London Transport Museum to celebrate 120 years of the Piccadilly line this October half term

Saturday 24 October – Sunday 1 November 2026

• Families can take an imaginary journey across London on the Piccadilly line, create a flying Tube train and design a Tube station inspired by Piccadilly line architecture.
• Families with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can book an ‘early explorer’ session on 28 October to enjoy some of the Museum’s half term activities at a quieter time – advance booking essential.
• Keep the creativity going beyond half term with the Museum’s ‘creation station’ weekend craft activities running on selected weekend dates until March 2027.
• Kids go free and adult tickets offer free return day-time entry for a year – book at ltmuseum.co.uk.
• Out on the network, families with children aged 10 and over can also join one of the Museum’s Hidden London guided tours, including a family tour of Aldwych disused Tube station – book Hidden London tickets.

This October half term, London Transport Museum is celebrating 120 years of one of London’s most iconic Underground lines, the Piccadilly line. Since opening in 1906, the Piccadilly line has connected Londoners and visitors to some of the capital’s most famous destinations. From the buzz of Piccadilly Circus to the royal parks of central London and the transport hub of Heathrow Airport, the line has played a key role in connecting people, places and communities across the city.

Throughout half term, families can take part in a range of interactive activities inspired by the Piccadilly line and the places it serves. Through storytelling, arts and crafts and tinkering challenges visitors can explore how the line has evolved over the past century and imagine what it might look like in future.

October half term activities

‘See the sights’ storytelling sessions (ages 0–5)

24–27 October

This sensory storytelling adventure will take families on an imaginary journey across London on the Piccadilly line, visiting famous destinations along the way, from meeting the King at Green Park to catching a flight at Heathrow Airport.

‘Picc-a-carriage’ arts and crafts (ages 5+)

24–27 October

Discover how Piccadilly line trains have changed over the past 120 years, from the earliest carriages to the trains running on the line today. Taking inspiration from the past visitors can design their own train of the future.

‘Design a station’ arts and crafts (all ages)

28 October – 1 November

Visitors can unleash their creativity by designing their own Tube station inspired by the distinctive architecture found along the Piccadilly line.

‘Fly the Tube’ tinkering activity (all ages)

28 October – 1 November

Inspired by the Piccadilly line’s extension to Heathrow Airport, visitors can create their own flying Tube trains using a variety of materials. Through experimentation and play families can test their design and see how long their flying Tube can stay in the air.

Early explorer morning for SEND families

28 October, 8:30–10:00

Enjoy the Museum before regular opening hours in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Designed for children with special educational needs, disabled children, and their families, this session takes place with many gallery sounds turned off and the Museum closed to the public. Advance booking required.

Creation station weekend craft activities

Families can keep the creativity going beyond half term with the Museum’s Creation station weekend craft activities, taking place on selected weekend dates during term-time from October 2026 to March 2027. Inspired by stories from London’s transport history and the Museum’s collection, each hands-on session invites families to explore a different creative activity.

Upcoming events include creating a collage inspired by London Transport’s canteens and the influence of Caribbean communities on their menus (10 October), designing a remembrance roundel honouring transport workers who served in World War I (15 November) and making a pop-up railway (21 January). Included with Museum entry, these activities are a great reason for families to return throughout the year. For more information and a full list of dates visit: ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/creation-station.

During a visit to the Museum, families can also explore historic vehicles, climb aboard mini trains in the All-Aboard play zone and try driving an Elizabeth line train in the Future Engineers gallery. When it is time for a break, visitors can head to the Museum’s cafe for a bite to eat or visit the Museum shop, where they will find an exclusive range of transport-inspired toys, gifts, stylish homewares and vintage posters.

Adult tickets to visit London Transport Museum in Covent Garden include free return day-time entry for a whole year, and kids go free! Book in advance online: ltmuseum.co.uk.

Out on the network

Further afield, families with children aged 10 and over can also join one of the Museum’s exclusive Hidden London guided tours of secret locations across the Tube. This half term, this includes tours of the closed Jubilee line platforms at Charing Cross (now used as filming locations for productions such as Paddington and Skyfall), and Hidden London’s first family-dedicated tour of Aldwych disused station.

Tours run all year around Wednesday to Sunday and are available to guests aged 10 and over. Tickets can be booked via ltmuseum.co.uk/hidden-london. All tickets include half price entry to London Transport Museum for up to a month after the tour date.