The Postal Museum in London’s Clerkenwell, which has been open for just nine years, has been shortlisted for the UK’s best family-friendly museum award. The accolade, run by charity Kids in Museums, celebrates the most welcoming, fun and accessible cultural sites for all ages. A panel of children, young people and accessibility experts voted to include the museum on the shortlist, and undercover families will visit each location over the summer to determine the winner, expected to be announced in October.
What makes the Postal Museum stand out
Home to 500 years of postal history, the independent attraction is best known for its iconic ‘mail rail’ – a miniature underground train originally designed to transport mail beneath London’s streets. Visitors can ride the train through hidden tunnels, an experience that has become an online sensation. The museum also features a dedicated soft play area called ‘Sorted! The Postal Play Space’, described by TikToker @TinyLondoner as ‘an interactive mini town where kids can drive vans, sort parcels and role-play as postal workers.’ The play area is accessible without a museum ticket, with entry prices at £2.50 for adults and £4.50 for children aged one to eight; under-1s go free.
Family-friendly features and events
The Jolly Postman, a story-led interactive experience inspired by the classic children’s book, offers a calmer space for winding down. The museum also hosts special family-focused events, such as 45-minute ‘Family Storytelling’ sessions with props, rhymes and hands-on magic moments, held each Thursday in August on a first-come, first-served basis. The museum has earned a 4.6-star average rating from 5,686 Google reviews, and parents praise its suitability for toddlers and young children.
Visitor information
Adult entry to the museum costs £18.50, children’s tickets are £11.00, and under-2s enter free. The museum recommends allowing two to three hours for a visit. It is located less than a mile from King’s Cross St Pancras, Farringdon, and Russell Square. The Mail Rail entrance is directly across the road from the main museum; the ride lasts about 15 minutes. A café on site offers snacks, brunch, an all-day menu and drinks. All areas across both sites have step-free access via ramps or lifts. However, visitors with claustrophobia are advised to avoid the Mail Rail, as some guests have reported it feeling stuffy and overwhelming. One user, @Lisa, called the experience ‘rather overwhelming,’ while @SusieOwen added, ‘If you don’t like small spaces, the train is not for you!’
Other shortlisted museums
The Family Friendly Museum Award 2026 includes categories for Best Accessible Museum, Best Small Museum, Best Medium Museum, Best Large Museum, and Best Museum Careers Initiative. The Postal Museum is shortlisted in the Best Accessible Museum category alongside Brampton Museum (Staffordshire), Hull and East Riding Museum of Archaeology, and Woodhorn Museum (Northumberland). Other shortlisted venues include Leeds City Museum, National Football Museum (Manchester), The Box Plymouth, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (Glasgow), National Maritime Museum (London), and The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology (Oxford).
