The Best FREE Museums in London – Part 1

London is well known for the quality of its museums. There are a large number of them, and they cover a vast range of topics. Some are small and need a little local knowledge to find them. Others are huge and known across the world for the quality of their research and the richness of their collection. Surprisingly, a large number of London’s museums are FREE to enter! There is no other city in the world that will give you access to such a vast amount of world-leading collections and not charge you a penny for it.

 

You could quite easily spend your entire London vacation visiting museums! To help you use your time effectively, we have made a list of the FREE museums that we love the most. They are not listed in any particular order so read on, pick your favourite and plan your visit.

 

British Museum

The British Museum has to be one of the most iconic museums in the entire world. Dedicated to the art, culture and history of the human race, it has featured in several Hollywood movies. It has a deserved reputation as one of the world’s leading research centres. The museum’s collection is vast (almost eight million artefacts!) and contains objects from across the globe.

 

The collection ranges from the local, such as the Anglo-Saxon burial hoard found at Sutton Hoo, to the more exotic, such as the armour of a Japanese Samurai warrior. Much of what is on display is also truly ancient and includes Egyptian mummies as well as sculptures from the Assyrian Empire. The oldest objects in the collection are stone age tools that are almost two million years old!

 

The most challenging aspect of visiting The British Museum is deciding what it is you want to see. We do not recommend that you wander from gallery to gallery. A day is probably not enough time to see everything on display and turning up without a plan will likely leave you exhausted and frustrated. We highly recommend that you visit their website (link above) and decide beforehand what areas interest you most.

 

Like all great museums, The British Museum also has several artefacts that everyone must-see. The top three things that we recommend are:

 

1. One of the most famous artefacts in the museum, the Rosetta Stone is an ancient Egyptian artefact that contains three versions of a decree in different ancient languages. Its discovery allowed us to read Egyptian hieroglyphs for the first time.
2. Also known as the Elgin Marbles, the Parthenon Sculptures are a series of marble sculptures that were once part of the Parthenon in Athens. They are some of the most controversial artefacts in the museum as Greece is actively campaigning for their return.
3. The Sutton Hoo Ship Burial has artefacts that are from an Anglo-Saxon burial in Suffolk. Considered to be one of the most important archaeological sites ever found in England, the highlight is the famous Sutton Hoo Helmet that you can now see on display.

For more details, visit their official website: The British Museum.

 

National Gallery

If you’re a lover of fine art or, even if you are not, The National Gallery is somewhere you have to visit. One of the most famous museums anywhere in the world, it houses its vast collection of European art in a grand building at the head of Trafalgar Square. Built-in the Neoclassical style, the building was designed by William Wilkins and completed in 1838.

 

The museum is full of masterpieces by some of the greatest artists who have ever lived. Works from the likes of Botticelli, da Vinci, Gainsborough, Michelangelo, Monet, Rembrandt, Renoir, Turner, Van Gogh and many others are all on public display. The gallery also hosts regular special exhibitions. These bring together works from other collections across the globe and displays them all under one roof. There is usually a cost to visit these exhibitions though I’m afraid.

 

Choosing a favourite painting from the collection of The National Gallery is a bit like trying to choose your favourite song. You can ask a hundred different people and will likely get a hundred different answers. We have tried to help you a little and believe that the following three paintings are the ones everyone should see during their visit:

 

 

1. Probably one of the most famous paintings anywhere in the world, Sunflowers is one of the five that was created by the tormented artist Vincent van Gogh. Located in Room 43, it was painted in 1888.
2.  The painting Venus and Mars depicts Venus, the goddess of love and her lover, Mars, the god of war. It was painted by the great Italian Sandro Botticelli in 1485 and can be found in Room 58.
3. Located in Room 34 and painted in 1839 the Fighting Temeraire depicts the Temeraire, one of the ships that fought with Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, taking its final voyage on its way to being scrapped. It was painted by the English painter JMW Turner

For more details, visit their official website: The National Gallery.

 

Museum of London

If you want to understand the great city of London, then the Museum of London is the place to start. The galleries are laid out in chronological order and take you on a journey through time. They tell the story of the city’s complex and fascinating history from prehistory to the modern-day.

 

Starting with the prehistoric tribes who first lived in the area, the museum covers the Roman invasion and the foundation of the city of Londinium, the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons, the Norman conquest, the Great Plague and the Great Fire, the great Victorian era, the bombing of London during the Blitz and the London Olympics of 2012. In short, it tells you everything you need to know about the history of this fantastic city!

 

If what is inside the museum is not fascinating enough, the building is situated on the road called London Wall. Yes, you’ve guessed it, it is the site of part of the old city wall constructed initially by the Romans from around 200 CE. Just outside the museum, you will be able to see some pretty substantial remains, although this part of the wall is medieval rather than Roman. There are several other sites containing wall fragments that you can discover by using this guide produced by the City of London Archaeological Trust.

 

Short of time and want to catch the highlights from the museum? Then the three items we believe every visitor should see are:

 

1. Believed to date from around 1780, the Newgate Prison Door is a huge and very solid door that was taken from the infamous London prison of the same name. It is not difficult to imagine the sense of absolute despair that those who gazed upon it must have felt.
2. A surprising highlight of the museum is the Victorian Walk that recreates series of streets from the Victorian period, allowing you to take a stroll back in time. Although the shops and buildings are replicas, the contents within them are genuine Victorian artefacts.
3. The Lord Mayors Coach is one of the three great State Coaches of the United Kingdom (the others being the Queen’s Gold State Coach and the Speaker’s State Coach). Heavily gilded, the Lord Mayor of London uses it at the annual Lord Mayor’s Show.

The Museum of London is due to move to a new home in 2024. The new site is a series of old market buildings in Smithfield, just around the corner from where it is now. The move will allow the museum to refresh its visitor experience completely and to display a far more significant portion of its collection. You can read about the new site can on the website: A New Museum for London.

 

For more details, visit their official website: Museum of London.

 

Natural History Museum

The NHM is another world-leading London museum that boasts a collection to rival anything in the world. The building that houses the museum is incredibly impressive on its own. Built-in the 1870s, it feels as if you are visiting a cathedral rather than a museum of natural history! The first thing you see when you enter is a huge blue whale skeleton that hangs from the ceiling. It looks down onto the main hall and keeps a close eye on everyone walking below.

 

This impressive start indicates the wonderous objects on display throughout the rest of the museum. There is a large number of galleries covering everything from meteorites, dinosaurs, human evolution, space, and life on Earth. The artefacts give you an appreciation for the age and evolution of the Universe as you wander through the galleries. The oldest object on display is the Imilac meteorite which is around 4.5 billion years old. That’s as old as the Solar System itself!

 

Like most world-leading museums, the Natural History Museum is also an active research centre. They have hundreds of scientists and publish a large number of research papers every year. It is quite exciting to know that most of the objects you see on display were collected to further our understanding of the natural world. Thankfully, the museum continues to shine as a beacon of knowledge in a world where ignorance is a badge of honour:

 

1. Written by the Victorian genius Charles Darwin, the Origin of the Species is one of the greatest intellectual achievements in human history and one that revolutionised our understanding of life on Earth. The museum has a first edition of the book display.
2. The Darwin Centre is home to the museum’s enormous collection of preserved specimens. There are millions of samples, all kept in alcohol, in the museum, and a large number of them are on display here. Not suitable for the squeamish!
3. The infamous Dinosaurs Gallery displays the museum’s extensive collection of dinosaur fossils and skeletons. At the very end, there is also a very realistic mechanical Tyrannosaurus Rex that is both fascinating and terrifying!

For more details, visit their official website: Natural History Museum.

 

Science Museum

Without doubt, our most significant achievement as a species is the scientific method and the discoveries this has enabled. Nothing else comes close to matching the improvements that science has made in all our lives. This museum tells the story of science and highlights its significant milestones and achievements. It covers the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and medicine) and has quite a lot of interactive content, so it is an excellent museum for children.

 

In the basement is The Garden, which is an interactive space designed specifically for children aged 3-6. For slightly older children, there are plenty of other areas throughout the museum where they can touch and generally interact with the exhibits. One of these is Wonderlab: The Equinor Galler which is a series of interactive science stations where they can take part in experiments as well as watch live demonstrations.

 

Of course, the museum also has plenty to entertain adults as well. It has galleries with exhibits as diverse as steam power, space, the atmosphere, flight and modern computing. The quality of the displays is astounding with several having played a significant role in world-famous scientific achievements (see our three must-see objects below for examples). If you love science, then you will love this museum. If you don’t, then you will do by the time you leave!

 

The UK can rightly claim to be a world leader in science, technology and innovation. Over the last few hundred years, British scientists have made contributions out of all proportion to the size of our tiny island. Francis Crick, Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday, Alexander Fleming, Stephen Hawking, Robert Hooke, James Clark Maxwell and Isaac Newton, to name just a few, can all rightly claim to have changed the world. Walking through the museum, you can feel this history everywhere you go. It truly is a humbling experience.

 

The Science Museum has a pretty substantial collection so trying to reduce it down to three highlights is not easy. However, we feel that the objects below are all incredibly important to our scientific history and cover a range of different themes:

 

1. The Crick and Watson DNA Model is a reconstruction of their model using some of the original metal plates. It shows the double helix structure of DNA that was first discover by Francis Crick and James Watson in 1953.
2. The Apollo 10 Command Module is the spacecraft that Eugene Cernan, Thomas Stafford and John Young flew to the moon and back in 1969 as the final dress rehearsal for the Apollo moon landing a few months later.
3. Built between 1813-14, Puffing Billy is the world’s oldest surviving steam locomotive. Over the next hundred years, the railways would revolutionise Victorian society and the rest world. Puffing Billy can rightly claim to have played a vital role in the innovation that was to come.

For more details, visit their official website: Science Museum.

 

Victoria and Albert Museum

The V&A is the third museum in the South Kensington trinity (the Natural History Museum and Science Museum are just across the road). The museum showcases some of the best decorative art from around the world. Rather than grand portraits, it concentrates on applied art and sculpture. The variety is enormous, and so we are confident you will find quite a few things that interest you.

 

One of the highlights of the museum is the Cast Courts which showcase copies of world-famous sculptures and statues cast in plaster including replicas of Trajan’s Column and the statue of David. The museum has objects from all over the world, including China, Korea, the Islamic World, and from the UK. There are also displays of metalwork, stained glass, tapestries and architecture.

 

It is not just the exhibits that are works of art. The building that houses the collection is also stunning, both inside and out. Even if you take no interest in the artefacts on display, just taking a stroll through the building is a pleasant experience in itself. It is perfectly acceptable to turn up without a plan and just to soak up the atmosphere that comes with being surrounded by such creativity.

 

With such a vast and varied collection (over two million objects!), it can be difficult to choose some highlights, but the items below are our favourites:

 

1. Tipu’s Tiger is one of the most famous exhibits in the museum. It was taken from the palace of Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore, India, in 1799 and depicts a tiger mauling a soldier of the British East India Company.
2. Designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, the Hereford Screen was initially installed in Hereford Cathedral. Made mostly from iron, it is a stunning example of art in the Gothic Revival style.
3. The Great Bed of Ware is a huge, four-poster bed built from solid oak. It was made by an English carpenter in about 1590 and has the names of previous occupants carved into it. The bed was so famous that it gets a mention in William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

For more details, visit their official website: Victoria & Albert Museum.

 

Imperial War Museum London

IWM London is one of five museums run by the Imperial War Museums. Two of the other museums, the Churchill War Rooms and HMS Belfast, are also located in London (although fees apply). The others, IWM Duxford and IWM North, are to be found in other parts of the country. The museum is housed in the old Bethlehem Royal Hospital, colloquially known as Bedlam, which was once an infamous London lunatic asylum.

 

As you approach the museum, a large pair of naval guns greet your arrival. They were both fired in anger during the Second World War from Royal Navy warships. A multi-million-pound renovation six years ago means the inside is now open and modern. There is now a large open atrium that displays tanks, artillery, and other vehicles, as well as having several aircraft suspended from the ceiling. The effect is quite impressive.

 

The museum focuses on modern warfare with objects dating from the early 20^th Century right up to today.  The collection itself is vast and comprises almost eleven million objects! The range is varied and, as well as physical exhibits; it includes art, books, documents, films, photographs and sounds.

 

The museum does not seek to glorify war overly. Although it is respectful to those who have served, it tries to tell the story of conflict from all sides. There is plenty to see, but we recommend you make an effort to seek out the following:

 

1. The Holocaust Exhibition a profoundly moving gallery that records the history of the greatest atrocity in human history. Walking through the gallery is a chilling experience and not recommended for those under 14.
2. The Imperial War Museum has an extensive collection of Victoria and George Crosses on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery. Both medals are only ever awarded for the most extraordinary acts of gallantry and the stories told are genuinely humbling.
3. It is not easy to tell from looking at it, but the Baghdad Car is the remains of a vehicle destroyed by a car bomb in Baghdad on 5^th March 2007.

For more details, visit their official website: Imperial War Museums.

 

National Maritime Museum

Britain’s naval heritage is almost as remarkable as its scientific legacy. It is no surprise then that the National Maritime Museum is just as impressive as any other museum on this list. Located in the riverside borough of Greenwich, it is a short 10-minute train journey from central London. As well as the museum, the Royal Observatory, the Old Royal Naval College, the Cutty Sark, the Queen’s House, and Greenwich Park are all nearby. There are also plenty of historic riverside pubs in which to spend a pleasant afternoon. The area by the river, known as Maritime Greenwich, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

The British Empire was made possible because of the supremacy of the Royal Navy. The museum naturally pays considerable attention to these achievements as well as celebrating some of the Royal Navy’s greatest heroes and victories (there are quite a few of both!). But it also covers many other topics. They have galleries covering polar exploration, the British East India Company, the exploration of the Pacific Ocean as well as the history of maritime London. There is also a gallery, known as the All Hands, that caters specifically for children.

 

This is a genuinely fascinating museum, and one will entertain even those with little interest in the sea. We strongly recommend that you also take the opportunity to visit some other Greenwich attractions. A few hours in the museum, followed by the exploration of some of the other sites will leave you with many new memories. The Prime Meridian passes through the nearby Royal Observatory. A short hike up the hill to take a selfie of yourself straddling both hemispheres is a must for anyone!

 

With so many significant objects on display, choosing our highlights from the National Maritime Museum has been our toughest decision yet. We make the following recommendations:

 

1. The victory of Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 is as famous as any other in British history. One of the museum’s prized exhibits is Nelson’s Jacket that he wore during the battle. A dark red patch shows where the musket ball that killed him entered his body.
2. The Nathaniel Dance painting of Captain James Cook is probably the most iconic portrait of the great explorer and Royal Navy Captain. A somewhat controversial figure today, James Cook was also a navigator and cartographer who left an impressive legacy of discovery and scientific achievement.
3. Robert Falcon Scott is another legendary British explorer. He perished, along with the four other disconsolate members of his team, on the Antarctic ice after being narrowly beaten to the South Pole by Roald Amundsen. On display are Captain Scott’s Overshoes that were recovered from his tent along, with his body.

For more details, visit their official website: National Maritime Museum.

 

Tate Modern

The Tate Collection is displayed in four galleries. The Tate Modern and Tate Britain in London, and the Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives elsewhere in the country. The vast brick building housing the Tate Modern was once home to Bankside Power Station. The massive structure is now used as a gallery of modern art and is one of the most famous museums in the world. The vast Turbine Hall, which once housed the electricity generators, is used to display enormous pieces that have been commissioned specially for display in this space.

 

The Tate Modern focuses on international and modern art, as well as British art from the last one hundred years. This is not some staid gallery featuring portraits of grand old men. It is a hip and trendy place that has works of art that will both challenge and entertain you at the same time. If you like your art to be a little bit more controversial, then this is a place you will enjoy.

 

The Tate Modern has recently gained an impressive extension that has dramatically increased the available exhibition and performance space. Known as the Switch House, this new addition is a work of creative art in its own right and is certainly worth viewing – both inside and out.

 

We did consider recommending the building itself as one of the highlights of the Tate Modern but felt that would be too obvious. Instead, out three recommendations of things you must see are:

 

1. The Marilyn Diptych was created by the American artist Andy Warhol in 1962, several versions were painted in the months just after Marilyn had died from a drugs overdose.
2. The Weeping Woman was created by the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso in 1937, it depicts a woman holding her dead child who had previously appeared in his anti-war masterpiece Guernica.
3. Although not actually a work of art itself (although some architects may disagree) the cavernous Turbine Hall is an exhibition space that must be seen to be believed. Exhibits on display are often free, and we highly recommended visiting if you can.

For more details, visit their official website: Tate Modern.

 

Tate Britain

This is one of the sister galleries of the Tate Modern. It focuses on British art from post-medieval to the modern-day. It includes works from a multitude of British greats including William Blake, John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough, William Hogarth, Joshua Reynolds as well as many, many others.

 

Tate Britain is also home to the most extensive collection of art by the legendary JMW Turner. One of the greatest artists that Britain has ever produced, the works on display include The Shipwreck, Self-Portrait, Ploughing Up Turnips and Rouen Cathedral.

 

The gallery displays its collection in chronological order, starting in the 1540s and progressing right through to the modern-day. The exhibits consist of more than just paintings by dead men. They also feature more contemporary works by artists such as David Hockney and Tracey Emin, and there is sculpture by the likes of Henry Moore. If you are interested in modern art, a high-speed riverboat picks up right outside Tate Britain. It will drop you off directly in front of the Tate Modern meaning you can easily visit galleries both on the same day.

 

For our must-see recommendations, we have chosen three paintings. Each one of them celebrated as a considerable achievement in British art, and you are probably familiar with them already:

 

1. Painted by John Constable from 1816-17, Flatford Mill depicts an idyllic rural scene from the Suffolk countryside. The mill still exists to this day, and it attracts artists from across the world hoping to create their version of the timeless scene.
2. Ophelia was painted by Sir John Everett Millais from 1851-52. It shows Ophelia drowning in a stream as depicted in the scene from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Millais was a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood of English painters, poets and artists.
3. A Bigger Splash was created by David Hockney in 1967, it depicts a splash made in a Californian swimming pool. It is bright and colourful, and quite a contrast in style to our two other recommendations.

For more details, visit their official website: Tate Britain.

 

So, this was our list of the 10 Best FREE Museums in London – Part 1. All the museums on this list are, in some ways, quite obvious. They are all major institutions of global renown, and even people who have never visited London will probably already know of their reputation.  But what about those museums and galleries that are less well known? The ones that need a little local knowledge to find. Then read on and enjoy our article about the Best FREE Museums in London – Part 2!