Visit our museum

Visit our museum in Southwark and see how firefighting has developed over the last 340 years.

• Booking information
• Admission charges
• Information for children
• Schools information
• Fire! Fire! storytelling sessions
• Victorian firefighters loan box
• Oral history project film
• The St Florian Library and LFB Museum Library collections
• How to get to the museum
• Visit our shop
• Contacts

All visits to the museum are by appointment only. Once booked, your visit will be specially guided by one of our expert tour guides who will tailor the visit to your requirements. Open Monday to Friday, tours start from 10.30 or 2.00.

Booking information

All visits are specially tailored to visitors' needs and must be booked in advance on:

tel: 0208 555 1200 extension is 39894

email: museum@london-fire.gov.uk

When you email us or telephone us to book a visit, please tell us your name and telephone number, how many people you are booking for (maximum 40) and what you'd like from the visit.

Admission charges

• School groups £20.00 per class
• Storytelling sessions £40.00 per class
• Children (under 7) £1.00 per child
• Child (7-14) £2.00 per person
• Adults £3.00 per person
• Concessions & groups £2.00 per person

Information for children

Children accompanied by an adult are welcome to visit the museum. Due to the age of the fire engines we do not allow them to touch or climb on any of the fire engines. However we do explain how they work and how they were used.

We know this may disappointing for some people but, children will be shown the fire engines, be able to try on firefighter uniforms, and take part in drawing and colouring. We make sure sessions are suited to the age-group of the children, and where possible, keep children of a similar age together to ensure all their needs are met. Tours last for approximately one hour.

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Schools information

School groups are welcomed, catering for classes from Year One to sixth-form colleges. Visits are tailored to the needs of the class; we take a maximum of 30 children in one session. Tours take place at 10.30am or 2pm, Monday to Friday and should be booked well in advance. We charge £20 per class. Please note that we have no lunch facilities on site but there is a park opposite the museum for picnics, weather permitting. We cannot offer wet weather alternatives due to space restrictions.

• Download our teachers' pack [ PDF 95kb]
• Please contact the museum curators to discuss your school’s requirements.

Fire! Fire! storytelling sessions

In partnership with the Museum of London, we offer story-telling sessions drawing on the events of the 1666 Great Fire of London. Through interactive storytelling, KS1 children will learn about the events of the fire, how long it lasted and who put it out. We charge £40 per class per storytelling session for a class of 30 children. Bookings must be made well in advance. Sessions are held on alternate Tuesday mornings through the autumn and winter terms, please contact the museum for further details.

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Victorian firefighters loan box

The loan box focuses on the experiences of two Victorian firefighters. Through primary documentation, the loan box allows primary school students to learn how the past can be represented and interpreted in different ways.

The sources range from newspaper extracts, service records, various images and a replica of a Victorian firefighter's uniform. The following themes are discussed, uniform, developing technology of fire engines and station life, illustrating the lifestyle of firefighters and their families during the Victorian era. The loan box is lent for a two week period at a cost of £15.00. Please contact the museum for further information.

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The museum holds a wealth of information and exhibits depicting the history of firefighting in London from the Great Fire of London in 1666 to the present day.

Find out how to get to the museum.

Oral history project film

A film commissioned by the museum can now be viewed by visitors. It shows a series of interviews with 10 former National Fire Service personnel who served in World War Two. It is a unique, personal insight into how they were recruited to the Brigade, and what wartime conditions were like. The interviews relate in particular to how fires were tackled during the Blitz, and the other important and varied roles people played.

The film lasts for around one hour. Please contact the museum to find out more information and arrange a viewing.

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The St Florian Library and LFB Museum Library collections

We have a large collection of books, journals and loose-leaf documents spanning the history of the London Fire Brigade, from the Great Fire of 1666, the Victorian period, to World War Two and up to the 1970s.

The St Florian Collection focuses on fire science, safety and engineering. It contains technical reference books and journals, as well as historical publications and information on UK and overseas fire services.

To use either of the library collections, please contact the museum to arrange an appointment.

You can also visit our shop which sells a wide range of items. We are also setting up a friends of the museum support group - find out how you can become a member.

We can also help you with individual research. Find out how we can help you.

For more information about the museum contact:

email - museum@london-fire.gov.uk
tel: 0208 555 1200 extension is 39894

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