Hamleys
One of the world's oldest and biggest toy shops, seven floors of play and demonstrations.
Last updated: 22 October 2026
- Type
- Shopping
- Area
- West End
- Opening hours
- Mon–Sat 10:00–21:00, Sun 12:00–18:00
- Price
- Free entry
- Time needed
- 60 min
- Official website
- hamleys.com/stores/london-regent-street
What to expect
Hamleys was started in 1760 by William Hamley as Noah's Ark, in High Holborn, and is listed as the world's oldest toy shop. The Regent Street branch opened in 1881, and the flagship has stood at nos. 188 to 196 since 1981. It holds royal warrants, first granted by Queen Mary in 1938.
The shop covers seven floors with more than 50,000 lines of toys, each floor devoted to a different type: the ground floor has soft toys, including enormous animals. It is loud, busy and fun for children, and also easy for adults without a child to browse. It is at its busiest in the weeks before Christmas.
Don't miss
- The ground floor of giant soft toys
- Seven floors of different toy types
- The Regent Street frontage
- Steiff stuffed animals
Tips for your visit
- Weekday mornings are calmer; avoid Saturday afternoons and December if you dislike crowds.
- Children usually want to stay about an hour, so plan to match.
- Oxford Circus is the nearest Tube station, and Liberty London and Carnaby Street are nearby.
Getting there from Trafalgar Square
🚶 1.3 km · 16 min walk
Where to eat nearby
- BAO Soho (Asian · ££ · West End) · 🚶 5 min walk
- Mildreds (Vegetarian · ££ · West End) · 🚶 5 min walk
- Veeraswamy (Indian · £££ · West End) · 🚶 6 min walk
- Brasserie Zédel (European · ££ · West End) · 🚶 7 min walk
- Bocca di Lupo (Italian · £££ · West End) · 🚶 7 min walk
Breakfast nearby
- The Wolseley (Café · £££ · West End) · 🚶 10 min walk
- Maison Bertaux (Bakery · £ · West End) · 🚶 11 min walk
- Fabrique Bakery, Goodge Street (Bakery · ££ · West End) · 🚶 12 min walk
Other sights nearby
- Carnaby Street · Shopping · 🚶 0.2 km · 2 min walk
- Liberty London · Shopping · 🚶 0.2 km · 2 min walk
- Charbonnel et Walker (Royal Arcade) · Shopping · 🚶 0.6 km · 7 min walk
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