Bank of England Museum
City of London
Explore the history of money, banking and the Bank of England.
- Free admission
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
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Choose an area or subject and find a museum that suits your day. General admission or the permanent collection is free at every place listed.
Free does not always mean everything is free
Special exhibitions, events and some attractions inside a museum may charge. Booking rules and opening hours can change, so check the museum's official page before travelling.
Information checked 19 July 2026.
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British Library Treasures Gallery
King's Cross
See manuscripts, maps, music and historic documents from the national collection.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
British Museum
Bloomsbury
Objects covering human history and cultures from around the world.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Booking recommended
Design Museum
Kensington
The free permanent display introduces contemporary design and how objects are made.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
Grant Museum of Zoology
Bloomsbury
A compact university museum filled with zoological specimens and curiosities.
- Free admission
- Family-friendly
- Check booking
Guildhall Art Gallery
City of London
Victorian art and the remains of London's Roman amphitheatre.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
Horniman Museum and Gardens
Forest Hill
Anthropology, natural history, musical instruments and extensive gardens.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
Imperial War Museum London
Lambeth
Personal stories, objects and galleries covering modern conflict.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
London Museum Docklands
Canary Wharf
The history of the Thames, London's docks and the communities around them.
- Free admission
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
Museum of the Home
Hoxton
Explore how people have lived at home through rooms, gardens and personal stories.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
National Gallery
Trafalgar Square
European paintings from the 13th to early 20th century in Trafalgar Square.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Booking recommended
National Maritime Museum
Greenwich
Britain's maritime history, exploration, trade and life at sea.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Booking recommended
National Portrait Gallery
Trafalgar Square
Portraits telling stories about influential people in British history and culture.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Booking recommended
Natural History Museum
South Kensington
Dinosaurs, wildlife, geology and the natural world in a landmark building.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Booking recommended
Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology
Bloomsbury
A university collection covering thousands of years of Egyptian and Sudanese history.
- Free admission
- Check booking
Queen's House
Greenwich
Historic royal architecture and an art collection in Greenwich Park.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Booking recommended
RAF Museum London
Colindale
Aircraft, aviation history and Royal Air Force stories across several hangars.
- Free admission
- Family-friendly
- Booking recommended
Science Museum
South Kensington
Science, technology, engineering, space and interactive family galleries.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Booking recommended
Serpentine Galleries
Kensington Gardens
Contemporary art exhibitions across two galleries in Kensington Gardens.
- Free admission
- Usually walk in
Sir John Soane's Museum
Holborn
An atmospheric historic house packed with art, architecture and antiquities.
- Free admission
- Check booking
South London Gallery
Camberwell
Contemporary exhibitions and projects across several buildings in south London.
- Free admission
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
Tate Britain
Millbank
British art from the 1500s to today, including the Turner collection.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
Tate Modern
Bankside
International modern and contemporary art in a former power station.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
V&A East Museum
Stratford
A new free museum exploring global creativity, design and making in east London.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Check booking
V&A East Storehouse
Stratford
An open working store where visitors can explore objects usually kept behind the scenes.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Check booking
V&A South Kensington
South Kensington
Art, design, fashion, sculpture and decorative objects from around the world.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
Wallace Collection
Marylebone
Paintings, furniture, armour and decorative arts in a historic townhouse.
- Free admission
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
Wellcome Collection
Euston
Free exhibitions exploring health, medicine, science and human experience.
- Free admission
- Usually walk in
Whitechapel Gallery
Whitechapel
Modern and contemporary exhibitions at a major east London public gallery.
- Free admission
- Family-friendly
- Usually walk in
Young V&A
Bethnal Green
A museum designed for children and young people around play, imagination and design.
- Free permanent collection
- Family-friendly
- Booking recommended
Make a free museum visit easier
Reserve a free entry slot where recommended, avoid paid exhibitions unless you want them, and leave enough time for security checks at larger museums.