If your kids are at that age when they like nothing better than to be scared silly, these spooky London sites will be right up their street.
Now obviously you could just go to Madame Tussauds or the London Dungeons.
But their prices are downright spooky too!
And luckily with all London’s history, it can’t help but have a good whack of spooky offerings.
Many of which are much cheaper or even free.
BUT be warned!
These spooky London days out are definitely not suitable for younger kids or sensitive little souls or scaredy cat mums and dads!
1. Hunterian Museum
The Hunterian Museum is the Royal College of Surgeon’s Collection.
Think glass jars of weirdness fit for scary Malfoy Manor or Knockturn Alley in Harry Potter and you’ll get the picture.
The museum is situated in Lincolns Inn Field – perfect for a picnic – and is free.
2. Chiselhurst Caves
The spooky Chiselhurst Caves are 30 metres down and stretch over 22 miles under south London!
The lamplit tour of the reputedly haunted caves is definitely not for the faint hearted.
The caves are just 5 minutes walk from Chiselhurst station.
3. The Clink Museum
Set in one of London’s most notorious old prisons, the Clink Prison Museum is full of gruesome torture equipment and gives some idea of just how nasty life would have been in a medieval prison.
There’s plenty of horrid histories style humour – great for 8 to 9s and up – with a bit of serious history mixed in.
£18 for the whole family, the Clink Museum is 5 minutes walk from London Bridge and 10 minutes from Blackfriars.
You could combine with the Tate Modern, Southwark Cathedral and yummy grub at Borough Market.
4. Old Operating Theatre Museum
Set in an old church in the shadow of the Shard at London Bridge, the tiny Old Operating Theatre Museum is Europe’s oldest surviving operating theatre.
Discover the gory secrets of surgery in an age with no anaesthetic.
And if you’re brave enough, lie on the operating table yourself!
It’s £14 for the whole family but half price with a National Trust ticket.
As it’s not a big museum you could combine with nearby Southwark Cathedral – location for a very spooky Dr Who episode – or the Globe or Tate Modern.
Unfortunately, the museum is closed this year between March and July so it’s one for the summer.
5. Kensal Green Cemetry & Catacombs
London has its fair share of grand cemetries.
But Kensal Green has the added attraction of catacombs, that you can visit on a tour.
They are not chamber of horrors style spooky but certainly eerie for older kids.
And you can pay your tributes to Brunel, Babbage, Thackery, Trollope and more whilst there.
The Cemetry is about 5 minutes walk from Kensal Green or 20 minutes along the canal from Westbourne Park.
6. John Soanes Museum
One of our fave small London museums, the John Soane Museum might not seem obviously scary.
But down in the crypt there are fabulous Egyptian sarcophagus.
And once a month there’s a spooky candlelight tour.
Situtated in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the John Soanes Museum is free.
7. Ragged School Museum
The Ragged School Museum is a brilliant way to experience Victorian school life.
You can actually attend a lesson as a pupil in a Victorian classroom.
And the old building is also meant to be one of the most haunted in London!
There are ghost hunts at the museum – spooky prices unfortunately! – but a Victorian classroom should be scary enough for most visitors!
The museum itself is free. It’s about a 15 minute walk from Limehouse station – walk into Limehouse Basin and then up the Canal.
Or 10 minutes down the canal from Mile End station.
8. The Spaniards Inn
One of London’s other mosted haunted sites is Dick Turpin’s old hang out, the Spaniard’s Inn smack on the edge of Hampstead Heath.
It’s the perfect location for ghost stories over an early dusk meal after an afternoon marauding across Hampstead Heath.
And definitely a must visit if like us your fans of all the highwaymen adventures in Leon Garfield’s Smith.
9. Tower of London
The Tower of London obviously needs no introduction.
And has ghosts a plenty.
Amongst many, Anne Boleyn reputedly haunts the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula and Arabella Stuart the Queen’s Tower.
But if you want the fully spooky experience go on a twilight tour – it’s expensive at £28 but it’s the same price as a standard adult ticket!!!
And you won’t have the problem of all those long queues.
Unfortunately, it is currently limited to 12 and ups.
10. Scary Price Places
If money’s no object and your little darlings will settle for nothing than full scale gore, you do of course have the choice of Madam Tussauds, the London Dungeons and the London Tombs.
I do hope you have fun scaring yourself witless at some of these spooky sites in London.
Do let me know about your faves.
And for more brilliant days out in and around London follow Family Fun London on Facebook.
Leave a Reply