Free family summer programme celebrating seaside fun and Caribbean culture at London Museum Docklands

Written by Martin Banks

London Museum Docklands (formerly Museum of London Docklands) has announced a free and fun packed programme for families to enjoy during the summer holidays.

Kites, sandcastles, and ice creams will be the order of the day at “Seaside in the City”, a new immersive play space for children under 8 years old running from 10- 26 August.

A celebration of Caribbean culture, including music, crafting, dancing, and cooking will take over the site from 23-24 August, as the museum enjoys its first ever Family Festival of Caribbean Culture ahead of Notting Hill Carnival. Seaside in the City will recall days out to the Victorian seaside.

Amongst beach soundscapes and seaside scents, toddlers and young children can dish up paper fish & chips, perform puppet shows, build sandcastles out of blocks, create a souvenir postcard, or paddle in a sequin sea.

There will be two soft play areas (one for children under 3, another for children over 3 years old) and a dedicated baby-zone with a cloth rock pool, sea animal puppets, and countless fabrics to uncover.

On Friday 23 and Saturday 24 August, ahead of Notting Hill Carnival, London Museum Docklands will hold its first ever Family Festival of Caribbean Culture.

The two-day event will include workshops from Nzinga Dance, music from DJ Melvina Move, and art workshops from Araba Scott. Visitors can get crafty making their own carnival headdress or cook up a storm in a food making workshop, hosted by Ella Phillips and Darryl Gadzekpo, authors of From Plant to Plate.

There will also be storytelling sessions with author Wendy Shearer, who will uncover folktales, myths and legends from Africa and the Caribbean: From the trickster tales of Anansi the spider, to the story of how the leopard got his spots.

Highlight events for young adults will include a special talk from Donata Miller-Obebe (Curator, V&A Global Africa team), exploring the history of Caribbean artists, designers and their works from the 1960s to the present day.

Whilst Youth organisation Taking Shape will share interactive games, objects, and historic stories from London’s Caribbean community.

For those planning a full day out, there will be picnic tables, ice creams, and activity boxes on the quayside to enjoy books and colouring, alongside the sunshine, sights and sounds of the Docks.

The museum’s regular family activities will continue, with its free monthly themed play sessions for under 5-year-olds, Tots at the Docks, running on 31 July and 7 August. Self-led family trails are also available to introduce little ones to the museum, with children invited to help the city rat Riley Ratcliff find her furry ancestors around the galleries.

The museum’s Mudlarks family gallery will be available to book, introducing the museum’s stories in an interactive environment for those under 8 years old.

Elsewhere, families can wind their way through the ramshackle streets and shop fronts of the immersive Sailortown, step into a Docker’s living room complete with piano, or sit in a wartime shelter to learn more about London life during the Second World War.

Cassandra Tavares Alen, Learning Manager said: “Whatever the weather, we have fantastic activities for families over the summer holidays. Whether it’s discovering the history of the capital, enjoying our soft play spaces, or having a picnic on the quayside, there’s loads to enjoy for a full day of adventures.”

The museum is fully accessible to buggy and wheelchair users. It has available baby changing facilities, lockers, and a café which is open for food, drinks and hot beverages between 10am-4.30pm.

All events are free, with some booking required. For more information, please visit: https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london-docklands/whats-on/summer?id=362008

About the author

Martin Banks is an international freelance journalist with 44 years experience covering national and international stories.