London Canal Museum
Free
Transport
#125

London Canal Museum

Compact, story-rich museum in a former ice warehouse: London’s canals, working boats and the city’s historic ice trade.

Opening Hours

Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM

What's not to miss inside?

Canals 101

Clear panels, models and artefacts explain how canals powered London’s growth—and why they’re cherished today.

From freight routes to leisure lifelines.

Follow one cargo’s journey across a map and timeline.

📍 Ground-floor galleries

The Ice Trade Story

Reveals London’s pre-refrigeration ‘cold chain’—including imported Norwegian ice.

Cold storage before fridges.

List three industries that depended on ice and how canals served them.

📍 Around the preserved ice well area

Tunnel & Boat Add-Ons

A short cruise (often through the Islington Tunnel) turns displays into lived experience.

Hear the engine, feel the cut.

Do museum first, then the ride—context makes the waterway come alive.

📍 Booked departures from the museum

Inspire your Friends

  1. Housed in a genuine 19th-century ice warehouse—architecture and exhibits tell one seamless story.
  2. Volunteer and staff guides add detail that you won’t get from labels alone.
  3. Access includes a lift to upper displays, making most areas feasible for many visitors.