Visiting the Tower of London with children: everything you need to know
One of London’s most famous tourist attractions is the Tower of London. Far from being a dusty relic, this is a location with tales of real life kings, queens, prisoners and ravens. This is a venue where your children’s school history lessons come to life. Whether your children are the type to be fascinated by the Tudors, spellbound by sparkles or riveted by ravens, this guide will help you to make the most of visiting the Tower of London with children.
Visiting the Tower of London: the essentials
What is the Tower of London?
The Tower of London is now one of London’s most popular tourist sites but it has a long history dating back to the times of William the Conqueror. In the period since, it has served as a palace, prison, armoury and treasury.
The Tower of London is probably the most famous for having housed as prisoners, Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey, Guy Fawkes and the two princes, Edward V and his brother Richard.
Today, the Tower of London is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also the home of the Crown Jewels, a collection of glittering crowns, rings, sceptres and other regalia that is still used in ceremonies today, most recently at the coronation of King Charles.
Where is the Tower of London?
Located in Tower Hill, on the east edge of Central London, the Tower of London is situated on the north bank of the River Thames.
The Tower of London is located close by to a number of other London attractions, including Tower Bridge, the HMS Belfast (just across the river), St Katharine Docks, the Garden at 120 and St Dunstan in the East. It’s very easy to combine a visit to the Tower of London with a visit to any of these sights. It’s also conveniently located for taking a trip up or down the river on an Uber Boat from Tower Pier.
How much does it cost to go in the Tower of London?
As one of London’s main tourist attractions, a visit to the Tower of London doesn’t come cheap, with standard adult tickets priced at just under £35. Tickets for children are cheaper and there are various concession tickets available. A full price list can be found here.
The Tower of London is part of a group of venues referred to as the Historic Royal Palaces. The Historic Royal Palaces include the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace. If you plan to visit more than one of the Historic Royal Palaces, you may find it cheaper to buy an annual membership than to buy tickets for each venue.
Alternatively, if you are looking to save money and are travelling by rail, the Tower of London participates in the National Rail 2 for 1 offer.
Do you need tickets for the Tower of London?
Yes, tickets are required in order to visit the Tower of London.
Tickets can either be purchased at the on-site ticket office or, alternatively, pre-booked in advance. During peak tourist season (June through August) and school holidays, pre-booking becomes especially valuable as it guarantees your entry and helps you avoid potentially long queues at the ticket office.
Note that the ticket office is separate from the Tower of London (it’s just across from it). In order to buy tickets in person, you will need to queue at the ticket office and then, once you have tickets, you will then need to join the queue for entrance to the Tower of London. The ticket office does not open until the Tower of London does. So you will definitely save yourself some time by pre-booking online. However, there are some tickets (for example discounted Universal Credit tickets) that must be purchased at the ticket office.
When is the Tower of London open?
The Tower of London is open most days. It is closed 24-26 December and 1 January. Check their website for other closures and for specific opening times.
Getting to the Tower of London
What is the nearest tube to the Tower of London?
The nearest Tube station to Tower Bridge is Tower Hill Station (Circle Line and District Line). Also nearby is DLR station Tower Gateway.
Do I have to queue for the Tower of London?
It is highly likely that you will experience at least some queuing for the Tower of London, especially if you visit on a weekend or during the school holidays.
If you haven’t pre-booked tickets then you will likely need to queue at the Ticket Office to buy tickets.
In order to enter the Tower of London you will also likely have to queue to enter the Tower of London. In addition to ticket checks, there are also security checks to pass through. Once the Tower of London opens, this line generally moves pretty quickly.
Inside the Tower of London, you can choose which order you see things in, there is no single way to do it and no right or wrong way. However, the more popular or less accessible parts do tend to develop queues more quickly than others, for example, the Crown Jewels exhibition. In order to avoid the worst of the queues, try and either head straight to the Crown Jewels exhibition (if visiting when the Tower opens) or leaving it until last (if visiting in the afternoon). Most other exhibits and buildings have shorter waits or none at all, although you may need to wait at times for people to move before you can get up close with some of the displays.
In order to make the most of your visit with children, it is a good idea to manage expectations and perhaps have a plan for keeping them entertained, should you end up in a lengthy queue at any point.
The nature of the Tower of London is that much of your visit will be spent outside, either moving between buildings or along the walls. Any queues will also likely be outside. Therefore you should ensure that you are prepared for the weather – good and bad – either with appropriate sun protection or with protection from more inclement weather.
At the Tower of London
What is there to see at the Tower of London?
There are no end of things to see at the Tower of London, we’ve picked out a few highlights here:
- Yeoman Warder tours – More commonly referred to as ‘Beefeaters’, the Yeoman Warders live and work in the Tower of London. They also serve as tour guides, sharing their knowledge of the Tower with visitors. Regular tours led by Yeoman Warders run throughout the day. These tours start from the moat and last around 30-40 minutes. The tours are designed to be entertaining and feature the gory and gross information that kids will love. These tours are free to join and don’t need booking, just join the group at the meeting point and then follow the tour.
- The Crown Jewels – The Crown Jewels are one of the biggest attractions at the Tower of London. The Crown Jewels exhibition includes various regalia used at coronations, including, most recently, the Coronation of King Charles. At the end of the exhibition are the various crowns in all their sparkling glory. Helpfully and to make sure everyone can see them, you board a moving walkway which takes you past them (don’t worry, you can go round this bit as many times as you want – make sure to see these treasures from both sides!).
- Ravens – seeing the ravens is a highlight for any visitor to the Tower of London. The famous legend is that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the kingdom and the Tower of London will fall. Needless to say, they are very well looked after by the Ravenmaster. Look out for the ravens as you explore the Tower of London.
- White Tower – The White Tower is probably the bit of the Tower of London that you think of when you think of the Tower of London. Inside it houses the line of Kings exhibition, which consists of models of horses and people and also contains suits of armour. The White Tower is one of the most child-friendly and interactive parts of the Tower of London. Make sure to check out the dragon made of weapons and other objects, and also the interactive exhibits on warfare.
- Battlements – The perimeter walls offer an opportunity to explore the various bastions and also spot famous London landmarks (the view of Tower Bridge from here is particularly good). Make sure to keep an eye out for the ravens as you go. From the battlements you can also access the Royal Beasts exhibition that has lots of buttons to push and lids to lift to get information.
What facilities are there for children at the Tower of London?
It’s important to remember that while the Tower of London tries to be inclusive, its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site and as a historical venue, means that some areas of the site and some exhibits are not designed for younger children. For example, many of the paved areas are paved with cobblestones and so may prove tricky for pushchairs/strollers or toddlers. Likewise, many of the areas of the Tower are accessed via steps (including spiral staircases) and cannot be accessed with a stroller. There are two designated places where you can ‘park’ your stroller but do note that these are not secure. There are no other baggage storage facilities.
There are baby changing facilities in the Brick Tower toilets.
For educational support, the Tower offers activity trails and worksheets designed for different age groups, available free of charge from the Welcome Centre. These help turn the visit into an engaging treasure hunt, encouraging children to explore while learning about the Tower’s history.
How long can you spend at the Tower of London?
Once you have entered the Tower of London, you can spend as long as you like there until closing (although do note that re-entry is not permitted). How long your family can spend there will very much depend on the age of your children and your interest in history. If you ask some visitors, they will say that visiting takes either the best part of a day or the whole day. This could certainly be done if you spend time carefully reading everything. Other families say that they spend no more than an hour there. This could certainly be the case if you visited when it is quiet and primarily look around rather than reading many of the displays.
Most families will find that a visit that covers all of the main parts of the Tower of London will take somewhere between two to three hours (excluding any breaks for refreshments).
Whatever your family’s style, the key is to go at a pace that works for you and your children. You’re bound to learn something and come away with memories, however much time you spend at the Tower of London.
Can you eat in the Tower of London?
Yes. There are a number of places within the Tower of London where you can buy refreshments. The main indoor dining space is the New Armouries Cafe, and there is also an outdoor dining space, the New Ravens Cafe. As is to be expected for a major tourist attraction, food is pricey and the selection is relatively limited. During colder or wet weather, the indoor seating areas can fill up quickly. If you’re visiting in winter or when rain is forecast, try to be flexible with your meal timing to avoid the busiest periods.
You can bring your own food to enjoy within the grounds (see our guide on where to buy picnic food nearby). Note that seating may be limited, particularly during peak lunch hours.
Visitors should note that while food and drinks are welcomed in designated eating areas, they’re not permitted within the buildings. This helps to preserve the historic interiors and artefacts.
TOP TIPS for visiting the Tower of London with children
- Stop by the Welcome Centre before you visit the Tower of London (it’s located outside near the Ticket Office) to pick up information leaflets and trails for children. If you have any particular access needs, this will be particularly worth your time.
- The quietest time to visit the Tower is before 11:00. The busiest time is the middle of the day. The number of tourists will start to dwindle in the afternoon. So if you’re looking for a visit with fewer people, either try and get there early or arrive later in the afternoon.
- If a visit to the Tower of London isn’t enough history for you and you are visiting with older children, make sure to book tickets for the nightly Ceremony of the Keys (for more information see our blog post with everything you need to know about attending the Ceremony of the Keys).
Is there a question you have about visiting the Tower of London with children that we haven’t answered here? Let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to address it.