If you’re visiting London, you can’t miss out on a visit to the London Canal Museum. Located in the Battlebridge Basin of Regent’s Canal, this museum tells the history of the development of the London Canal and offers visitors a glimpse into how people used to live by waterways.
It’s not only a great museum, but also a wonderful place to spend a day. Here are a few tips to help you plan your trip.
1. Get There
Located on the canal at Battlebridge Basin, a short walk from King's Cross station, London Canal Museum is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the history of London's inland waterways. With replica boats, educational displays and a downloadable audio guide, this unique regional museum is a must-visit for a true taste of the city's rich canal heritage.
Set in a former ice warehouse of the 1860s, the museum tells the story of London's canals, their people, horses and trade. Peer down into a huge ice well, uniquely preserved; go inside a narrowboat cabin, and watch archive film.
The museum also has a shop selling books, souvenirs and more. A standard ticket gives you access to the exhibits, while a combination ticket combines museum access with a guided 1-hour boat trip through Islington Tunnel-an underground portion of Regent's Canal that can only be accessed by boat.
2. Book Your Tickets
If you’re going to visit the London Canal Museum, it’s a good idea to book your tickets well in advance. This can help you avoid any last-minute surprises or rushing around at your appointment.
Located in a former ice warehouse built for Carlo Gatti, the museum tells the history of the ice trade and ice cream as well as the city’s canals. Visitors can also peer down into two preserved ice wells that were used to store ice imported from Norway by ship and canal boat.
Located beside Battlebridge Basin on the Regent’s Canal, this unique waterways museum is just a short walk from King’s Cross station. It is the only museum dedicated to London’s inland waterways and includes educational displays, replica boats and a downloadable audio guide.
3. Plan Your Visit
If you are a canal lover or just a history buff, then the London Canal Museum is a must-see. This small museum is housed in a former ice warehouse and delineates the history of London’s canals and ice trade, among other things.
Inside the building, you’ll find a large Victorian ice well that was used to store ice imported from Norway by boat and canal barge. You’ll also find a small shop with books and souvenirs related to the canal.
You can get a standard ticket to visit the museum, or you can purchase a combined ticket that includes museum access plus a guided 1-hour boat trip through the Islington Tunnel-an underground part of Regent’s Canal. Make sure you book your tickets in advance to save time (and money).
4. Bring Your Camera
Visiting the London Canal Museum is a great way to experience the history of London's inland waterways. This unique collection of scale models, artefacts and memorabilia tells the story of how people lived and worked on canals in bygone days.
During the industrial revolution, canals were a vital part of transport and the purposer-built narrow boats meant that goods could travel long distances cheaply. The London Canal Museum showcases a range of exhibits related to trade and commerce, social history, industry, land transport, decorative art and archive film.
The museum is located in a waterside building dating from the 1860s, where two large underground ice wells were once stored. Visitors can now peek into one of the wells, and learn more about the Victorian trade in natural ice.
