Here I go again. What would make for a better day out?

Option 1

Queen's Gallery--there is a special Victoria and Albert exhibition
Royal Mews--don't think it takes much time
Guard's Museum--
Jewel Tower
Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum then if have time
Imperial War Museum late in the day

or Option 2

St Paul Cathedral climb the top
Shakespeare Globe Exhibition then
Imperial War Museum

We will be four people--two adults, one child boy age 10 and one senior. Even though I want to see everything we just can't so I need your opinions about which are "must sees"--real people opinions not just what the guide books star as a must see.

Thanks in advance.

With a 10 year old boy , I'd do option 2 . My 72 year old boy has to go to the IWM every trip. Very good cafe there for lunch

Horses for courses - what interests you?

The Jewel Tower doesn't have a lot going for it, by the way. Unless it's changed a great deal since I saw it, it's a rather amateurish local-museum style presentation of bits and pieces about Parliament.

That apart, option 1 is heavy to exhausting, at least to me - and especially with a ten-year-old in tow. Any two out of the the three would do for one day:
Queen's Gallery/Royal Mews/Guards Museum
Cabinet War Rooms/Churchill Museum
Imperial War Museum

You might want to think about splitting up, so that the 10-year old doesn't have to spend a lot of time trying to drag the art-lovers away from boring old pictures, or complaining about having to look at a lot of stuff about some dead guy (I'm guessing here, you understand). That could make, say, the Shakespeare and the IWM alternatives.

right between the Globe and St Paul's is the Tate Modern - at least pop in there to see this former power plant turned into a world-class modern art gallery and it's FREE!

Both are excellent day plans. Not much at the Jewel Tower.

But for a 10yo boy (not that everything has to be geared to a 10 yo) I'd do #1 w/ a tweaking. Assuming he like horses. Because the horses at the Mews are magnificent.

St Paul's and the Globe are great but not very kid-centric (unless he is into theatre)

I'd do the Mews, Churchill museum - and the Imperial War museum. But I'd do them in a different order: Imperial war Museum, then the Mews, and THEN after determining everyone's stamina/mood, the Queen's Gallery and/or the Churchill Musuem.

If he isn't into horses/carriages/etc then I'd do #2 or maybe the Imperial war Museum, Queens Gallery or Churchill and the Eye.

Climbing St Pauls is an experience, but the Eye gives as good views w/o the climb and for only a couple £ more per person.