People’s History Museum will close on Sunday 31 December 2023 and re-open on Thursday 1 February 2024 so that it can carry out further work as part of the Welcome Project at PHM, which stems from the museum’s vision to be an exemplar for accessibility.
Find out morePeople's History Museum is Family Friendly throughout, with hands-on stuff in every gallery for all visitors to enjoy.
t short ask for a free emergency nappy!
We are committed to supporting all visitors during their time at PHM. We understand that everyone has different access needs.
Click the button below for further information on access at PHM.
Access at PHMWatch this short film with your family ahead of your visit. See highlights and fun things to do, as well as practical information.
Find out how to plan your visit, and what to expect when you get to PHM.
PHM offers an engaging programme of Family Friendly exhibitions, installations, events, workshops, and activities, to connect you and your family with the museum’s unique collections and stories.
Suitable for a range of ages, see individual event information.
What's on for families
PHM shop is filled with books about inspiring people from history, to inspire little radicals for the future. Pocket money friendly souvenirs and gifts such as jigsaws and playing cards inspired by the museum’s collections are perfect for keeping little ones entertained.
Recurrent winner of the “Toymark” Good Practice Award, PHM shop is recognised for its inclusivity and for challenging gender stereotypes by the Let Toys be Toys campaign.
Browse PHM's online shop
Take a break from exploring with a sustainable, ethical, and delicious food experience at Open Kitchen Cafe & Bar at PHM; offering breakfast, lunch and drinks to grab and go, or sit in and enjoy.
Open Kitchen has worked with PHM to develop a Family Friendly offer to ensure the cafe is welcoming and affordable to all families. There is a child friendly menu that balances healthy with appealing, even for picky youngsters, with their lunchtime menu for kids including £2.50 sandwiches, £3.00 pasta, and £3.50 pizza.
Take a break
Make your own Doodle Den at home, pick up a pencil and explore PHM’s collections through sketching, scribbling and silliness.
Suitable for ages 5+
Get doodling!
Use this comic to help explain what protest is to children, exploring the complexity of emotions that might be felt and how you can be an ally to someone who needs support.
Suitable for ages 5+
Read comic
Discover the power of storytelling in addressing climate grief and create a multi-ended story where the reader chooses the destiny of the planet.
Suitable for ages 7+
Create your story
Make a hydroponic experiment to build your own window farm. Recycling a plastic drink bottle with a bit of fabric and some gravel, get your first crop planted.
Suitable for ages 7+
Get growing
Lots of the banners at the museum are decorated with images inspired by nature.
Go for a walk and see how many of these images you can find, then design your own banner with the images of nature you found on your walk.
Suitable for ages 5+
View activity sheet
PHM is proud to be a previous winner of the Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum Award, Britain’s only museum award where families pick the winner.
‘The museum staff were amazing. They were friendly, welcoming and informative. They came and chatted to the girls (not just to me!) and asked if we needed any help, and gave great feedback to the art work they were creating.’
Comment on PHM from Kids in Museums family judge.
The Kids in Museums Manifesto is a set of simple guidelines for museums created with children, young people and
families. It sets out what they feel makes a museum a great place to visit.
PHM is pleased to be one of over 1,000 museums, heritage sites and cultural organisations signed up in support of the Manifesto, and we are committed to following the guidelines and welcoming visitors of all ages and families of all shapes and sizes.
Find out more
PHM follows Family Arts Campaign’s Family Arts Standards, helping families to find arts activities that are suitable for all ages, covering the basic considerations for families visiting an arts experience.
‘Each time we go, we find something different and as my children get older they see and engage the exhibitions differently and get different things from the experience.’
Family feedback on PHM.
Are you more independent or community-focused? Experimental or measured? Prefer work or play?
Take our quick quiz to find out which radical you are! At the end we’ll offer you access to our free e-newsletter which matches your interests to what’s on at PHM.
