Science Museum

Lonely Planet review

This is one of the most progressive and accessible museums of its kind, and does a terrific job of bringing to lustrous life a subject that is often dull, dense and impenetrable for kids and adults alike. With five floors of interactive and educational exhibits, it's informative and entertaining and has something to snag the interest of every age group.

The revamped Energy Hall, on the ground floor as you enter, concentrates on 11 machines of the Industrial Revolution, showing how the first steam engines such as Puffing Billy and Stephenson's Rocket helped Britain become 'the workshop of the world' in the early 19th century. Animations show how the machines worked and are accompanied by detailed overall explanations, including a section on the Luddites who opposed the march of technology.

It's impossible to miss the huge Energy Ring that hangs over the open atrium from the gallery Energy: Fuelling the Future on the 2nd floor. Pop up here to enter your name and answers to several energy questions onto the electronic tickertape messages that run around the inside of the ring. On the same level you will also find a re-creation of Charles Babbage's mechanical calculator (1832), the famous forerunner to the computer.

The 3rd floor is a favourite place for children, with its gliders, hot-air balloon and varied aircraft, including the Gipsy Moth , in which Amy Johnson flew to Australia in 1930. This floor also features an adapted flight simulator that's been turned into a 'Motionride'. Level 1 contains displays on food and time, while the 4th and 5th floors contain exhibits on medical and veterinary history.

Nostalgic parents will delight in the old cars and the Apollo 10 command module. However, both they and their children will probably most enjoy the hi-tech Wellcome Wing, which is spread over several floors at the back of the building. The SimEx Simulator Ride and IMAX Cinema are found here, with the usual crop of travelogues, space adventures and dinosaur attacks in stunning 3-D. There's a superlative exploration of identity on Level 1 entitled Who am I?, plus other hands-on displays for children.

There are no guided tours on offer, but you can pick up trail guides for children (lighter cover for younger kids, darker cover for older ones) or get a guidebook for around £2 . The Deep Blue Café on the ground floor of the Wellcome Wing opens from 10:30 to 17:30 daily.