Did you know, 20 years ago Mail Rail, the miniature postal train, transported its last bit of post under the streets of London?

This summer, join us for 5 weeks of hands-on family fun celebrating postal inventions, inspired by Mail Rail! Unleash your inner engineer and find out about innovations from amazing mini railways to stamps, sorting machines and robot technology.

Tinker, play and create new inventions with arts and crafts, games, interactive shows and object handling every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Summer holidays. Each week, you can explore a new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) theme and put problem-solving skills to the test with fun challenges. And you can come back and take part in as many events as you like, using your annual ticket.

Want to beat the crowds this summer? If you or the little ones would benefit from a quieter experience, we recommend booking in the afternoon! 

Family trail

Thursday 27 July – Saturday 26 August 2023 / 10:00 – 17:00

Throughout the summer holidays, pick up a Family STEAM Trail and find out all about engineering, invention, design and making in the museum’s exhibitions. The trail is included with your ticket and available at the Welcome Desks every day we’re open. 

Construction Zone

Every Thursday and Friday from 27 July – 26 August  / 10:00- 15:00
Best for children aged 2–11 and their families. 

Play, build and experiment using building blocks of all sizes and shapes at the Construction Zone. Get the whole family involved creating tunnels, trains and chutes to find innovative ways to move the mail and keep a town connected.  

Mail Rail Science Show

27, 28 & 29 July / 11:00- 11:45 & 13:00- 13:45
Best for children aged 7–11 and their families. 

Learn to think like an engineer and take part in live experiments to test the pneumatic power and electricity that was used to move Britain’s first driverless electric underground railway, Mail Rail. 

Pioneering Postcodes

3, 4 & 5 August / 11:00- 13:00 & 14:00- 16:00
Best for children aged 5–11 and their families. 

Thinking about the landscape of your postcode and the things you see as you walk the streets you live, join us to build a town on our giant map, inspired by the early London district maps, using recycled and re-usable materials. 

Mail Rail Science Show

10, 11 & 12 August / 11:00- 11:45 & 13:00- 13:45
Best for children aged 7–11 and their families. 

Learn to think like an engineer and take part in live experiments to test the pneumatic power and electricity that was used to move Britain’s first driverless electric underground railway, Mail Rail.

Pioneering Postage Stamp 

17, 18 & 19 August / 11:00- 13:00 & 14:00- 16:00
Best for children aged 5–11 and their families.

Inspired by this amazing invention that opened up the world of written communication, come join us to design and build your own 3D stamp from recycled and re-used materials. 

Revolutionary Robots

24, 25 & 26 August / 11:00- 13:00 & 14:00- 16:00
Best for children aged 5–11 and their families.

Inspired by modern problem-solving innovations, such as flying drones and robots, come join us to tackle the challenges of today by building your own invention using recycled and re-used materials. 

Enjoy a 45-minute session in our play area for children 8 and under. Read our Rules for Sorted! before booking your tickets. You can book Sorted! without visiting the Museum, or you can purchase tickets for both experiences.

Once you have added a museum ticket to your basket, you will automatically be able to book Sorted on the next page.

Visiting the museum and Sorted?

Book your Sorted! entry approximately an hour before or after the time chosen for your museum entry.

If you are booking Sorted! entry for 16:00pm, we recommend you book Museum entry at 15:15 or before. You cannot ride Mail Rail after the 16:00pm Sorted! session. The museum’s exhibitions can be explored until 5pm.