An overview of the museums attractive to visitors – many of which are free
London has a great variety of world class museums and galleries. Most of the major venues also have free admission, although voluntary donations are ‘encouraged’ and special exhibitions often have an admission charge. If you are interested in the subject matter, many of these museums and galleries will take at least a day of your time.
As many are so large, a good approach is to make several visits spread over your visit made possible by the free admission. Some of the museums also have late night openings. All have restaurants and most will have workshops and lectures available.
On this page, we talk about official museums. Attractions including Madame Tussauds and London Dungeon have their own dedicated pages.
Free museums in London
While these museums are free to enter, they are all of exceptional quality and many are quite expansive. Their size might encourage you to plan multiple visits, each lasting a few hours. Additionally, several of these museums offer evening hours for your convenience.
Victoria & Albert Museum – South Kensington
Victoria & Albert museum (V&A) is the acknowledged greatest museum in the world devoted to decorative arts. Exhibits are drawn from around the world, both modern and ancient.
The museum boasts the most extensive collection of Renaissance sculptures found outside of Italy, as well as the largest collections of Indian, Chinese, and Japanese art outside their respective countries. In sharp contrast, the British Galleries showcase furniture, ceramics, and sculptures that narrate the evolution of British design since 1500.
Natural History Museum – South Kensington
The Natural History Museum is the home of the national collections of living and fossil plants, animals, and minerals with many specimens on display.
What attracts most attention are the dinosaur exhibits, including robotic life size examples. A full scale exhibit of a whale also leaves a lasting impression. From the outside the museum looks more like a palace and is truly impressive. The museum was built between 1873 and 1881.
Natural History Museum official website
Science Museum – South Kensington
The Science Museum traces the development of science and industry and their influence on life. There is something here for everyone, including plenty of hands on exhibits and workshops for the kids. Over 300,000 exhibits covering the entire history of western science, technology and medicine.
Science Museum official website
British Museum – Bloomsbury
One of the world’s greatest museums of human history and culture. Its collections, which number more than 13 million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginning to the present.
British Museum official website
Imperial War Museum – Lambeth
The terms of reference of the museum cover both world wars and all military operations in which Britain or the Commonwealth have been involved since August 1914. It doesn’t glorify war, and certainly covers all aspects including the human and civilian side of warfare.
Imperial War Museum official website
Museum of London – Barbican
Largest dedicated museum to London, tracing London from its beginnings to modern day. The Museum of London is one of the world’s largest urban history museums and cares for over two million objects in its collection.
Museum of London official website
British Library (Sir John Ritblat Gallery) – St Pancras
Discover some of the world’s most exciting and significant books, from Magna Carta and the Gutenberg Bible, to Handel and the Beatles. See the earliest versions of some of the greatest works of English literature, including Alice’s Adventures Under Ground and Shakespeare’s First Folio.
British Library official website
Bank of England Museum – Bank
The Bank of England Museum tells the story of the Bank of England from its foundation in 1694 to its role today as the United Kingdom’s central bank.
The historical displays include material drawn from the Bank’s own collections of books, documents, silver, prints, paintings, bank notes, coins and photographs. There is a display of gold, including Roman and modern gold bars.
Bank of England Museum official website
Prominent London museums with admission charges
HMS Belfast – Near Tower & London Bridge
One of the most powerful large light cruisers ever built, HMS Belfast is now the only surviving vessel of her type to have seen active service during the Second World War.
Serving Britain for 32 years, she played an important role in both the Second World War and the Korean War as well as performing peacekeeping duties throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The ship is now moored in the Pool of London, London’s original dock.
Cabinet War Rooms – off Parliament Square, Whitehall
The underground war rooms, often referred to as the Churchill War Rooms, served as the command center for Winston Churchill during World War II, particularly while London faced bombings during the Blitz.
Key features of the site include significant areas such as the Map Room, the Cabinet Room, and Churchill’s personal bedroom. Additionally, the Churchill Museum section of the attraction offers insights into the life and legacy of Winston Churchill.
Cabinet War Rooms official website
Tower Bridge Experience – Tower Bridge
You can walk across Tower Bridge at all times, but this attraction allows you to go one step further. The Tower Bridge Exhibition is inside the most famous bridge in the world.
Lifts take you high above the traffic deck to the high level walkways where you can take your photographs unobstructed by glass. Another part explores the engine rooms that enable the bridge to lift, (which it still performs today).
Visit our Tower of London and Tower Bridge page for more information and booking.
Tower Bridge Experience official website
London Transport Museum – Covent Garden
As its name implies, this museum is all about London’s public transport. Highlights at the London Transport Museum is more than 80 road and rail vehicles in its collection representing public transport in the city and its suburban and country areas over the last two centuries, supported by displays to provide history and insight.
Visit our London Transport Museum page for more information and booking.
London Transport Museum official website
Popular London Attractions
| London Eye | Amazing panoramic flight on the world’s highest observation wheel. » Fast track tickets available. |
| The Shard | Tallest building in Western Europe with viewing of London from the top. » Fast track tickets available. |
| St Paul’s Cathedral | Cathedral of the Diocese of London, venue for royal weddings. » Pre-book to guarantee entry. |
| Westminster Abbey | Along with St Paul’s, England’s main religious building.» Pre-book to guarantee entry. |
| Tower of London | Home of the Crown Jewels and a rich thousand year history. » Fast track tickets available. |
| Madame Tussauds | See wax statues of the most famous people in the world. » Fast track tickets available. |
| London Dungeon | The creepiest attraction in town, the London Dungeon. » Fast track tickets available. |
| Hampton Court Palace | Henry VIII Medieval Palace set in vast grounds. » Pre-book to save money. |
| The London Zoo | World class zoo in the centre of London. » Flexi tickets available. |
Discount London
Book discounted London sightseeing and attraction tickets
- Hop-on hop-off buses
- Madame Tussauds
- London Eye
- London Dungeon
- Tower of London
- Tower Bridge
- The Shard
- Westminster Abbey
- Historic Royal Palaces