The National Gallery
The National Gallery is one of London’s absolute heavyweights,housing over 2,300 Western European masterpieces from Van Gogh to Da Vinci. Taking children into a grand art institution can sound daunting, but the National is surprisingly brilliant for families, provided you go in with a strategy rather than trying to see all 60+ rooms. Start at the Roden Centre for Creative Learning if you can, as it hosts weekend art workshops, and mobile digital hunts, as well as hands-on art-making tables, and sensory play spaces. The Keeper of Paintings Game - a free immersive AR game works with your phone so kids can track down hidden details in famous paintings across the rooms. General entry costs nothing, making it easy to pop in for 45 minutes to spot a few famous artworks without feeling guilty about ticket prices. You might want to focus on the ones they've looked at in school, maybe including Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Rousseau's Surprise! (the tiger in a tropical storm), and Stubbs' Whistlejacket (a massive, life-sized rearing horse). Try the 'Angel & Animal' game for younger kids: turn gallery-walking into a scavenger hunt by asking younger kids to count how many flying cherubs, dogs, or horses they can spot hidden in the classical paintings.
- Insider tip: Head to the Pigott Education Centre entrance on the side for easy level access with pushchairs and to collect free children's art activity sheets!
Times change seasonally — always check before you set off.
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