Best Museums to Visit in London FOR FREE

Vacations can be costly but with our guide to London’s free attractions, you can see some of the best museums, exhibits and art displays on a shoestring budget! Here is our ultimate guide to the best free museums and art galleries in London.

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum in London is one of the city’s most famous attractions, where you can find an endless collection of plant specimens, fossils, animal exhibits and rare minerals. It has special zones dedicates to the dinosaurs, which is a great place to take children, as well as displays dedicated to sealife. Just inside the entrance you can also marvel at the epic plaster cast of Dippy the Diplodocus, which dates back to 1905 – hurry though as Dippy is going on tour in 2017 and will soon be replace by a Blue Whale skeleton!

Entry to the permanent collection is free, but a fee is charged for the temporary exhibitions.

Where: Cromwell Road, London (nearest tube stop is South Kensington)
Opening hours: Open daily 10am to 5.50pm but last admission is 5.30pm

British Museum

The British Museum is an icon of London and is one of the world’s oldest museums. It has a staggering collection of varied pieces, including ancient mummies, which are a popular tourist attraction, the Rosetta Stone and Lindow Man. Exhibits tend to be “rotated”, so that only some things are on display at any one time to avoid damage to these rare and priceless artefacts.

Entry to the permanent collection is free, but a fee is charged for the temporary exhibitions.

Where: 44 Great Russell Street, London (nearest tube stops are Tottenham Court Rd/Holborn/Russell Square)
Opening hours: Open daily 10am to 5.30pm and until 8.30pm on Fridays; closed holidays

Science Museum

The Science Museum is a great place to take the children or big kids. It has seven floors of fun, creative and educational exhibits, including an Apollo 10 command module and a flight simulator. It also has a fascinating Medical History Gallery, where you can trace the footsteps of modern medicine.

Where: Exhibition Road, London (nearest tube stop is South Kensington)
Opening hours: Open daily 10am to 6pm but last admission is at 5.15pm

V&A

If decorative arts are your thing, then the V&A is a must-stop. This museum houses one of the world’s greatest collections of decorative art pieces, including ceramics, sculptures and portraits.

Entry to the permanent collection is free, but a fee is charged for the temporary exhibitions.

Where: Cromwell Road, London (nearest tube stop is South Kensington)
Opening hours: Fri 10am to 10pm; all other days 10am to 5.45pm

National Gallery

At the heart of the famous Trafalgar Square in London you can find the iconic National Gallery, which was founded in 1824 and is home to around 2000 artworks. Here, you’ll find masterpieces, modern art, paintings from the Italian masters, including Giotto, and Renaissance treasures, such as pieces from Raphael. It is a treasure trove of experiences for anyone interested in art.

Where: Trafalgar Square, London (nearest tube stop is Charing Cross)
Opening hours: Fri 10am to 9pm; all other days 10am to 6pm

Imperial War Museum

This museum is housed in a building that once served as a hospital and, far from housing simply war memorabilia, here you can find a collection of 20^th century art that was commissioned during World War I and World War II. There are also examples of war machinery, rare manuscripts and personal artefacts that give you an insight into the conflicts of the 20^th century.

Where: Lambeth Road, London (nearest tube stop is Lambeth North)
Opening hours: Open daily 10am to 6pm, with last admission at 5.30pm

Tate Modern

If your interest in art lies firmly within the contemporary, then the Tate Modern in South Bank is a must-see. The gallery is housed within a former power station and inside you’ll find epic installations, some permanent and others temporary, with pieces from Matisse, Twombly and Beuys. For a romantic date, head to the gallery after-hours on a Friday – it’s open until 10pm.

Where: Bankside, London (nearest tube stops are Southwark/Blackfriars)
Opening hours: Fri 10am to 10pm; all other days 10am to 6pm, with last admission 45 minutes before closing