The Cartoon Museum

• Immerse yourself and the family in the world of graphic design in the Cartoon Museum’s brand new stunning location.
• Find something to love in the unique exhibitions and displays put on show here throughout the year.
• If you want more comics in your life, the Cartoon Museum also offers hands-on workshops for all ages, and plenty of online resources.

With a vast collection of graphic novels, famous cartoons, comics, posters and more, the Cartoon Museum in London has been a prime attraction for any family with an interest in the arts since it opened in 2006.

Moving from Little Russell Street to a new location on Wells Street in 2019, this bigger building was designed by the creative architects at the Sam Jacob Studio so that the language and style of comics influence the very building the exhibitions are housed in.

This brand-new funky design has the capacity for larger and bolder exhibitions, as well as the ability to house more visitors.

The bright and vivid interior matches the substance of the displays and creates a wonderful playful atmosphere that children and parents alike will love, making it one of the best art museums in London to visit with family.

This small museum has a huge variety of things to see and learn about, with vibrant and intriguing displays that change periodically throughout the year. With exhibition themes running from British cartoon comics like the Beano to world cartoons that deal with deeper issues such as American politics.

They have a large collection of genuine historical articles from many eras of graphic design and cartoons; both kids’ cartoons and adult, that will fascinate all members of the family.

Some of the interesting temporary exhibitions have included; Drawing Life, Dear Mr Poole and American Presidents.

Children will enjoy seeing cartoon art in frames like other regal masterpieces and getting to learn about the different kinds of art on display, while parents will find humour in the satirical and political commentary some of the art makes. You won’t find displays on such unique and interesting topics anywhere else.

The Cartoon Museum houses a vast collection of artwork with over 6,000 original comics, cartoons and sketches as well as an extensive library that contains over 8,000 art books and graphic novels. A tailored selection of this collection is available for viewing on their website to give you a taste of what they have to offer before you go.

For the hardcore comic fans the Cartoon Museum hosts a wide variety of hands-on workshops, meetings and specialised talks for people of all ages to enjoy.

From school children who read comics every day to adults who are into graphic design as a hobby, there is an activity on offer here that will pique the curiosity in any art lover.

The Cartoon Museum website also offers some free resources for budding artists to improve their craft. With tutorials on how to draw caricatures of modern figures in politics, storyboarding and anatomy advice along with the basic foundations of making a comic strip, there is so much to learn before you even step foot in the building!

Young artists will love these resources and it will make a definite improvement in their skills and understanding of the art of comics.

What to know before you go

• Due to COVID regulations, the Cartoon Museum is currently closed for visitors. Even though you cannot physically go to visit the Cartoon Museum yet, an exhibition has been uploaded on to their website for fans of the art to enjoy while waiting for the reopening of the museum itself.
• There are no food vendors on site, however if you’re booking a group visit there is an option for the Cartoon Museum to provide tea, coffee and biscuits for you in the museum at a small extra cost. Please keep in mind that this has to be requested before you arrive on the premises.
• There are toilets, including wheelchair accessible toilets, on the ground floor.
• The entire museum is wheelchair accessible. There is a step before going into the shop but a wheelchair ramp is available on request.
• Magnifying glasses and pamphlets with large lettering are available at reception for visitors who require them.
• If booking a group visit, there is an option for a guided tour and talk of the collection with a knowledgeable member of staff for a small extra cost. This feature must be requested in advance.
• Tickets for the workshops must be booked online. Each workshop is a 90-minute session, please see the Cartoon Museum website for more details on pricing and the different classes on offer.
   

How to get there

• If you are taking the Tube, the museum is an eight-minute walk from both Oxford Circus (Bakerloo, Central and Victoria Underground lines) and Goodge Street (Northern line) stations.
• If you are travelling by bus, the following routes have stops along Oxford Street which is just a short walk away from the museum; 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 23, 25, 53, 73, 88, 94, 98, 113, 137 and 159.
• There is no parking available on site however there are plenty of pay-and-display areas to park the car nearby.