The Cartoon Museum — Attraction in London

We recently visited The Cartoon Museum on Little Russell Street near the British Museum. In the end, we found this to be a rather pricey museum experience that will be much better appreciated by cartoon enthusiasts who want to learn a bit about the history and evolution of the world of cartoons.

What you can see at this small museum is a nice historical account of the evolution of cartoons, featuring wall displays and various cartoon illustrations through the centuries. The focus is not on modern cartoons but mainly up until the end of the 20th century instead. Much of what you will see throughout the exhibition space is quite texty and geared for adults instead of children. In fact, there is a real risk that children will grow bored here.

What we enjoyed the most would probably be the nice downstairs exhibition dedicated to the late 20th century British cartoon and TV programme 'Spitting Image'. In addition to the wall displays, there are character puppets and a TV showing old episodes, this was enjoyable to watch.

Upstairs there were some wall displays, featuring cartoon strips and a few posters for notable favourites of the 20th century. These were nice to browse through. However, similar to the ground floor, everything seemed to be more adult-friendly and now particularly well developed or intended for younger visitors.

We spent around 45 minutes going through the various displays and were finished, ready to make our way to lunch. Photography is allowed within the museum. However, they ask that you only take general pictures of the rooms and not specific pictures of the historic cartoon illustrations.

In the end, we left feeling this museum could be better by including more modern cartoons into the exhibition and by reducing the heavy amount of wall text found throughout, replacing it with more modern, interactive type displays which might be more interesting, appealing and suitable to younger audiences.

Lastly, the high entry fee means that this museum will be better suited for enthusiasts instead of those with a simple interest in what can be seen The...

The Cartoon Museum — Whimsical, Thoughtful, and Surprisingly Moving Tucked away in Fitzrovia, The Cartoon Museum is a hidden gem that celebrates the art of British cartoons, comics, and caricature — from Hogarth to Wallace & Gromit. Whether you're a lifelong fan or just curious, this museum offers a playful yet profound look at how cartoons reflect society, politics, and imagination.

What to expect:

Over 6,000 original works spanning centuries of British cartooning

Special exhibitions — recent highlights include The Wrong Trousers anniversary and feline-themed comic art

Interactive displays and storyboards that reveal the creative process behind iconic characters

Family-friendly: Kids love the colourful visuals and familiar characters, while adults appreciate the satire, history, and craftsmanship. It’s a great stop between other central London attractions.

Staff & space: Friendly, knowledgeable team. The museum is compact but well-curated, with lockers and accessible facilities. No café inside, but plenty nearby.

Admission: Free for under-18s and Art Fund members. Affordable for everyone else, with concessions available.

Final world - Whether you're into political satire, nostalgic comics, or animated storytelling, The Cartoon Museum is a joyful and thoughtful experience. Highly recommended for families, creatives, and anyone who...

The Cartoon Museum — A Playful Archive of British Wit

Tucked away on Wells Street in Fitzrovia, The Cartoon Museum is a quiet gem that celebrates the art of satire, storytelling, and visual punchlines. It’s not flashy, but it’s full of character—like flipping through the best pages of British cultural history, one cartoon at a time.

The space is compact but thoughtfully curated. From 18th-century political caricatures to contemporary comic strips, the museum offers a timeline of British humor and social commentary. You’ll find Hogarth and Punch rubbing shoulders with The Beano, Viz, and Wallace & Gromit. It’s a mix of nostalgia, critique, and joyful absurdity.

Exhibitions rotate regularly—recent highlights have included feline-themed cartoons and retrospectives on iconic animators like Jamie Smart and Simon Tofield. The layout encourages lingering: speech bubbles, sketchbooks, and behind-the-scenes storyboards invite you to slow down and read between the lines.

Staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate. There’s no café, but plenty of nearby options, and the museum itself is refreshingly affordable—free for under-18s and concessions available for students and Art...