The London Transport Museum has announced that this summer it will launch a new tour of the disused Aldwych London Underground station, specially designed for families.

The tour is aimed primarily at 10–14-year-olds, but is also open to older children.

Opening in 1907 and originally named Strand, Aldwych station was a Piccadilly Line terminus. It was closed to the public in 1994, six years before TfL came into being.

The Museum has developed the ‘Hidden London’ tour in conjunction with a family visitor attraction specialist. It is based on the ‘Aldwych: end of the line’ tour, which the Museum has been operating for the last ten years.

The new guided tour will have an interactive format, with activities that the Museum boasts will tell the story of the station in a way that young people will find “more engaging and accessible”.

Tour participants will have the opportunity to visit the disused station’s ticket hall with its distinctive tiling. They will also explore the original platforms and wooden lifts.

Tour guides will tell visitors about Aldwych Station’s past roles as a working station in the Edwardian era, a bomb shelter during both world wars, and its use as a filming location since its closure. The tour will also challenge participants to solve riddles, clues and problems.

Extra features of the tour will include oral testimonies, smell jars and other objects.

Both the original and the new tour will run as part of the LT Museum’s Hidden London summer programme, which runs every year and this year begins on Wednesday 16 July and ends on Sunday 30 August.

“Launching our first family-dedicated tour is a big milestone for Hidden London and a reflection of how popular the programme has become with younger audiences since we opened our tours to over 10s in 2024.

“It’s exciting to launch a tour that is especially written for younger guests, giving them the chance to explore London’s history right where it happened in a way that’s immersive, engaging and designed with their own curiosity in mind.

“As an educational and heritage charity, we’re committed to helping young people discover and connect with the city’s rich transport history. This new family tour forms part of our wider ambition to inspire the next generation, especially as we are starting to think creatively about the future of the museum in the lead‑up to our 50th anniversary in 2030.”

Elizabeth McKay, Director and CEO, LT Museum