Natural History Museum Skate & Drink Review

There’s currently a student skating offer on at the Natural History Museum’s ice rink. All day Mondays and Tuesdays until December 3, students can skate for £8.50 with a free drink at the Café Bar. If you present your student ID when booking tickets at the box office and then save your ticket, you can show it at the Café Bar for a drink of your choice. I went to check out the offer on Tuesday evening with some friends. I’ve been skating at the NHM during previous years but I never fail to enjoy the ambience of skating there. In my opinion this atmosphere improves during the evening – the twinkling lights in the trees around the rink add something especially wintry to the event. The Natural History Museum’s skates are the most uncomfortable I’ve ever worn. They are the bane of any skating session I participate in there. Otherwise the skating is a lot of fun! Your session starts on the hour and lasts for 50 minutes so it’s worth getting there 15 minutes early to make sure you take maximum advantage of the cheaper ticket. As a warning, putting your bag in the cloakroom costs £2 so you might want to take a big bag that you can put everyone’s stuff in, or just not bring a bag with you at all! Once you’re out on the ice you are greeted with a great Christmas tree in the centre of the rink, forming a circuit. It can be very busy during certain sessions (the disadvantage with going in the evening) but almost all skaters regardless of ability seem to enjoy themselves. It’s very informal and there are as many people skating around by themselves as there are those hand-in-hand chatting away. I think only incredible skaters wouldn’t have as enjoyable a time. After the session you head back inside, hand in your skates and look forward to your free drink! (I guess you could get your drink beforehand but I’m not sure skating on a glass of wine is the best idea.) There’s also a small on-site Mountain Warehouse shop and if the NHM’s official skating photographer snapped a photograph of you and your mates you can buy your photos here (prices for photos start at £8). If you’re looking to definitely get your free drink without any hassle or stress involved, I advise avoiding the 8pm session that I attended. Even if you have a full day pick the 6pm or 7pm session. I was told that drinks vouchers could be redeemed up until half past 9, but when I arrived there was a sign on the box office saying your free drink could only be claimed until 9pm. They are very particular about this and will stop serving very abruptly as soon as the clock strikes 9, regardless of the state of your order. I got my free drink by leaving the ice a little early. The drinks available are beer, house white or red wine, and cold drinks or hot drinks that include hot chocolate and various coffees and teas. You might want to pick up a menu so you don’t have to make an ad-hoc decision about what to drink. The Café Bar has a real skiing resort feel to it, with long benches and large vintage trunks serving as tables in some spots. There’s also an area with sofas around a big (obviously false) open fire. The food is pretty pricey so I wouldn’t bother grabbing a snack!

The student offer is only on until December 3, so if it takes your fancy, don’t delay and go next week!