1. It’s inside a former flower market
1. It’s inside a former flower market
The highly decorative Victorian building that houses the London Transport Museum was once part of Covent Garden’s bustling fruit, vegetable and flower market, which ran here for a century between 1871 and 1971. The market’s cavernous, light-filled spaces and blooming beautiful wrought-iron arches clearly lent themselves well to exhibiting historic transport stock and associated ephemera. And so, in 1980, the building swapped petal power for pedal power and the London Transport Museum moved in, bringing with it the soaring High Street Kensington station arch that now forms part of the museum’s entranceway.
2. You can ‘drive’ a Routemaster bus inside
The word ‘icon’ is thrown around a little too freely these days, but we have no hesitation in labelling the classic Routemaster as such. As emblems of London go, this tomato-red double-decker bus is right up there with Big Ben, Tower Bridge and the classic black hackney cab. And you (yes you!) can sit in the driving seat of this true London original at the London Transport Museum. That’s right, don the driver’s cap and make your most convincing ‘vroom vroom’ noises as you travel back in time and captain RM1737 beneath the (imaginary) bright lights of Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. Iconic!
3. It’s home to the world’s first underground train
3. It’s home to the world’s first underground train
The Metropolitan number 23 train dates back to the 1860s, when underground rail travel was in its infancy, and you can ogle carriages from this titan of transport history at the museum. This steam locomotive would have operated along the OG Paddington-to-Farringdon line, but of course had the distinct disadvantage of being hot, smokey and dirty, causing a sort of grim perma-fug down in the tunnels. Uncharitable users of today’s hot, cramped Tube network might be forgiven for thinking circumstances haven’t materially improved in the intervening 150 years…
4. You can board a Victorian omnibus
Further time-travelling adventures await aboard the museum’s authentic horse-drawn omnibus. This was the Victorian transport method of choice before motorised buses became commonplace, putting riders high above the muck of the street, but promising sore bottoms as the inevitable trade-off. For fairly obvious reasons, there are no actual horses in the museum, but you should feel free to make your own clip-clop horsey noises to complete the illusion.
5. It’s a bit of a celebrity hotspot
5. It’s a bit of a celebrity hotspot
You can’t open an umbrella in Covent Garden without hitting a local celeb so it’s no surprise that the London Transport Museum has attracted its fair share of famous faces down the years. Travel enthusiast Sir Michael Palin reopened the museum following its £6m upgrade in 1990 and bona fide London icon Vivienne Westwood was there to cut the ribbon following a major refurb back in the noughties. In 2020, the future King and Queen even dropped by for a tour. Hey, if it’s good enough for Chas and Camilla…
Build your unique London itinerary with our trip planner
We’ll give you the best route to check off all your must-sees, museums, landmarks and more
6. There’s an eye-popping collection of vintage posters
The London Transport Museum boasts a collection of more than 30,000 vintage posters from the golden age of travel. Once ubiquitous on the London Underground, many of the surviving pieces have come to be considered bona fide works of art. Your museum entry – which, by the way, is included with The London Pass® – includes access to the Global Poster Gallery exhibition, where around 100 classic images from the collection are on display at any one time. Eyes peeled for pieces by famous artists including Tom Eckersley, Dora M Batty, Edward McKnight Kauffer and John Hassall, perhaps best known for his iconic ‘Skegness is so Bracing’ campaign. Don’t forget to pick up a reproduction print of your favourite in the excellent Transport Museum shop.
7. You can have a go at being a Tube train driver
7. You can have a go at being a Tube train driver
Mind the gap! Here’s your chance to show off your driving skills on one of several interactive attractions at the London Transport Museum. Step aboard an Elizabeth Line train cab for a simulated ride beneath the streets of London, where you’re expected to stick to the timetable and dodge the delays. You know, just like a real Tube train driver. Who knows, it might even make you think twice next time you’re stood on a packed rush-hour platform, furiously cursing the late-running service.
8. It has a secret West London depot
The London Transport Museums collection runs to some half a million items, running the gamut from carriages and locomotives to signals, signs and uniforms. And, as substantial as Covent Garden’s former flower market may be, it was never going to be big enough to hold all the buses and trains in the collection.
Step forward the Museum Depot in Acton, where volunteers and curators work to catalogue and conserve around 320,000 important collection pieces. You can visit on various open days held throughout the year, or on pre-booked guided tours. Highlights out at the depot include decommissioned train carriages, antique Underground maps, signs and roundels, and a working 7¼ inch gauge miniature railway line based on real London Underground locomotives, carriages, signals and signs. In short: wheely good fun!
If you enjoyed our eight interesting facts about the London Transport Museum, you’ll probably also enjoy visiting it, too! Entry is included with The London Pass®. You might also get a kick out of our favourite facts about the Air Force Museum. Or check out our guide to London’s best immersive attractions.
Step up your sightseeing with The London Pass®
We make it easy to explore the best a city has to offer. We’re talking top attractions, hidden gems and local tours, all for one low price. Plus, you'll enjoy guaranteed savings, compared to buying individual attraction tickets.
See more, do more, and experience more with The London Pass® - just choose a pass to get started!
