The Bank of England Museum tells the story of the Bank, from why people started using paper money to why banknotes are so hard to copy. In the Rotunda you can...
Bank 3 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
Cover story
Free Museums in London
Free permanent collections with landmark doors. A fair indoor meet when weather or wallets rule out the pub.
The little black book
Free Museums in London
Free permanent collections with landmark doors. A fair indoor meet when weather or wallets rule out the pub.
The British Museum is free, with the Rosetta Stone in Room 4, just off the Great Court. The glass-roofed Great Court is the easiest place for a group to meet....
Holborn 7 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
The Design Museum on Kensington High Street has a free permanent display, Designer Maker User, with almost 1,000 objects of modern design. It includes a...
High Street Kensington 7 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
The Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill has 16 acres of gardens and a 1903 bandstand with one of the best views of the London skyline. The Gardens open...
Forest Hill 10 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
Two 15-inch naval guns, from HMS Ramillies and HMS Resolution, stand in front of IWM London, making it the easiest meeting point to describe. Entry is free and...
Lambeth North 6 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
The Museum of the Home on Kingsland Road traces London home life through rooms from 1630 to 2049. Its Gardens Through Time and almshouse gardens are free to...
Hoxton 5 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
The National Gallery is free, and its portico over Trafalgar Square is the obvious rally point, minutes from Charing Cross. The Sainsbury Wing reopened in May...
Charing Cross 3 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
The National Maritime Museum calls itself the world's largest maritime museum, and entry to its galleries is free. Nelson's Trafalgar coat is in the free...
Cutty Sark 6 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
The National Portrait Gallery reopened in June 2023 after a major refurbishment, with a new main entrance on Ross Place. General admission is free. It is a...
Leicester Square 4 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
Hope, a 25.2-metre blue whale skeleton, hangs over Hintze Hall at the Natural History Museum. The permanent galleries are free. Book a free ticket to skip...
South Kensington 5 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
The Science Museum's free Space gallery holds the Apollo 10 capsule alongside a Soyuz, and Energy Hall has historic steam engines. Book a free admission ticket...
South Kensington 5 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
Tate Britain holds the world's largest collection of Turner's work, in the free Clore Gallery. The Millbank entrance is closed until 2027, so meet at the...
Pimlico 8 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
Tate Modern's Turbine Hall is free, with no booking needed, and big enough for any group. It opens from 10am to 6pm Sunday to Thursday and until 9pm on Fridays...
Southwark 8 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
The V&A in South Kensington is free, with the full-size plaster cast of Trajan's Column in the Cast Courts. The Jewellery Gallery holds around 3,500 pieces....
South Kensington 4 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
The Wallace Collection is a Marylebone mansion on Manchester Square, full of old master paintings and one of Britain's finest arms and armour collections....
Bond Street 6 min · Walk-in
Walk-in
Frequently asked questions
Is the permanent collection really free?
Free Museums in London focuses on free permanent collections. Special exhibitions often need tickets: check before you promise the headline show. FairWhere still helps pick which museum is fairest for everyone's journey.
What's best for a rainy Sunday with kids?
Filter for rainy day or families. Natural History and the Science Museum sit next to each other in South Kensington, then run a FairWhere plan so the meet is reachable from every origin.
How does FairWhere rank places on Free Museums in London?
FairWhere ranks venues on this Placelist by FairWhere Score: journey fairness for your whole group, not by popularity, sponsorship, or who suggested the place first. Open Plan a fair meet to add origins and see the ranked shortlist.
Do I need everyone in the same area of London?
No. FairWhere is built for groups coming from different zones. Add each person's start location and it ranks venues so the travel burden is as fair as possible across the group.
Is this free to use?
Browsing Placelists and creating a basic plan with estimate-only ranking is free in the London beta. Optional live checks and deeper routing may use credits where offered.
Where next
South Bank Meeting PointsMeet at Tate or Jubilee Gardens, then wander.
London Parks for GroupsFine-weather alternative to galleries.
After-Work DrinksContinue the day somewhere bookable afterwards.
More from FairWhere
- Quiet pubs, bars and cafés in LondonA calm coffee or pub after the galleries.