Pauliina Ståhlberg is the director of the Finnish Institute in London, and a mother of four. Her job is to present Finnish culture in Britain. These are her professionale tips for visiting London with kids.

ZSL London Zoo

“Our children are especially interested in giraffes, which almost go crazy when they get food. As with most London tourist attractions, it is a good idea to buy the tickets in advance, as you will save money and avoid queueing.”

ZSL London Zoo. Address: London NW1 4RY. Admissions vary.

Natural History Museum

“This museum may be a bit old-fashioned, but it is educational and full of history. Head further in and see a blue whale in its actual – huge – size. The lifelike dinosaur robots are favourites of the youngest ones.”

Natural History Museum. Address: Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD. Free admission.

The Lion King musical

“The Disney spectacle is suitable for kids of all ages. The show follows the storyline and features the songs in that are familiar from the beloved Lion King movie, so knowledge of English is not necessarily needed.”

Lion King. Address: 21 Wellington Street, London WC2E 7RQ. Admissions vary.

British Museum

“The museum provides a leaflet with a trail of 12 attractions for kids. By following the trail you will find the best bits of the collections the Brits have gathered from all over the world. The mummies are not part of the trail, but they are easy to spot. Our kids find the animal mummies especially interesting.”

British Museum. Address: Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG. Free admission.

Harry Potter Studio Tour

“The setup, costumes, and special effects used in Harry Potter films can all be admired at the Warner Bros. studios Northeast from London. This is a must for Harry Potter fans. If you are not able to get there, visit Harry Potter shop at KIng’s Cross train station, where you can also find the platform 9 ¾ with the luggage trolley.”

Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Address: Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden, WD25 7LR. Admissions vary.

Viewing Level at Tate Modern

“You can see London from all directions from the viewing level of the new Tate Modern building. The admission to the museum and to the viewing level is free. You only need tickets for special exhibitions.”

Tate Modern. Address: Bankside, London SE1 9TG. Free admission.

Photo by Sara Forsius