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The award-winning London Transport
Museum has been housed in Covent
Garden's old Victorian Flower Market since 1980.
The collection records the history
of London's public transport system from the first buses of
the 1820's to the present day.
The history of London's public
transport reflects it's social history. At first the
bus, tram and underground routes followed the growth of the
city and but later they promoted its development. The northern
and western suburbs did not start to grow until their underground
connections were constructed.
As well as tracing the history
of London's public transport, the museum also looks forward
to the future.
The museum balances fun and education
and is very popular with children and adults. Children
are given a 'Kidzones' card which they can stamp at
points along the way, an incentive for them to complete the
tour.
There are plenty of interactive
displays and children can clamber aboard an early tram and
pretend to be a bus conductor, or put themselves in the driver's
seat of a London bus or Underground train.
Also in the museum is a collection
of 20th century commercial art. Throughout their history
London's bus and train companies have been patrons of contemporary
artists, and among the designs on display are works by the
innovative Art Deco artist E. McKnight Kauffer, and the celebrated
1930's artists Paul Nash and Graham Sutherland.
The museum shop, also open to
those not visiting the museum, has copies of some of the best
posters in the collection, together with a selection of books
for the transport enthusiast. Many of the items display
the London Transport logo or the stylish London Underground
font. Items such as mugs and stationery feature
well-known slogans like: 'Mind the Gap', 'Not in service'
or 'Penalty for improper use £50'.
Admission charge -
free for accompanied children under 16
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London
Covent Garden
