The excellent independent Ragged School Museum's premise, to help you "experience the life of the Victorian poor", may feel more like a warning from the future than a backstep of more than a century, but head there this month and you can live the life of a luxury spice merchant, become a fearless rat catcher to collect pest tails around London, suffer at the hands of Victorian education or play "life and death" games from the era.

Revolving around two opposite families – one relying on a dad risking death down the docks for 20 shillings a week and a mum who collects dog muck for a living, the other boasting philanthropy and children entertained by tin soldiers rather than rats – the drop-in activities take place every day until the end of August. And whichever side of the financial fence you’re on, the best bit is it's all free.

Runs Wednesday and Thursday until August 28, 10am – 5pm, and first Sunday of each month.