London Canal Museum

Name: London Canal Museum
Address: 12/13 New Wharf Road, London, N1 9RT, GB
Price range: Free
Rating: 4.5

#127

⭐ Highligts

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

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

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

Sunday: 10:00 – 16:30

Tuesday: 10:00 – 16:30

Wednesday: 10:00 – 16:30

Thursday: 10:00 – 16:30

Friday: 10:00 – 16:30

Saturday: 10:00 – 16:30

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

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Housed in a genuine 19th-century ice warehouse—architecture and exhibits tell one seamless story.

Volunteer and staff guides add detail that you won’t get from labels alone.

Access includes a lift to upper displays, making most areas feasible for many visitors.