Swords, technology and real soldiers and horses at The Household Cavalry Museum

KimT's London for Kids Blog

Every visitor to and resident of London has probably been to see the changing of the guard. It’s one of London’s most famous things-to-see. But who knew that you could take a peek behind the scenes at The Household Cavalry Museum, a living experience, which is tucked away in a corner of Horse Guard’s parade?

Whilst the museum only opened in 2007 it’s just been bought bang up to date with some really neat technology (by London-based multimedia company Imagineear) so your kids will feel right at home with an interactive, touch screen navigation, choose-your-own-videos-and-commentaries 5-inch display tablet as they wander around in their headsets.

The entrance is beautifully cobbled and there’s a glass case with the bright uniforms of the two regiments that make up the Household Cavalry – The Life Guards (red) and the Blues and Royals (blue) as well as the more familiar green combat version. I didn’t realise that as well as all their ceremonial duties these folk also do operational tours like all other soldiers. There’s a shop here with lots of Union flag merchandise, tees and beanies with tanks on and plenty of pocket-money-sized mementoes and toys.

Under the wonderful stone cellar-like arches, there were the exhibits in glass cases – as you would expect – and some contained video screens and commentaries. The combat scenes, pointy decorative hats, shiny breastplates and memorials were interesting – and the stories ranged from World War I right up to present campaigns in Afghanistan.

I really liked the stables area – you can wander around in the museum stable area (and there are tiny uniforms for small people to try on) but there’s a big glass wall so you can peer into stables that are in active use and watch the horses and soldiers come and go as they perform their duties. I’ve never been so up close and personal to such enormous horses.

The video/audio guides (in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian languages) were a revelation. There’s a 20 minute and a 60 minute version of the tour. You get to choose what you want to listen to and watch. It was impressive to hear the Commander speaking. And Interesting to see the warts-and-all videos of now new recruits learn to ride – without stirrups.

Those interested in horses will love the day-in-the-life of a farrier story – I didn’t realise that horses had to have new shoes every month. Little girls will be inspired to hear about female soldiers involved in the Corps of Army Music (that’s particularly important to me living so close to Kneller Hall). There was an inspirational story of sacrifice with gas masks, a moving and sensitive account of the IRA bombing by Andrew Parker-Bowles and an uplifting story of a soldier who was seriously injured but found much joy in his remedial dog Coax.

I watched five and eight year old international visitors and they were utterly absorbed in the stories and knew exactly how to get what they wanted out of the tech kit as they wandered around the exhibits.

So why not take a visit when you can also see the Queen’s Life Guard change? That’s at 11am every day and 10am on Sundays. There are also inspections each day at 4pm. And there’s a non-commissioned officer in the museum daily at 10am to talk to visitors. You can take the kids for a run around nearby St James Park before or after your visit – and the newly refurbished café there is excellent. Maybe even a stroll past 10 Downing Street. There’s easy access from Westminster, Embankment or Charing Cross stations.

Adult tickets are £7 and concessions at £5 which includes the use of the technology. And museum profits help support our soldiers and their families. Please note that the museum will be closed this Sunday for the London Marathon.


www.householdcavalrymuseum.co.uk


Related blogs:

The Army Museum review

The Imperial War Museum review

Fly a typhoon at The Science Museum

Open house at Kneller Hall

Posted Date
Apr 11, 2014 in KimT's London for Kids Blog by KimT