London is home to some of the world’s greatest museums, whether you’re looking for giant whale skeletons, classical sculptures or ground-breaking fashion.
Better still, many are completely free to visit — although venues may charge a fee for special exhibitions, you can spend hours admiring the permanent collections at no cost.
From the top attractions to lesser-known gems, we’ve rounded up 13 of the best free museums and galleries in London.
1. Trace the story of British art at Tate Britain
Step through the porticoed entrance of this grand neoclassical building in Millbank and find yourself immersed in more than 500 years of British art. There are historic paintings by William Blake, Mary Beale and John Singer Sergeant, as well as modern classics from the likes of David Hockney and Tracey Emin. Tate Britain also holds the world’s largest collection of works by JMW Turner.
2. Stay after hours at Tate Modern
The Tate Modern’s dramatic Turbine Hall is a must-visit in itself, but the works on view will wow any lover of modern art. Sculptures, paintings, films and large-scale installations are presented across the six-floor Natalie Bell building and the 10-storey Blavatnik building, which has a viewing deck on its top level granting a panoramic view of the city.
Planning tip: Many galleries run after-hours openings, and the Tate does them better than most. Tate Lates take place on the last Friday of each month, with a program of artist-led workshops, DJ sets, talks and performances until 10pm.
3. Delve into a collector’s home brimming with artifacts at Sir John Soane’s Museum
The former home of eccentric architect John Soane has been preserved as a truly unique museum. The rooms are dimly lit and often narrow, cramped with curiosities, which lends the space a mysterious atmosphere. In one room, you’ll find masterworks by Hogarth and Canaletto; in another, the sarcophagus of an Egyptian pharaoh, or a sprawling model of Pompeii made from cork. There are few labels identifying each object, but don’t be shy about asking the friendly staff for more details.
4. Encounter some of Europe’s most iconic paintings at the National Gallery
Occupying a commanding position over Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is home to a diverse collection spanning 700 years of Western European art. Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Botticelli’s Venus and Mars, and Georges Seurat’s Bathers at Asnières are among the highlights, but you can explore more than 2,600 paintings, beginning in the early medieval period through Renaissance Italy, the Dutch masters and French Impressionism.
Planning tip: The vast collection can be overwhelming, so allow an expert guide to lead you on a free 60-minute taster tour, available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
5. See the faces that shaped British history at the National Portrait Gallery
Next to the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery houses 11,000 paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures and drawings of people who made notable contributions to British history. It’s said to be the world’s first portrait gallery, featuring the faces of royalty and celebrities alongside local heroes and lesser-known figures.
Planning tip: If you can visit on a Saturday evening or Sunday morning, the gallery runs a pay what you wish scheme that allows visitors to check out the temporary exhibitions for a minimum fee of £1. Book your timed entry ticket in advance online.
6. Discover the Wallace Collection, one of the city’s finest unsung museums
Despite being located just a few streets behind Oxford Street, this jewel box of a museum is often overlooked. In the 1800s, the house was a private residence of the Hertford family, whose expansive collection of paintings, furniture, fine porcelain and decorative art is too large to be displayed at one time. That means that you’ll encounter something new on each trip, whether it’s Marie Antoinette’s gilded desk from her Versailles apartments, masterworks by Titian and Velazquez, or the basement full of medieval armor, always a hit with children.
Planning tip: February is “open furniture month” at the Wallace Collection, giving visitors a rare opportunity to peek inside the ornate 17th and 18th century cabinets, the doors of which are normally closed.
7. Be dazzled by the V&A’s Victorian treasure trove
The V&A comprises over seven miles of galleries in South Kensington, filled with 5,000 years of artifacts in practically every medium. There’s something for everyone, from Tippoo’s Tiger, the almost life-size wooden automaton of a tiger attacking a European dating from 1793, to JW Anderson’s viral patchwork cardigan, worn by Harry Styles in 2020.
Planning tip: Don’t miss the café — while museum eateries can often feel like an afterthought, this is one of the most opulent spaces in London. The three “refreshment rooms”, designed in the 1860s, feature decadent double-height golden arches, Dutch blue painted tiles and intricate plasterwork.
8. Tour through global nature and culture at the Horniman Museum
Based in south London’s Forest Hill, this anthropological museum is a little further out, but the location means there’s tons of room to explore its eclectic collection, stunning Victorian conservatory and 16 acres of surrounding gardens. The Horniman is one of the city’s best family-friendly attractions, thanks to its lovely nature trails, immersive displays that aim to deepen our understanding of global cultures, and an array of 9,500 musical instruments.
9. Travel through time at the British Museum
It’s the biggest, oldest and most popular museum in London, with a collection spanning two million years of human history. While it’s hard to know where to start, the British Museum provides handy timed routes you can follow online — there are one-hour and three-hour highlights tours, as well as trails relating to LGBTQ+ histories, colonial exploitation and family favorites.
Planning tip: There’s never a “quiet” time to visit, but your best bet for dodging the crowds is on a Friday evening, when the museum is open until 8.30pm.
10. Admire an architectural marvel at the Serpentine
With twin galleries on either side of Hyde Park’s Serpentine lake, this site hosts exhibitions by established and emerging contemporary artists, and is also home to one of the best art bookshops in the city. During the summer months, visitors can check out the Serpentine Pavilion, an annual architectural commission that is one of the most anticipated events in the cultural calendar.
11. Step into a world of play at the Young V&A
The V&A’s younger sibling in Bethnal Green is designed to cater to visitors aged 0 to 14, with three spaces targeting different age groups. For babies and toddlers, there’s the Play gallery, a sensory environment, while the mini-theatre stage in the Imagine gallery invites 5 to 11-year-olds to dress up and perform, and the Design gallery offers activities and workshops for older kids, explaining the process of creating everyday objects.
Planning tip: With school trips on weekdays and families piling in on weekends, it can get very crowded. If you need a break from the noise, head to the Reading Room, the museum’s designated quiet space.
12. Get acquainted with the latest names in contemporary art at the White Cube
First established in London, the White Cube has become one of the world’s leading contemporary art galleries, with branches on three continents. It has two sites in London — Mason’s Yard near Piccadilly and Bermondsey in south London — showcasing the work of painters, sculptors and multidisciplinary artists. See exhibitions from major figures like Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Antony Gormley alongside up-and-coming names such as Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Julie Curtiss and Tiona Nekkia McClodden.
13. Walk with dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum
Taking visitors through 4.6 billion years of life on earth, the Natural History Museum in South Kensington is beloved by visitors of all ages. The grand Victorian building is divided into color-coded sections for easier navigation: in the green zone, you’ll find bugs, birds, fossils and gems; the blue zone is for dinosaurs, mammals, fishes and reptiles; the red zone houses displays on volcanoes, earthquakes and artifacts explaining human evolution; and the orange zone has a wildlife garden and the Darwin Centre. Bring your headphones and tune in for an audio tour narrated by Sir David Attenborough through the central Hintze Hall, including the famous 25-meter skeleton of Hope the blue whale.
Planning tip: It gets extremely busy at peak times, particularly around school holidays, so ensure you don’t miss out — and cut down on queuing time — by booking a free ticket online.