A commitment to learning and participation
As a charitable trust with custody of a unique and valuable transport heritage, the Museum has a strong commitment to the facilitation of learning and participation.
Our volunteers are always ready to answer questions about our collection and the history of the London bus, and to help those engaged in historical research.
There are opportunities for visitors to handle artefacts and, by arrangement, for school parties to ride on working buses so as to experience bygone bus travel. However, please note that being historic vehicles, our buses are not fitted with seat-belts.
Learning how a 1920s bus was restored >
Visits by Schools
We welcome visits by schools as part of our priority to engage with younger visitors and to encourage their interest in yesterday’s and today’s buses in an associated historical setting. We will work with teachers to facilitate use of the Museum’s facilities and exhibits in support of the National Curriculum.
A visit by your school party, with guided tour, can be arranged specifically to the Museum or, if required, on a joint basis with our friends and neighbours at Brooklands Museum. On occasions, and by special arrangement, it may be possible for your party to be collected and returned in one of our vintage buses. Please note that being historic vehicles, our buses are not fitted with seat-belts.
An advance visit can be arranged through our Education Trustee for one or two of your teachers free of charge. This will enable them to assess how the vehicles and artefacts in the museum can best link to their teaching programme and this can be discussed with a member of our education team face-to-face.
To discuss feasibility and cost, please make an enquiry with our Education Officer here.
< Learning about a Victorian horse-bus
Visits to Schools
Have you considered the positive effect and benefits that could be created by the visit of a historic red London double-decker to your school?
Many of today's children have never ridden on a bus, let alone experienced buying a ticket from a conductor who walks through the bus while the driver sits up front in splendid isolation!
The bus has played a key role in the social and economic development of the world we live in today and our historic buses tell the stories of bygone travel and customs.
Our Education Trustee will normally make an advanced visit to your school to check height clearances and manoeuvrability for the bus on the route to your school and within the school itself. As a result, we ask that you please book a visit to your school at least one month in advance.
To discuss the feasibility and cost of bringing a bus to your school (within an approximate 20 mile radius from the museum) and the possibility of providing rides for the children, please make an enquiry with our Education Officer here. Please note that being historic vehicles, our buses are not fitted with seat-belts.
World War II re-enactment >
Historic Re-enactments
The Museum can also bring a bus to schools to assist with their re-enactment events. For example, we have worked recently on a WW2 Blitz evacuation of children from the Beatrix Potter School in London in association with Wandsworth Museum.
To discuss the feasibility and cost of bringing a bus to support your re-enactment event, please make an enquiry with our Education Officer here. Please note that being historic vehicles, our buses are not fitted with seat-belts.
< Our bus helps to re-enact the WW2 evacuation of children from the Blitz
Support for tertiary education
The Museum supports the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Programme and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and can assist education establishments in connection with these.
To make a preliminary enquiry, please contact us here.
A robotic dog climbs the stairs at the Museum on a recent STEM Day >
