Urban Junkies London - Monday December 18

London has plenty of museums, but somehow they fall down when it comes to catering for the kids.

The roaring T-Rex at the NHM is good for about 10 minutes. But after that it's just the half-naked, animatronic Kylie at Madame Tussauds, and frankly we'd rather not expose our younger relatives to that.

Thank the Lord then for the Museum of Childhood, which has just reopened its doors after a £4.7 million refurbishment (and you thought you'd spent a lot on toys recently).

The installation of a stylish new entrance hall and the purchase of the oldest known rocking horse will impress the mums and dads, while the exhibitions should appeal to even the most jaded tweeny.

Everyone knows that swashbuckling is a top activity in the playgrounds right now, so the Alfred and the Pirates exhibition is well timed. Plus, anything which includes a pirate movie marathon gets our vote.

The most popular exhibition though is bound to be Happy Birthday Miffy. Yes, can you believe the minimalist little rabbit just turned 50? To celebrate the museum has gathered together silkscreen prints, photographs and original illustrations from the life and times of Miffy and her friends.

There's even the opportunity to 'dress like Miffy' although when we rang the museum earlier were we told that this invitation extends to the kids only. Spoil sports.

V&A Museum of Childhood - Cambridge Heath Rd, E2.
10am-5:45pm. Free entry.

by RH

Get in a Xmas mood at New Wimbledon where the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra play Christmas Classics. 7:30pm. The Broadway, SW19. £10-27. 0870 060 6646.

Still some tickets available for Duckie's socially mobile Class Club at the Barbican. 7:45pm. Silk St, EC2. £15-40. 020 7638 8891 or online.

We've been so good all year that Trash Club Xmas party is a must-do. 10pm-3am. 18 West Central St, WC1. £5.

The Media Burn exhibition at Tate Modern is now open on level 2. 10am-6pm Bankside SE1. Free. 020 7887 8888.

Last week of Spacey's Moon For The Misbegotten at Old Vic, Reginald D Hunter at Arts Theatre, Albion's Mariko Mori exhibition & FutureMap.

Stewart Lee: 90s Comedian once again at Soho Theatre. 9:30pm. 21 Dean St, W1. £15. 0870 429 6883 or here.

Paul The Girl plays her folk and twisted blues at 12 Bar Club. 7:30pm. Denmark St, WC2. £6. 020 7240 2622.

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