London Transport Museum

Over het museum

London Transport Museum grew out of a long effort to preserve historic vehicles from the capital's transport network. Collecting began in the 1920s, when the companies that ran London's buses and railways started to keep old vehicles. The collection was first shown in a former bus garage in Clapham, then moved to Syon Park in 1973 under the name London Transport Collection.

The museum opened in its present home in 1980. The building is the Flower Market of Covent Garden, a Grade II listed iron and glass hall from 1871 that served the wholesale flower trade until the market moved out in the early 1970s. Today the museum is owned by Transport for London and run as a charity.

The galleries follow the story of getting around London from the horse-drawn omnibus and the first steam railways to the world's first underground line, electric trams, trolleybuses and modern buses. Displays also cover the design heritage of the network, including the roundel, the Tube map, typeface and posters, and the role of transport workers in both world wars.

A second site, the Museum Depot in Acton, holds the larger reserve collection and is open only on special tour days and open days. The museum is also planning a redevelopment of its Covent Garden home ahead of its 50th anniversary in 2030, and some building works may be visible during a visit.

Hoogtepunten

• Steam locomotive from the world's first underground railway, the Metropolitan line
• Historic horse buses, trams, trolleybuses and Underground carriages
• London by Design gallery on the roundel, Tube map and posters
• Global Poster Gallery and Art Deco poster exhibition
• All Aboard playzone for children aged 0 to 7
• Future Engineers interactive gallery

Vaste collectie

• World's first Underground – The story of the Metropolitan line, which opened in 1860, with the only surviving steam engine from that period.
• London by Design – A gallery on the transport network's design heritage, including the roundel, the map, the typeface and posters.
• London's transport at war – How London's transport system and its staff kept the city moving and supported the war effort in both world wars.

Opgericht

1980

Beheerder

London Transport Museum Limited (charity); owned by Transport for London

Bezoekers per jaar

ca. 449.599 (2025)

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

The museum does not sell day tickets. Entry is by an Annual Pass, valid for 12 months and for unlimited visits, plus a free timed entry ticket for each visit. Only one timed ticket can be held at a time. Gift Aid can be added. Group visits (10 or more) are booked separately; some community groups can get free tickets through the Community Access Scheme.

Toegankelijkheid

• Rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie

Level access at the ticket desk, and lifts and ramps reach the galleries. Some lifts are currently out of service, so staff will show which lift is available. A wheelchair can be borrowed at the ticket desk, but not all historic vehicles are accessible. The cobbled piazza outside has a level path only part of the way round. Accessible toilets are on the ground floor and in the cafe and Cubic Theatre; the nearest Changing Places toilets are at Victoria Embankment and the National Portrait Gallery. Induction loops are at the ticket desk, cloakroom, library and information desk, and film displays are subtitled or looped. Large-print highlights guides, magnifiers, sensory bags, ear defenders, a visual story and a sighted guide service (booked two weeks ahead) are available. The nearest step-free Underground station is Tottenham Court Road.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Doe- en voelstations
• Kinderwagenvriendelijk
• Verschoonruimte
• Speeltuin / speelhoek

The All Aboard playzone has mini vehicles and activities for children aged 0 to 7, and many galleries have interactives. Term-time singing and story sessions for under-5s, school-holiday family events and relaxed sessions for families with special educational needs are offered. Buggies are welcome and there is a buggy park by the entrance. A baby feeding room and baby changing are on the ground floor.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The museum is in the south-east corner of Covent Garden Piazza. The nearest step-free Underground station is Tottenham Court Road (12 minutes). Santander Cycles docking stations are on Tavistock Street, Wellington Street and Southampton Street.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Museumwinkel
• Garderobe

Canteen cafe bar is above the shop and the Lower Deck cafe bar is on the ground floor. Picnics may be eaten in the Lower Deck seating area. The cloakroom is free. A water fountain on the ground floor can be used to refill bottles.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Privéfeesten
• Zakelijke evenementen

Tot 600 personen.

The museum galleries can host up to 230 guests for a seated dinner and 600 standing.

Je bezoek plannen