Free museums in London
25 museums and galleries with free entry
Most of London’s great museums do not charge to get in. The national collections, from the British Museum to the two Tates and the three South Kensington museums, are free by policy, and so are a good number of smaller galleries and house museums that are better than their size suggests.
The rule of thumb: the permanent collection is free, and the big temporary exhibitions are ticketed. Where a museum charges for something specific, the note below says so. Opening days and times change, so the link on each one goes to the museum’s own site.
The big national collections
- British Museum Bloomsbury
Two million years of human history. The permanent galleries are free; major exhibitions are ticketed.
- National Gallery Trafalgar Square
Western European painting from the 13th to the early 20th century. Free entry to the collection.
- National Portrait Gallery Trafalgar Square
Portraits of the people who shaped Britain, Tudor to today. Collection free; exhibitions charged.
- Tate Modern Bankside
International modern and contemporary art in a former power station. Collection displays are free.
- Tate Britain Pimlico
British art from 1500 onward, including the Turner collection. Free to the collection.
- V&A South Kensington South Kensington
Art, design and performance across 145 galleries. Permanent collection free.
Free art galleries
- Wallace Collection Marylebone
Old Masters, French furniture and armour in a townhouse. Free entry.
- Whitechapel Gallery Whitechapel
Contemporary art in the East End since 1901. Free entry to most shows.
- Serpentine Galleries Kensington Gardens
Two contemporary galleries in the park, plus the summer Pavilion. Free.
- Guildhall Art Gallery City of London
The City’s art collection, with the remains of London’s Roman amphitheatre beneath it. Free.
- South London Gallery Peckham
Contemporary art across two buildings on Peckham Road. Free entry.
- Camden Art Centre Hampstead
Contemporary art, a garden and a good cafe in Finchley Road. Free.
Science and natural history
- Natural History Museum South Kensington
Dinosaurs, the blue whale and 80 million specimens. Free entry; some exhibitions ticketed.
- Science Museum South Kensington
Flight, space, medicine and computing. Free entry to the museum; IMAX and some galleries charged.
- Wellcome Collection Euston
Medicine, life and art, with a free reading room. Everything is free.
- Grant Museum of Zoology Bloomsbury
UCL’s Victorian teaching collection, famous for the jar of moles. Free.
History and house museums
- Imperial War Museum London Lambeth
Conflict from the First World War to now. Free entry.
- National Maritime Museum Greenwich
Britain and the sea, in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. Free entry; the Royal Observatory nearby is ticketed.
- British Library King’s Cross
The Treasures gallery, with Magna Carta and the Beatles’ lyrics, is free. Exhibitions are ticketed.
- Sir John Soane’s Museum Holborn
The architect’s house, kept as he left it in 1837, crammed with antiquities and Hogarths. Free entry.
- Museum of the Home Hoxton
Rooms through time in an 18th century almshouse. Free entry.
- Bank of England Museum City of London
Three hundred years of the Bank, and a gold bar you can lift. Free.
- London Museum Docklands Canary Wharf
The river, the port and the East End, in a Georgian sugar warehouse. Free entry.
Worth the trip
- Horniman Museum Forest Hill
Anthropology, musical instruments and the walrus, with 16 acres of gardens. Museum free; aquarium and some exhibitions charged.
- William Morris Gallery Walthamstow
The designer’s family home, with the largest collection of his work. Free.
Free exhibitions on this week
More free things
Frequently asked questions
Which London museums are free to enter?
All of the national museums are free: the British Museum, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, the V&A, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Imperial War Museum and the National Maritime Museum. Many independent galleries and house museums are free too; the list on this page has the ones worth a visit.
Are the exhibitions free as well?
Usually not. Free entry covers the permanent collection. Major temporary exhibitions at the big museums are ticketed, often around the price of a cinema ticket and sometimes more. Smaller galleries such as the Whitechapel, the Serpentine and the South London Gallery are typically free for their exhibitions as well.
Do I need to book a free museum in London?
Some of the busiest, including the British Museum and the Natural History Museum, ask visitors to book a free timed ticket at weekends and in school holidays. Booking is free and usually available on the day. Check the museum’s site before you travel.
Which free museum is best for children?
The Natural History Museum and the Science Museum in South Kensington are the obvious pair, and they are next door to each other. The Horniman in Forest Hill is smaller and calmer, with gardens, and London Museum Docklands has a good children’s gallery.