Hero image
 Surface transport © London Transport Museum | Credit Diane Auckland, Fotohaus 

FREE museums
to visit in London

Feeling frugal? Don't let your culture cravings take a hit.

Some of London's most curious and fascinating museums are absolutely free of charge. In fact, there's more free museums, than there are museums that charge an entrance fee. Although it's worth remembering: this is a list of museums with free admission, there may be an additional charge for special exhibition or particular feature.

Image of Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum

Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum

The original cramped and crowded laboratory at St Mary's Hospital in which Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin.

Central LONDON

Image of All Hallows by the Tower Undercroft

All Hallows by the Tower Undercroft

The oldest church in the City of London, founded by the Abbey of Barking in 675AD and survived the 1666 Great Fire of London.

Central LONDON

Image of Anaesthesia Heritage Centre

Anaesthesia Heritage Centre

The history of anaesthesia, resuscitation and pain relief.

Central LONDON

Image of Bank of England Museum

Bank of England Museum

The story of the Bank's private enterprise beginnings in the 17th century — to the governing fiscal officialdom that it is today.

Central LONDON

Image of Barnet Museum

Barnet Museum

A broad collection of hundreds of artefacts reflecting the history of Barnet and it's residents dating from the Bronze Age to the present day.

North LONDON

Image of Bethlem Museum of the Mind

Bethlem Museum of the Mind

Dedicated to the history of mental health treatment, with historical and archival material as well as a large art collection.

Outer LONDON

Image of Boston Manor House

Boston Manor House

A fine three-story Jacobean manor house built in 1622-3, with 19th century style furniture and paintings of the locality.

West LONDON

Image of Bourne Hall Museum

Bourne Hall Museum

A remarkable modern building of unusual architectural interest, situated in the heart of Ewell Village surrounded by beautiful grounds.

Outer LONDON

Image of Brent Museum

Brent Museum

The local history and heritage of Brent with a collection of over 10,000 objects.

North LONDON

Image of British Dental Association Museum

British Dental Association Museum

The museum that began as several old dental instruments stored under a bed.

Central LONDON

Image of British Optical Association Museum

British Optical Association Museum

Over 20,000 objects and archival items tell the story of the progression of eye-wear and optometry.

Central LONDON

Image of Bruce Castle Museum

Bruce Castle Museum

Set in Grade I listed 16th century manor house, the museum tells the history of Haringey and Tottenham from Roman times to the present day.

North LONDON

Image of Burgh House, Hampstead Museum

Burgh House, Hampstead Museum

Local history museum in north London, set in a Grade I-listed house built during the rein of Queen Anne in 1704.

North LONDON

Image of Charlton House

Charlton House

Regarded as the best-preserved Jacobean house in Greater London. Featuring agreat hall, chapel, state dining room and gallery.

LONDON

Image of City of London Police Museum

City of London Police Museum

The City of London Police Museum tells the story of the City of London Police and some of the major events that the police have dealt with since 1839.

Central LONDON

Image of Forty Hall Museum

Forty Hall Museum

A stunning Jacobean Manor House with grade 1 listed status tells the story of Forty Hall & Estate throughout the ages.

Outer LONDON

Image of Garrick's Temple and Lawn

Garrick's Temple and Lawn

The small garden folly, erected in 1756 is an ode to Shakespeare on the north bank of the River Thames at Hampton.

Outer LONDON

Image of Grant Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy

Grant Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy

The only remaining university zoological museum in London, houses around 67,000 specimens, covering the whole Animal Kingdom.

Central LONDON

Image of Greenwich Heritage Centre

Greenwich Heritage Centre

Housed in the old ordnance factory, displays of local history with maps, photos and artefacts from the Roman era to the 20th century.

South LONDON

Image of Gunnersbury Park Museum

Gunnersbury Park Museum

Lots of local history set in a former banker's mansion.

West LONDON

Image of Hackney Museum

Hackney Museum

This exciting museum explores the reasons why people have moved to Hackney from all over the world for more than 1000 years.

East LONDON

Image of Harrow Museum

Harrow Museum

Harrow Museum, also known as Headstone Manor & Museum is the local history museum for the London Borough of Harrow.

Outer LONDON

Image of Hogarth's House

Hogarth's House

The 18th century country home of the great painter, engraver and satirist William Hogarth.

West LONDON

Image of Honeywood Museum

Honeywood Museum

Honeywood Museum is Sutton borough's heritage centre and local history museum.

Outer LONDON

Image of Imperial War Museum

Imperial War Museum

The Imperial War Museum London covers conflicts involving Britain from the First World War through to the present day.

South LONDON

Image of Inns of Court and City Yeomanry Museum

Inns of Court and City Yeomanry Museum

Tracing the history of The Inns of Court Regiment and predecessor units, from 1584 through many conflicts right up to the present day.

Central LONDON

Image of Islington Museum

Islington Museum

The history of; the borough, its residents and local heroes. Told though artefacts including books, displays, letters and recordings.

North LONDON

Image of Jewish Military Museum

Jewish Military Museum

The history and memorabilia, of British Jewish Servicemen and Women, who fought and often lost their lives serving their country at war.

North LONDON

Image of John Wesley's House

John Wesley's House

Built by Wesley in 1779, is one of London’s finest surviving examples of a small Georgian house.

Central LONDON

Image of Kenwood

Kenwood

18th century stately home set in 112 acres of leafy north London parkland. With paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Turner, Reynolds, Gainsborough and Constable.

North LONDON

Image of Kingston Museum

Kingston Museum

A large and varied collection of local interest and the life of pioneering photographer Eadweard Muybridge

Outer LONDON

Image of Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability

Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability

The museum tells the story of the Langdon Down house at Normansfield and also contains a Grade II* listed Victorian theatre.

Outer LONDON

Image of Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Library and Museum of Freemasonry

An extensive collection of objects with Masonic decoration including pottery and porcelain, glassware, silver, furniture and clocks, jewels and regalia.

Central LONDON

Image of London Sewing Machine Museum

London Sewing Machine Museum

Around 700 sewing machines are exhibited in glass cabinets, dating from around 1850 to 1950.

South LONDON

Image of Merton Heritage Centre

Merton Heritage Centre

Merton Heritage and Local Studies Centre tells the story of Merton and its people through a changing programme of exhibitions and events.

Outer LONDON

Image of Museum of Croydon

Museum of Croydon

The history of Croydon from 1800 to the present day through the objects and stories of local people.

Outer LONDON

Image of Museum of Immigration and Diversity

Museum of Immigration and Diversity

Open just a few days per year, this evocative museum explores experiences of multicultural refugees.

Central LONDON

Image of Museum of London

Museum of London

Located on London Wall and close to the Barbican Centre, the Museum of London documents,explores and tells the ever changing story of the history of London.

Central LONDON

Image of Museum of London Docklands

Museum of London Docklands

The history of London's River Thames told in a set of 19th centuary Georgian sugar warehouses.

East LONDON

Image of Museum of Methodism

Museum of Methodism

The Museum of Methodism in the chapel's crypt, tells the story of John Wesley and the Methodist Movement with interactive displays and original artefacts.

Central LONDON

Image of Museum of Richmond

Museum of Richmond

Celebrating the rich and royal heritage of Richmond, Ham, Petersham and Kew.

Outer LONDON

Image of Museum of the Order of St. John

Museum of the Order of St. John

Founded in the 12th century the Order of St John was a religious order with a duty to care for the sick, regardless of creed or country.

Central LONDON

Image of National Maritime Museum

National Maritime Museum

Explore Britain’s seafaring history in the largest maritime museum in the world.

South LONDON

Image of Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum

Home to 80 million items within five main collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology.

Central LONDON

Image of New London Architecture

New London Architecture

Located at The Building Centre with a focus for debate and discussion on architecture, planning, development and construction in London.

Central LONDON

Image of Old Speech Room Gallery, Harrow School

Old Speech Room Gallery, Harrow School

A distinguished collection of antiquities, fine art and collections relating to Old Harrovians such as Churchill, Byron, Sheridan, Codrington and Cecil Beaton.

Outer LONDON

Image of Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology

Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology

Housing an estimated 80,000 objects, making it one of the greatest collections of Egyptian and Sudanese archaeology in the world.

Central LONDON

Image of Prince Henry's Room

Prince Henry's Room

One of the few buildings left untouched by the Great Fire of London in 1666.

Central LONDON

Image of Queen Charlotte's Cottage

Queen Charlotte's Cottage

A rustic cottage built in the late 18th century as a royal country retreat.

West LONDON

Image of Redbridge Museum

Redbridge Museum

The museum explores the many different places, people and events in over 150,000 years of local Redbridge history.

Outer LONDON

Image of Royal Academy of Music Museum

Royal Academy of Music Museum

Founded in 1822, is the oldest music conservatoire in the United Kingdom. With collections of instruments, art, photography, manuscripts and scores.

Central LONDON

Image of Royal Air Force Museum

Royal Air Force Museum

One of two sites belonging to the U.K's only national museum that tells the story of the Royal Air Force through its people and collections.

North LONDON

Image of Royal Armouries

Royal Armouries

Located within the Tower of London grounds and home to the national collection of arms and armour, is Britain's oldest museum.

Central LONDON

Image of Royal College of Physicians

Royal College of Physicians

The oldest medical museum in England, with humble beginnings from 1656.

Central LONDON

Image of Royal Hospital Chelsea Museum

Royal Hospital Chelsea Museum

Home of the "Chelsea Pensioners" as well as a reconstruction of a typical berth, the uniform of a veteran soldier, and many other artefacts.

West LONDON

Image of Royal London Hospital Museum

Royal London Hospital Museum

Displays in a former church crypt, with exhibitions on Joseph Merrick the 'Elephant Man' and in the infamous 'Jack the Ripper' of Whitechapel.

East LONDON

Image of Royal Pharmaceutical Society Museum

Royal Pharmaceutical Society Museum

Established in 1842, provides a wide range of services and activities for everyone interested in the history of British pharmacy.

Central LONDON

Image of Science Museum

Science Museum

Featured across seven floors, exhibitions include the developments in contemporary science, medicine and technology.

West LONDON

Image of Sir John Soane's Museum

Sir John Soane's Museum

Eccentric home of the 19th century collector and architect Sir John Soane. Packed with classical sculptures, paintings and curiosities.

Central LONDON

Image of Smythson Stationery Museum

Smythson Stationery Museum

Located at the back of their New Bond Street shop, the museums displays stationery memorabilia and stamps dating back to 1887.

Central LONDON

Image of St. Bart's Hospital Museum

St. Bart's Hospital Museum

he museum based in a working hospital in the City of London, exhibits objects and archives dating back to the 12th century

Central LONDON

Image of St. Bride's Crypt

St. Bride's Crypt

The "Museum of Fleet Street" with archaeological finds from Roman, Saxon and Medieval times.

Central LONDON

Image of The British Library

The British Library

The national library of the United Kingdom and largest library in the world with historical items dating back as far as 2000 BC.

Central LONDON

Image of The British Museum

The British Museum

One of the world's greatest museums of human history and culture. With over 8 million objects in an area of 13 acres.

Central LONDON

Image of The Charterhouse

The Charterhouse

Former monastery built in 1371, now home to an almshouse, with gardens, a chapel and a small museum.

Central LONDON

Image of The Crystal Palace Museum

The Crystal Palace Museum

Housed in the only surviving Crystal Palace Company building, is the story and memorabilia of The Crystal Palace exhibition centre.

South LONDON

Image of The Cuming Museum

The Cuming Museum

The Cuming family's bequeathed collection of objects of; natural history, archaeology and ethnology, among other curios.

South LONDON

Image of The Faraday Museum

The Faraday Museum

The story of the electromagnetic discoveries made by Michael Faraday in the 19th century.

Central LONDON

Image of The Geffrye Museum

The Geffrye Museum

Eleven period rooms spanning 1600 to the present day, tell the story of how homes have changed over 400 years.

Central LONDON

Image of The Horniman Museum & Gardens

The Horniman Museum & Gardens

The Arts and Crafts style building boasts a treasury of over 300,000 objects. Including an aquarium, stuffed animal and musical instrument collections.

South LONDON

Image of The Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons

The Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons

Revealing 400 years of medical history. From the oldest anatomical collections in the world to minimal access surgery.

Central LONDON

Image of The Museum of Fulham Palace

The Museum of Fulham Palace

Historic house and garden of the Bishop of London since 704. Paintings, archaeology and artefacts reveal the history of the Palace site from prehistoric times.

West LONDON

Image of The Museum of Wimbledon

The Museum of Wimbledon

A small intimate museum which reveals in pictures, words and objects, the 3,000 year history of Wimbledon.

South LONDON

Image of The National Army Museum

The National Army Museum

The overall history of the British Army, British colonial, imperial and commonwealth forces from 1066 to the present day.

West LONDON

Image of The Queen's House

The Queen's House

Originally the home of Charles I's queen, Henrietta Maria—the 17th century building now houses an outstanding fine-art collection.

South LONDON

Image of The Ragged School Museum

The Ragged School Museum

Housed in three Victorian canalside warehouses—a reconstructed Victorian Classroom and a Victorian East End Kitchen displays its own collection of historical objects.

East LONDON

Image of The RCM Museum of Music

The RCM Museum of Music

A collection of more than 1,500 items including musical instruments, portraits, sculptures, photographs and engravings related to music.

West LONDON

Image of The Rose Theatre Exhibition

The Rose Theatre Exhibition

Bankside's first purpose-built playhouse, erected in 1587. William Shakespeare learnt his craft and Christopher Marlowe wrote his best plays here.

Central LONDON

Image of The Stephens Collection

The Stephens Collection

The life story of Henry ‘Inky’ Stephens with fascinating artefacts and memorabilia from the history of the man, to his business and passions.

North LONDON

Image of The Twickenham Museum

The Twickenham Museum

Told, is the rich history of Twickenham, Whitton, Teddington and the Hamptons. Reached via a pleasant riverside walk from Richmond.

Outer LONDON

Image of Tithe Barn Museum of Nostalgia

Tithe Barn Museum of Nostalgia

A collection of artifacts of nostalgic origin located in Hall Lane. The museum holds around 14,500 artifacts of domestic and agricultural us

Outer LONDON

Image of Twinings Museum

Twinings Museum

The small museum within the shop, that's been on the Strand since 1717 displays the history of Twinings with photos, packaging and memorabillia.

Central LONDON

Image of UCL Art Museum

UCL Art Museum

An impressive collection encompassing Turner and Rembrandt etchings and student work from the Slade School of Art.

Central LONDON

Image of UCL Geology Collections

UCL Geology Collections

The Rock Room collection contains 40,000 geological specimens from all over the world and even outer space—from fossils to meteorites to minerals.

Central LONDON

Image of V & A Museum of Childhood

V & A Museum of Childhood

Spanning the 1600s to the present day—toys, clothes and interactive displays are set within a 1872 hangar with marble floor and visible cast iron frame.

East LONDON

Image of V&A (Victoria & Albert) Museum

V&A (Victoria & Albert) Museum

Founded in 1852, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects.

West LONDON

Image of Valence House Museum

Valence House Museum

The only surviving medieval manor house of Dagenham, partially surrounded by a moat and situated in Valence Park. With exhibitions of archaeology and rural life.

Outer LONDON

Image of Vestry House Museum

Vestry House Museum

Explore the local history of Waltham Forest in the attractive former 1730's workhouse.

East LONDON

Image of Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum

Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum

Housed in a former Victorian waste water pumping station and devoted to the technology and industrial history of Walthamstow.

East LONDON

Image of Wellcome Collection Museum

Wellcome Collection Museum

The collection of medical curiosities and implements, tell the story and explore connections between medicine, life and art in the past, present and future.

Central LONDON

Image of White Lodge Museum & Ballet Resource Centre

White Lodge Museum & Ballet Resource Centre

Built in 1727, the Grade I listed building White Lodge—is the home of The Royal Ballet Lower School and the UK's first museum dedicated to ballet.

Outer LONDON

Image of William Morris Gallery

William Morris Gallery

This grade II listed, Georgian building was Morris's family home from 1848 to 1856.

East LONDON

Image of William Morris Society - Kelmscott House Museum

William Morris Society - Kelmscott House Museum

William Morris's beautiful 18th century house on the banks of the River Thames from 1878 to 1896.

West LONDON