Museum of London Docklands
Museum of London Docklands
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
From Roman settlement to Docklands’ regeneration, explore the history of London’s river, port and people in this historic, Grade II listed warehouse. Discover how the docks made the city we know today with interactive displays and family activities. Immerse yourself in the recreation of Victorian Sailortown, find out how the transatlantic slave and sugar trade shaped London, and learn how the port survived the blitz and aided the war effort. You can pre-book a free ticket in advance, or free tickets are available on the door. Please check the Museum of London Docklands website for up-to-date opening times. The Museum of London Docklands is located on West India Quay, an historic dockside destination just a short walk from Canary Wharf, with a range of bars, restaurants and activities to enjoy – ideal for a day out at the docks.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Docklands / Canary Wharf / Isle of Dogs
How to get there
- West India Quay • 4 min walk
- Westferry • 4 min walk
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2,043 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- Anne E4 contributionsExhibition very good!Went to see the Executions exhibition which is excellent! pre-booked online upon reading about it. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in going. I walked around the museum and there was a lot there; educational also.Visited April 2023Traveled soloWritten April 10, 2023
- Janice B1 contributionA good day out with grandsonWe took our 7 year old grandson and we all had a great time. There were plenty of things for him to do as well as learning much. We listened to an excellent talk on the Blitz and Evacuation by Ben. He involved thise present and kept all children present captivated.Visited April 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten April 13, 2023
- simcat14 contributionsExceeded expectations!We'd planned to go for an hour so as we were nearby but ended up staying for over 4 hours and still hadn't quite seen it all. 2 really interesting talks on the Beatles and the NHS & Windrush - both really brought history to life. It was quiet when we were there which made it easy to read all the displays and see the exhibits. Would definitely go again. Cafe was good value - which isn't always the case in a tourist venue. We had no issues about making a donation - it was well worth it!Visited June 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten June 25, 2023
- Andy CLondon, United Kingdom12 contributionsGreat museum you should visit!The museum is great - will be particularly of interest to Londoners. Lots of information on the slave trade, triangle trade, and development of the docks. Was there for over 2 hours and I will need to go back to do the 2nd floor on the area in the 20th century. I must also mention the excellent talk by Andy on the Beatles! If you visit it, go on it! There are three photos of the Beatles in Docklands in 1968 - but the talk will tell you much, much more. I can't believe I haven't visited this museum before..Visited May 2023Traveled with friendsWritten June 28, 2023
- LLM_in_NJHoboken, New Jersey79 contributionsFascinating History of the London DocklandsFascinating history of the London Docklands in a building dating from 1802 that was the first one of the new dock buildings built. Tons of artifacts with excellent descriptions and explanations. Deep explorations into a variety of subjects including the Triangle Trade, trade union activity, how the docks were affected by WW2, etc. There's a great model of the entire docklands area including all the different quays. A similar model was used by the Luftwaffe when planning their bombing raids on London. Very well done. I hadn't really realized that the London docks handled literally everything you can think of from sugar and rubber to exotic animals.Visited July 2023Traveled soloWritten July 12, 2023
- Josh T29 contributionsFascinatingI don't usually write reviews of museums, but I found this one to be fascinating. It's a must for history buffs. I spent 90- minutes there, but if I didn't have a plane to catch, I could probably have stayed twice as long. One thing to be aware of though it was full of school groups and children running around screaming. I'm surprised that the staff and teachers permitted that.Visited July 2023Written July 12, 2023
- Katherine49 contributionsExcellent museum split my pressurised £5 per head donationVery interesting museum that covered the docklands history, culture and attrocitesties (including the slave trade, to second world war onto the building of Canary Warf). A special thank you for the personalised talk provided by the Saturday morning female volunteer who brought to life the Thanes and how it effected London and created the docklands. Would have given it a five star review, but was greeted by a male volunteer who was over insistent on a £5 per person donation on arrival, even before seeing getting into the museum! Then requested gift aid!Visited June 2023Traveled with familyWritten July 29, 2023
- Karina L3 contributionsGod museumNice small museum. Great for going with kids and friends to explore London trade history. Cafe downstairs is good enough but there are loads of options around the area for foodVisited November 2022Traveled with familyWritten August 7, 2023
- TravelovingmomBoston, Massachusetts10 contributionsGreat for History buffs!Great museum for all ages. Interesting and thoughtful exhibits explain how British history evolved via trade, most of which transited through the Docks. Hands on exhibits for children, cafe for a sit down after. Highly recommended.Visited August 2023Traveled with friendsWritten August 8, 2023
- Ros h6 contributionsBrilliant for all agesThere were 4 of us, two 60+ year old grandparents, one 7 year old and one 3 year old. Despite the age range we all had a great time and plan to return soon. Our 7 year old loved the museum-provided treasure trails and quizzes. Our 3 year old really enjoyed the wide range of touchable things ( books, monitors, lift up flaps, toys) and both loved the craft session The staff were really friendly, and very patient with our own "Hermione Granger" who asked so many questions! We adults found loads of interest and plan to return without children so we can examine everything in depth. Huge, huge amount to hold one's interest including sections on slavery, Windrush, the redevelopment of the Docklands. But never so much as to be overwhelming or boring. Absolutely recommend.Visited August 2023Traveled with familyWritten August 24, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Popular mentions
4.5
1,454 reviews
Excellent
946
Very good
411
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78
Poor
11
Terrible
8
Will
sussex18 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
The Museum of London Docklands exemplifies why our history is so so important to keep alive. A brilliantly informative and vivid exhibition on the development of the docklands and the social and economic narrative sitting behind it. So often I find museums are a bit gimmicky or full of meaningless artifacts. This museum uses its exhibits brings the story to life.
Also to echo fellow reviewers on the excellent Covid measures that have been implemented. That would have taken a lot of thought and planning and they have pulled it off.
The staff seemed delighted to meet visitors and see visitors and were excellent on the day in implementing the measures, making people feeling welcome and delivering a great experience for visitors.
A 10/10 experience
Also to echo fellow reviewers on the excellent Covid measures that have been implemented. That would have taken a lot of thought and planning and they have pulled it off.
The staff seemed delighted to meet visitors and see visitors and were excellent on the day in implementing the measures, making people feeling welcome and delivering a great experience for visitors.
A 10/10 experience
Written August 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emma Z
7 contributions
Jan 2023 • Solo
Situated in a old dockland warehouse, this museum showcased amazingly rich history of how London infrastructure evolved from early 1700 to modern time.
Joined the tour with Stuart for sailor’s life in dockland for almost an hour and he explained all the lively details of how working class people and harbour labour used to live and work - eye opening and valuable.
Also enjoyed a unique experiences with Patrick who taught us old shanties - another reflection of sailor’s life back in 19 centuries.
Absolutely recommend visitors in London to come here as 19 century trading activities were closely associated with the old Victorian prosperity. This place tells history.
Joined the tour with Stuart for sailor’s life in dockland for almost an hour and he explained all the lively details of how working class people and harbour labour used to live and work - eye opening and valuable.
Also enjoyed a unique experiences with Patrick who taught us old shanties - another reflection of sailor’s life back in 19 centuries.
Absolutely recommend visitors in London to come here as 19 century trading activities were closely associated with the old Victorian prosperity. This place tells history.
Written January 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah S
Whitstable, UK101 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
Absolutely brilliant museum, very well laid out with fascinating insights into the history of this area. Three floors inside an original warehouse tracks the history of the Docklands and related industries including the slave trade. Superbly curated and excellent for children. We were also treated to a talk from the wonderful Katie on a transport disaster in the Thames in 1878. I would say you need at least 3 hours to do this museum justice, but as admission is free you could pop in and out - as I intend to do as I will definitely return.
Written March 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mick
60 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Visited with young children 6&3. It’s free to enter. Loads of exhibits telling the story of the docklands with lots of videos and visual aids and documents and artefacts all well laid out and easy to follow. Plenty of interactive things for the kids to dress up in or to learn about different things. There is a cafe but also what’s good is that they also offer a room for you to eat your own picnic. There’s also a free soft play area for toddlers age with a lot of different activities for them.
Highly recommended to visit
Highly recommended to visit
Written January 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matthew J
Warrington, UK364 contributions
Jul 2022
I was very pleasantly surprised by the Museum of London Docklands. We were visiting the Docklands area in London (somewhere I would definitely recommend visiting) and we saw this Museum signposted on Google Maps. We thought a visit would be a good way to kill a bit of time so we wandered over.
We were greeted by a very friendly lady who was obviously very passionate about the museum and its exhibits, which was really lovely. The exhibits themselves were detailed and informative and some parts were interactive.
Although I didn't visit, there was also a café on the ground floor, which serves drinks and light refreshments, as well as a gift shop.
The Docklands area itself is actually quite modern and the use of land has greatly changed over time, meaning the subject matter of this museum is quite intriguing. Although it's a little bit more 'off the beaten track', it has the advantage of not being inundated with hoards of tourists, which is another plus point.
The one disadvantage I can think of is it's not huge, but it's big enough for you to wander round for a few hours.
Overall, I would definitely recommend a visit to this small, friendly and informative museum!
We were greeted by a very friendly lady who was obviously very passionate about the museum and its exhibits, which was really lovely. The exhibits themselves were detailed and informative and some parts were interactive.
Although I didn't visit, there was also a café on the ground floor, which serves drinks and light refreshments, as well as a gift shop.
The Docklands area itself is actually quite modern and the use of land has greatly changed over time, meaning the subject matter of this museum is quite intriguing. Although it's a little bit more 'off the beaten track', it has the advantage of not being inundated with hoards of tourists, which is another plus point.
The one disadvantage I can think of is it's not huge, but it's big enough for you to wander round for a few hours.
Overall, I would definitely recommend a visit to this small, friendly and informative museum!
Written August 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katherine
49 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
Very interesting museum that covered the docklands history, culture and attrocitesties (including the slave trade, to second world war onto the building of Canary Warf).
A special thank you for the personalised talk provided by the Saturday morning female volunteer who brought to life the Thanes and how it effected London and created the docklands.
Would have given it a five star review, but was greeted by a male volunteer who was over insistent on a £5 per person donation on arrival, even before seeing getting into the museum! Then requested gift aid!
A special thank you for the personalised talk provided by the Saturday morning female volunteer who brought to life the Thanes and how it effected London and created the docklands.
Would have given it a five star review, but was greeted by a male volunteer who was over insistent on a £5 per person donation on arrival, even before seeing getting into the museum! Then requested gift aid!
Written July 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CheekyLondon
Southend-on-Sea, UK1,774 contributions
Sep 2020
This time I went to see the new Havering Hoard exhibition. Small and compact but very worthwhile. Very well curated with lots of interesting and pertinent information. Also makes references to other finds in other sites across the country. It is to be seen as an ongoing project, with new things being discovered all the time. It is interesting how it has been displayed as a series of options as to why the 'treasure' was buried here. Well worth a visit. We also had a look at the rest of the galleries - I never tire of learning things about the worklife of our ancestors in East London, a place very dear to me.
Written September 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
flyingpig1872
Glasgow, UK420 contributions
Jul 2021
We were staying in Canary wharf when we had our recent holiday in London so we visited this depsite not knowing much about it.
It was very quiet and there was plenty of time to look around ,the guide at the door was very helpful (take note Tate Modern and Natural History Museum) and with his help we enjoyed out visit.
The area around it is lovely too and next door to a very nice wetherspoons pub and a short walk to the subway station so accessible from any where in London.
It was very quiet and there was plenty of time to look around ,the guide at the door was very helpful (take note Tate Modern and Natural History Museum) and with his help we enjoyed out visit.
The area around it is lovely too and next door to a very nice wetherspoons pub and a short walk to the subway station so accessible from any where in London.
Written August 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pshonberg
Melbourne2 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We spent a couple of hours exploring the museum on our own in the morning. You are meant to start on the top floor and work down (however we only did the top floor). Then we went off to lunch in nearby Canary Wharf and returned in time for a guided tour. Our guide, David Matthews, really topped off the experience. As a descendent of one of the dock working families, he could explain and demonstrate the hard life led by the workers with personal examples. We could visualise their lives as if we were transported back in time. This included the time of building the docks, the slave trade and Thames based pirates. Well done David and thank you to the Museum of London Docklands for a wonderful experience. We will be returning with our grandson to play in the Mudlarks area and maybe, get a chance to explore more of this museum.
Written January 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeremy Y
Saint-Claude, Guadeloupe123 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
A very interesting and immersive museum about the life and the work of the people of the docks. It is really well done with a perfect balance of original artefacts, interactive displays, audio and video. I really enjoyed the recreation of sailor town, it really was like walking in a street 200 years ago.
For me the fact that they preserved an old warehouse for this is a real plus. Highly recommended
For me the fact that they preserved an old warehouse for this is a real plus. Highly recommended
Written February 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tankywalk
Northern Ireland, UK211 contributions
Can anyone tell me the nearest tube or DLR station to the museum and how far it is to the museum from them
Thanks
kevin
b00sun
watford133 contributions
West India Quay is about a two minute walk as long as you ignore the signs and just walk along with the dock on your left. Museum is on right past a few restaurants. We found street sign sent you round the houses
925Molly
London, UK67 contributions
Hi,
Does the museum sell old maps of London? Specifically looking for Rotherhithe
Thanks
Molly
Alexandra C
8 contributions
Not as far as I am aware. Best place to look is online. Southwark Council has just published a range of maps of the area on their website free to view and download. The Nationall Archives online bookshop has a wide range. A lot depends on what date you are looking for.
MLinwood
Billericay, United Kingdom13 contributions
How much time should I allow to visit the museum?
Museumof L
London, UK4 contributions
Hi, we recommend at least 2-3 hours for your first visit, but be prepared to lose complete track of time in our fantastic Grade 1 listed Georgian warehouse!
We have a café on the ground floor as well as our Rum & Sugar restaurant offering great food and atmosphere.
Please see out website for information on our free, daily gallery tours and short talks on a range of fascinating topics.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Museum of London Docklands
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