Culture
London's free museums, ranked
Where to go first when everything costs nothing.
By VacationGuide Editors · · 10 min read
Where to go first when everything costs nothing. The order below keeps the walking sensible, the queues short and the best meal of the day in the right place.
Start where the crowds aren't. London rewards an early morning — the light is better, the photographs are emptier and you'll have the pick of tables at lunch. May, June and September; January for the cheapest hotel rates.
Getting around is the part most people over-plan. Six airports, five Eurostar-served terminals and the Elizabeth line across the middle. Once you're there, most of what follows is within a comfortable walk, and where it isn't, we've said so.
Book the two or three things that genuinely sell out, and leave the rest loose. British weather makes a mockery of rigid schedules, so keep one indoor option per day in your back pocket — a museum, a long lunch, a spa hour.
Planning the wider trip? Our London destination guide covers where to stay, eat and spend your days.
Ready to go? Build a day-by-day plan for London.
Plan a trip to LondonFrequently asked questions
- Are London's museums really free?
- The permanent collections at the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, V&A, Natural History Museum and Science Museum are free to enter. Special exhibitions are ticketed separately.
- Do you need to book free museum tickets in advance?
- Booking is no longer required at most, but a free timed slot still saves queueing at the Natural History Museum and the British Museum during school holidays.
- Which free London museum is best with children?
- The Science Museum, followed by the Natural History Museum next door. Both are in South Kensington, so you can pair them in a single day.
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