BEST FREE LONDON MUSEUMS YOU MUST VISIT! (2025)
If you’re looking for fascinating free London museums, this blog post is for you.
London has heaps of free museums you could visit. There are at least 30 to 40 captivating museums and galleries across the city. Some have completely free admission where you can just walk in, while others are free but require booking a time slot or ticket to manage the crowds.
We spent our last 5 trips to London carefully exploring London’s famous museums. Since you can’t visit all of them at once, here are some of the most interesting free museums in London that you should try to fit into your itinerary.
Read more >>> 4 PERFECT DAYS IN LONDON – ITINERARY
BEST FREE LONDON MUSEUMS
THE BRITISH MUSEUM
The British Museum is one of the world’s largest and most popular museums dedicated to human history, art, and culture. You’ll find it in Bloomsbury, only 5 minutes from Tottenham Court Road.
This museum was established in 1753, and since then, it has accumulated a collection that spans over two million years of human history from every corner of the world.
Some of the most famous highlights you’ll definitely want to see are the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, and the Elgin Marbles.
In addition to its stunning art, the British Museum is also famous for its architecture. You’ll love the Great Court, with its impressive glass and steel roof, as well as the Reading Room at the center of the museum.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Due to huge crowds, the museum recommends booking a free ticket in advance. That way you can make sure you enter the museum without having to wait in line.
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Natural History Museum is one of the world’s most famous museums dedicated to natural sciences. In this stunning museum you’ll find collections covering botany, zoology, paleontology, entomology, and mineralogy.
NHM attracts millions of visitors annually, and it’s especially loved by families with children. This museum is breathtaking from the outside, situated in a stunning building, but it’s even more fascinating on the inside.
In the museum’s collection, you’ll find dinosaur skeletons, the giant blue whale model, exhibits on volcanoes and earthquakes, and many other fascinating things to see.
The museum is located in South Kensington, and it’s open from 10 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. It’s also recommended to book a free ticket with a designated time slot so you don’t wait in long lines.
SCIENCE MUSEUM
Science Museum celebrates humanity’s greatest achievements in science, technology, and engineering, and it’s a must-visit when you’re in London.
It’s located in South Kensington, only a few minutes from the Natural History Museum. This museum has several interesting exhibitions, such as “Making the Modern World”, “Exploring Space”, and “Wonderlab”.
Some of the best objects you can see in this museum are the Apollo 10 Command Module, the first Apple computer, and Stephenson’s Rocket.
The Science Museum is the perfect outing for families, with plenty of interesting attractions, workshops, and activities for children of all ages.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and you must book a free ticket to enter.
TATE MODERN
Tate Modern is one of the world’s most celebrated museums of modern and contemporary art. Not only is it interesting for its incredible collection of art, the museum is situated in a former power station on the banks of the River Thames, making it one of the most unique attractions in London.
When it comes to the art collection, Tate Modern houses an incredible range of modern and contemporary art from 1900 to present day.
Some of the most famous artists on display include Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse, and Damien Hirst.
This museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and does not require booking a ticket to enter for free.
VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
Victoria and Albert Museum is, in my opinion, the most breathtaking museum in London. This museum is a must-see for anyone who likes art, design, and history.
V&A is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading museums of decorative arts and design, and you’ll see why the moment you step foot into it. This museum is located in South Kensington, opposite the famous Natural History Museum.
The V&A houses more than 2.3 million objects, spanning over 5,000 years of human creativity. All the collections are absolutely mind-blowing, and it’s unbelievable that you can see them all for free.
Some of the most famous collections are the fashion and textiles (historic and modern couture by McQueen, Dior, Chanel, and others, West End costumes), jewelry (With many iconic Royal jewels), sculptures (made by Michelangelo) along with many other staggering exhibitions.
This museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. and it does not require booking a ticket in advance.
THE NATIONAL GALLERY
The National Gallery is one of the most famous art museums in the world, and it’s unreal what you can see there completely for free. It’s located in Trafalgar Square and absolutely deserves a spot on your itinerary.
The Gallery houses an incredible collection of Western European paintings from the 13th to the 20th century.
Some of the most famous artists on display are Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Rembrandt, and so on. If you like art, the National Gallery will surely sweep you off your feet.
This art museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. While the entrance is completely free, it’s recommended you book a free ticket in advance to save yourself time.
TATE BRITAIN
The Tate Britain is a prestigious art gallery, and while they share a name, it’s a bit different from Tate Modern. Tate Britain is dedicated to British art from the 16th century to the present.
It’s situated on the Millbank and offers an incredible experience to anyone who’s interested in the history and evolution of British art.
There are many incredible artists whose art you’ll find in Tate Britain. Some of them are William Blake, Francis Bacon, and Henry Moore. You also shouldn’t miss the Turner Bequest, an abundance of oil paintings housed in the Clore Gallery in Tate Britain.
Along with the stunning works of art, the building itself is absolutely gorgeous. That’s another reason why you should visit!
This art museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and it does not require booking a ticket to enter it.
IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM
The Imperial War Museum is one of the more thought-provoking museums in London. This museum thoroughly explores the history of modern warfare, conflicts, and their impact on society.
If you’re a history buff, this is a museum you need to visit. It’s situated in Lambeth, quite close to Westminster.
The museum’s collections cover wars and conflicts from World War I to the present day, and some of the most interesting exhibitions you can see there are The First World War Galleries (causes, events, and aftermath of WWI with over 1,300 artifacts), The Holocaust Exhibition (survivor testimonies, photographs, and artifacts), and The Second World War Galleries (personal stories and multimedia presentations from Dunkirk to D-Day).
Along with those, you can also see a Spitfire fighter plane and a segment of the Berlin Wall.
This museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and you don’t have to book a ticket in advance.
TIPS FOR VISITING FREE LONDON MUSEUMS
CHOOSE WISELY
There are so many free museums in London, and if you’re only visiting for a few days, you won’t be able to see all of them. Choose the best ones according to your preferences, and leave the others for another time. The three I would highly recommend are V&A, Natural History Museum, and the British Museum.
CHECK OPENING HOURS
Most of these museums have working hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but double check before you visit. You can also check if they have their peak hours stated on their websites. That way you can avoid the crowds and visit during the off-peak hours.
BOOK TICKETS IF NEEDED
All of these museums are free, but due to their popularity some museums still require you to book a free ticket on their website to control the crowds. That means that even though they’re free, you cannot enter the museum without the ticket unless you spend hours waiting in line. You absolutely need a ticket for the British Museum, and a ticket for NHM is recommended. That way you can enter the museum at your designated time without waiting for hours to enter.
SUPPORT THE MUSEUMS
While the museums are completely free, they still welcome donations, which help with the maintenance of the museums. If you like the museum, I encourage you to give a small donation as a token of your appreciation for the incredible art you get to see for free!
