London Canal Museum

Dedicated to London's historical and unique canal waterways which sprawl out across the city.

Enjoy access to London Canal Museum with The London Pass®

• Pay nothing at the door - simply show your London Pass.
• Take a tour of London Canal Museum, the only museum dedicated to London’s inland waterways.
• Learn about the history of London’s canals through a series of interesting exhibits, including scale models, artefacts and memorabilia.
• See inside a sensitively restored narrowboat cabin to learn more about the lives of those who lived and worked on London’s waterways.
• Step inside a recreation of a stable, the home of the horses who once worked on the canals, pulling boats along from the towpath.

The London Canal Museum covers the history, heritage and future of London’s canal system, giving fresh insights into these historically important waterways and those who lived and worked on them.

Located in an impressive Victorian ice warehouse, The London Canal Museum is the only museum dedicated to London’s inland waterways. With replica boats, educational displays, a downloadable audio guide and much more, the museum teaches visitors all about the history of London’s canals and those who lived and worked on them.

The London Canal Museum history

The London Canal Museum sits inside a historic building once used as an ice warehouse. The Victorian ice warehouse was used by Carlo Gatti, a Swiss entrepreneur credited with making ice cream widely available to the general public of London. He became the largest importer of ice in all of London, shipping in great quantities from Norway, transporting them up the River Thames and along the Regent’s Canal to his large warehouse. He stored the ice in two ice wells, which are today an interesting part of the London Canal Museum.

The museum opened to the public in 1992, designed to help preserve the heritage of London’s canals and waterways through educational displays, talks and sponsorship of boat and canal preservation programmes. Its location in Gatti’s large warehouse make it perfectly placed to provide an overview of the industrial and commercial history of London’s waterways. Its picturesque positioning on Regent’s Canal allows the museum to show visitors life on London’s canals today, with a number of pleasure craft and narrowboat homes moored close to the museum and drifting past throughout the day. It is the only museum dedicated to London’s inland waterways and one of the most popular and best-presented canal museums in the United Kingdom.

The London Canal Museum highlights

• See inside a narrowboat cabin and learn about the lives of those who lived and worked on London’s waterways.
• Step into the recreated stables to discover more about the horses who once pulled narrowboats along London’s canals.
• Look down into the museum’s original ice well to learn about the building’s previous incarnation as an ice warehouse.
• Learn all about how narrowboats are painted and the traditions behind their colourful designs.

The London Canal Museum facts

• The Islington Tunnel cuts through a hill between King’s Cross and Angel. Opened in 1820, it is just under a mile in length.
• London’s oldest canal is the Limehouse Cut, which opened way back in 1766.
• Over 10,000 people live on London’s canals.

Don't miss

Towpath Walk

Consider taking a self-guided towpath walk during your visit to the London Canal Museum. The museum have devised a route between Camden and the museum, which takes about an hour. They’ve put together a handy audio guide that you can download from their website before your visit. The guide points out many interesting features of this stretch of the canal and marks out its rich and fascinating history. Head to the official website for more details and to download. 

Special Events

The London Canal Museum holds regular events throughout the year. These include illustrated talks by expert presenters, guided towpath walks and boat trips through the Islington Tunnel. Such events should be booked in advance and may not be included with The London Pass®. Check the attraction’s official website for the schedule and information on how to book. 

Make the most of your London Pass

• Save on entry costs to the London Canal Museum and download audio tour guides from the official website here