Include in your London itinerary a stop at Hamleys, a historic toy store that is the oldest of its kind in the entire world! See more about how Hamleys is a special store and entertains people of all ages!
THE STORY OF HAMLEYS
Hamleys is not only the oldest but also the largest toy store in the world. It was founded by William Hamley under the name "Noahs Ark" in 1760 in a location in the High Holborn region. It moved to Regent Street in 1881, where it still stands today. And it's not just any store, as the more than 50,000 toys for sale occupy 5,000 m², spread over 7 floors of the store.
Visiting this iconic store can be a magical experience for the entire family. If you're planning a trip to London and intend to explore the wonders of Hamleys, you might be considering accommodation options. To ensure you have a comfortable place to stay after a day filled with toy wonder, you can book apartments through various platforms, catering to every need and budget.
Internal area of the store
While in London, apart from visiting Hamleys, you might want to check out other top attractions and experiences that the city has to offer. Making a plan to navigate such a bustling metropolis can be daunting, but luckily resources like tophotels.com can assist in not only finding the best places to stay but also in discovering top-tier dining, shopping, and entertainment options across London.
The store sells toys, plush toys, games, dolls, building blocks, video games, school supplies and many other products. More than 5 million people pass through Hamleys every year, looking for a variety of gift items from basic toys to the most sophisticated and rare. A curiosity is that during World War II, the Regent Street store was bombed five times. Since 2015, the store has belonged to C.Banner, a large Chinese fashion footwear and clothing conglomerate.
There are 7 floors of varied products for all tastes
In addition to the famous London store, Hamleys still has plus other stores across the UK (England, Scotland and Wales) and more than 60 franchises around the world, including countries such as South Africa, Saudi Arabia, China, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Philippines, India, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Qatar, Czech Republic, Singapore, Turkey and Russia. Check the list of stores in this link.
WHAT THE HAMLEYS STORE IS LIKE AT REGENTS ST
You can already tell that the Regents Street store is more than a store, it's a tourist attraction isn't it? In addition to selling products, it hosts a series of events aimed at children with the kids' favourite characters and themes. You can consult the official site for information about events on the date you are visiting the city. There are both escalators and elevators to move through the 7 floors that the store is distributed over. In a very short way, check out what to find on each of the floors at Hamleys.
There is a huge variety of Playmobil in the store
2nd floor: Barbie, Disney Princesses, Little Pony, among others
3rd floor: Preschool toys and board games
4th floor: Hot Wheels, Hobbit, Harry Potter and others
5th floor: Marvel, Transformers, Lego and others
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HOW TO REACH HAMLEYS
Hamleys is super well located in central London in a place full of public transport options, with many bus and tube lines. The nearest tube stations (London Underground) are:
Piccadilly Circus Station: served by Piccadilly Line (navy blue) and Bakerloo Line (brown)
Oxford Circus Station: served by Bakerloo Line (brown), Central Line (red) and Victoria Line (light blue)
Bond Street Station: served by Jubilee Line (grey) and Central Line (red)
Green Park Station: served by Jubilee Line (grey), Piccadilly Line (navy blue) and Victoria Line (light blue)
Tottenham Court Road Station: served by Central Line (red) and Northern Line (black)
Charing Cross Station: serviced by Bakerloo Line (brown) and Northern Line (black)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Address: 88-196 Regent St, Soho, London W1B 5BT, England
Schedules: Monday to Friday from 10 am to 9 pm / Saturday from 9:30 am to 9 pm / Sunday from 12 pm to 6 pm
Read more about London:
What to do in London - Complete Guide for 5 days or more
20 things you need to know before travelling to London
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in London
Why do Brits drive on the left?
England: 10 castles to visit from London