10 Free things to do in London with Teens

London with teenagers needn’t be expensive, discover my top 10 free things to do in London with teens.  All of these have been road tested with my own teens in tow, places deemed to be boring have not been included.

Free things to do in London with Teens

London is awash with free things to do and see.  Outings that cover parts of the KS3, GCSE or A level curriculums can be educational for everyone, I learnt loads from my teens when we visited the Army Museum. Here are my top 10 free things to do in London with teenagers.

Discover Roman London

It was the Roman’s that first made London the capital and even today you can walk along the roads they made.  Watling Street provides fantastic views of St Pauls and has been a thoroughfare for getting on for 1,000 years. The City of London is awash all things Roman.  You can explore the both the London Roman Amphitheatre and the London Mithraeum for free.  Take a look at my Roman London post for more walking Roman London inspiration.

National Army Museum

Everything you wanted to know about the British Army and lots more.   The stand-out fact for me was that there was no British Army as such until the Civil War.  We have visited often and found it helpful with the ‘War through time’ module of GCSE History syllabus.  Absolute highlight for the teens was the skeleton of Marengo, Napoleon’s horse.

• National Army Museum,  Royal Hospital Rd, SW3 4HT  
• Open: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5.30pm

Wellcome Collection

An ever changing array of exhibitions at the meeting point of art and science. It is the perfect place for the incurably curious.  It has a great café too.

• Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, NW1 2BF
• Open: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 6pm, until 8pm on Thursda

Outernet Immersive Art at Tottenham Court Road

Nestled at the base of Centre Point by Tottenham Court Road tube station is the Outernet. Three spaces lined with digital displays. The Now Building is right by Tottenham Court Road and you will find a tunnel of screens leading off Denmark Street. All three are host to incredible displays of digital art and for free. I have seen rockets taking off, fantastical butterflies flying around and whole aquariums of fish swimming by. You just wander in with no tickets needed.

• Outernet, Centre Point, London WC2H 8LH
• Open: Daily 10am – 11.30pm, except Monday when it is closed between 2pm – 5pm

Museum of London Docklands

Tall tower blocks make London’s Docklands feel more like America than Britain.  The Museum of London Docklands tells the tale of the area from the commercial heart of Empire to global financial centre.  Even better, the journey to the museum is best made on the DLR with its driverless trains, my teens no longer enjoy sitting at the front and pretending to drive the train but I have great fun doing so (whilst they skulk at the back disowning me). 

• London Museum Docklands, No 1 Warehouse, West India Quay, E14 4AL
• Open: Daily 10am – 5pm

Stroll along the Southbank

Great views and more silver men standing still than you can shake a stick at are to be had as you stroll along the Southbank of the Thames.  Get off the train at Blackfriars, walk along the north bank for a little way before heading over the Millenium Bridge (aka the Wobbly Bridge) toward Tate Modern.  Maybe pop inside (also free) and ascend the Switch House for panoramic views over London.  Then head east toward the Royal Festival Hall: on your way you will past skateboarders perfecting their skills under the Queen Elizabeth Hall.  My teens love selecting lunch from the street food market behind the Royal Festival Hall.

Wallace Collection

Teens will love coming face to face with the Laughing Cavalier. Downstairs there is a world class collection of armour.  We especially love the horse armour. Elsewhere you can see Marie Antoinette’s desk and many, many fine pictures.  

• Wallace Collection, Manchester Square, W1U 3BU
• Open: Daily 10am – 5pm

Discover Royal Greenwich

Greenwich, to the south of London, was a favourite residence of the Royal family for many years.  Henry VIII was born here.  Many of Greenwich’s gems can be visited for free.  The Queen’s House is home to London’s most famous spiral staircase and a fine collection of paintings.  Next door is the National Maritime Museum with everything you need to know about our maritime past.  Climb up to top of the hill by the Observatory for one of the very finest views across London.  Elsewhere in Greenwich you will find the Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory and the Painted Hall all of which are excellent but do need paying for. 

• Queen’s House, Romney Road, Greenwich, SE10 9NF
• Open: Daily 10am – 5pm

Museum of the Home

Over the years we have enjoyed many visits to the Museum of the Home with the teens and the Godparents.  The museum is housed in a range of Tudor almshouses and has a series of room sets devoted to London living rooms down the ages.  It is fascinating stuff and focuses on the domestic, how lives were lived rather than big historical facts.  At Christmas the rooms are dressed to show how are Yuletide celebrations have changed over the years. 

• Museum of the Home, 136 Kingsland Road, E2 8EA
• Open: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm

Design Museum

Jeans, jugs and an Olivetti typewriter are just a few of the things on display at the Design Museum. The permament collection is located in the top right hand corner of the building. Take time to walk up and round walkways rather than catch the lift to take in the full grandeur of the space. An excellent cafe right at the top of the building too.

• Design Museum, 224-238 Kensington High Street W8 6AG
• Open: Monday – Thursday 10am – 5pm, Friday – Sunday 10am – 6pm

Sightseeing on London Public Transport

Transport, unless you walk or bring your own bikes, will not be free. Oyster cards are your friends. If you live in London it is worth getting a Zip Oyster for your teens if they are below 16.  Failing that tap you can use regular tappable bank cards. Just make sure that you have one card per person and that everyone uses the same card throughout the day.  

Sightseeing by Bus

One my great joys is watching the world go by from the top deck of a London bus.  The top deck of a bus is a great place to see the sights. My favourite sightseeing route is the number 15.  It runs from the Tower of London to Trafalgar Square will not only get you those two iconic sights but also St Paul’s Cathedral, the Royal Courts of Justice and the Eleanor Cross. 

Cruise along the Thames on Public Transport

The Thames Clipper network is part of Transport for London, you can tap in and out just as you do for the rest of the network.  It costs a little more than using the tube, train or bus but a lot less then a tour boat and the views are stunning.

Fly above London on public transport

Well not fly but certainly a birds eye view.  The IFS Cloud Cable Car to give its proper name, or the just the cable car in regular speak runs from North Greenwich by the O2 arena and the ExCel centre.  The views are stunning in one direction the Thames Barrier glimmers and in the other central London is laid out in front of you.  You can see the Thames snaking around just like the opening titles of Eastenders.  Flights are £6 for adults and £3 for children or £30 for a family round trip.  Both ends of the cable car are connected either to the tube, DLR or riverboat network.  

These are my top ten things to do with teens in London. Do you have favourite free places to take your teenagers in London?

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