March On to the National Army Museum

A dose of British military history and soft play, the National Army Museum is a perfect place to spend the afternoon in fashionable Chelsea. 

There are so many wonderful museums for young children around London. There is the National Maritime Museum and the Horniman Museum in southeast London; Transport Museum, Postal Museum, Museum of London in Central London; and Museum of the Docklands and the newly-renovated V&A Childhood Museum in East London. Recently, we finally made a trip to visit the National Army Museum (NAM) tucked away in leafy Chelsea. 

A Dose of British Military History

Unlike the Imperial War Museum, the NAM focuses on the history of British land forces. The museum itself is relatively small, but fascinating. After a three year renovation, NAM reopened in 2017 with five galleries covering British military history from the Civil War to the present. There is a lovely soft play area which can be booked for private birthday parties. If you need a coffee break, the cafe sits on the second floor overlooking a huge military aircraft. 

After a quick stop at the Duke of York Square, next on the agenda was the NAM on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The concept of war is too complex for my 5.5 year old, but that doesn’t mean Lady Yeya didn’t enjoy the museum. In fact, we spent nearly three hours as there were plenty of interactive activities for young children. Lady Yeya’s favourite was the interactive ‘army’ training session where she can “train” with three fellow cadets (including her mom!) in the Soldier Gallery. 

Similar to the soft play at the National Maritime Museum, Playbase at NAM is super fun with different play areas such as the kitchen and an assault course. It is very popular amongst local families so be sure to book your session early to avoid disappointment.  

Her Dad, being a huge history buff, would indeed enjoy this museum. Next time, it will be a daddy-daughter outing whilst mum enjoys some window-shopping on Kings Road.