Pitt rivers museum
Disadvantages: No refreshments and lack of tourist guide information

...Rivers collection. My own children, however, are of a new generation and preferred dinosaurs to ducks any day. The University museum is a truly fascinating place for adults and kids, scholars, scientists and historians. As I have grown older I have learned to appreciate not only its contents but also the building itself and its history. The collections contained within the museum are second only to London’s but unlike the museum in the capitol Oxford’s remains the archetypal museum. There are no interactive exhibits but simply an awful lot of dead animals and fossils. The building has been described as the “Temple” of the new age – but not in the sense we now understand it. It was the new age in which science began to take precedence over its contemporary rival religion. This first temple of science... Read review

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Advantages: Free, lots to see and do
Disadvantages: Can get busy

...went on to transform the land, giving rise to The Natural History Museum, The Science Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum, Imperial College and Queen's Tower, The Royal Albert Hall, and The Albert Memorial, amongst others. The close proximity of all of these means you can spend a whole day being cultured with science, natural history, art and design, and architecture. Hyde Park a short walk away is ideal for a picnic too.   Its central location means getting there is not particularly difficult. The nearest underground station is South Kensington (Circle, District and Piccadilly lines), which has an underpass tunnel directly to the museum, and is a 10 minute walk. The station is not the most user-friendly for disabled or those with buggies as there are stairs to negotiate. My advice would be to take a District or Circle line train... Read review

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