Often described as the “first social network”, the history of London’s postal service and the crucial role it has played in the smooth running of the city can be explored at the London Postal Museum.
(Photo: George M. Groutas via Flickr / CC BY 2.0 DEED)
Located just north of Central London in the district of Clerkenwell, the family-friendly museum offers a fun day out with its array of interactive, hands-on exhibits that tell the story of how sending, delivering and receiving messages via post revolutionised the lives of Londoners. From the chance to jump aboard a miniature train and travel through tunnels underneath London’s Mount Pleasant sorting office to an audio-visual show charting a century of postal engineering innovations, the museum chronicles the social history of Britain via the medium of post. We’ve compared the best ways to visit the London Postal Museum below.
Tickets
Admission tickets for the London Postal Museum start at £17.50 for adults and £10 for children aged 4 and over. This includes access to the museum’s permanent and temporary exhibition spaces, as well as the Mail Rail miniature train (see above). Opening hours for the attraction are 10am to 5pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays, with the museum closed on Sundays and Mondays. Visits tend to last between 1.5 and 2 hours in order to take everything in. Booking in advance is advised to guarantee entry and you can save money by booking online.
We recommend buying London Postal Museum admission tickets via GetYourGuide.
London Explorer Pass
You can also gain access to the London Postal Museum by purchasing a London Explorer Pass. These allow you to create your own itinerary with a sightseeing credit package that lets you save up to 50% on between 2 and 7 top London attractions including the Postal Museum, as well as the London Eye, Tower of London, Big Bus Tours, River Cruise, and more. Passes are valid for 60 days from your first visit, allowing you to go at your own pace.
London Explorer Passes can be purchased at GetYourGuide.
Tours
There are currently no London Postal Museum tours available. However, to see even more of the museum’s renowned tunnels, you can book a guided Tunnel Walk as part of an additional ticket on select Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. This 75-minute walking tour takes you to hidden tunnels, tracks and platforms not usually accessible on the standard Mail Rail experience.