Is London good for art?
Few cities offer so much for free. You can see Assyrian palace reliefs, the Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian tomb paintings in the morning and Renaissance altarpieces in the afternoon, without buying a ticket. The catch is that free museums are busy and huge, so the choice of what to skip matters as much as what to see. Only the temporary exhibitions are paid.
Which free museums are worth your time?
The British Museum
The first stop for anyone interested in the ancient world. On one floor you walk from the Rosetta Stone to the Assyrian reliefs to the Parthenon sculptures. It is too big to see in one go: follow the two-hour route in the guide to the British Museum. Book a free timed ticket.
The National Gallery
Over a thousand paintings on Trafalgar Square, from Uccello and Gentileschi to Turner and Van Gogh: for European painting, it is the essential stop. Building work is under way, so some rooms are closed and some paintings have moved; if you are going for a specific picture, check its current location on the gallery’s website first. The entrance is through the Sainsbury Wing.
The V&A South Kensington
The museum of art and design: sculpture, fashion, furniture, silver, ceramics, from all periods and many cultures. Worth it if those things interest you; if you came for painting or antiquity, it can wait for another trip. It stays open until 22:00 on Fridays, although some galleries close at 17:45.
Tate Modern
Modern and contemporary art in a former power station on the river, with works by Picasso, Matisse and Yayoi Kusama in the collection and the vast Turbine Hall for large installations. Open late on Fridays and Saturdays.
Tate Britain
Five hundred years of British art, and the largest collection of works by J.M.W. Turner. For most visitors the Turners are the reason to come; there is no need to book.
The Wallace Collection
A private collection in a London town house, with old master paintings, French eighteenth-century art and armour. Fragonard’s The Swing hangs here. An hour is enough, and it is rarely crowded.
Sir John Soane’s Museum
The home of the architect Sir John Soane, left as it was at his death in 1837 and packed with antiquities, casts and paintings. In the basement Sepulchral Chamber stands the alabaster sarcophagus of the pharaoh Seti I, which Soane bought in 1824. Space is tight, so you may have to wait to get in; it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
What can you skip?
Skip the idea of seeing all of them: seven big free museums in one trip means seeing none of them well. If antiquity is your interest, skip Tate Modern and the V&A before you skip the British Museum. If painting is, skip the V&A before the National Gallery and Tate Britain. And skip the paid exhibitions unless one is the reason for your visit: the free collections are more than enough.
How many days do you need?
Two days: the British Museum one morning, the National Gallery the next, with the Wallace Collection or the Soane in an afternoon. Three days: add Tate Britain or Tate Modern, or the V&A, according to taste. Use the late openings: the British Museum and the National Gallery on Fridays, the V&A on Fridays, Tate Modern on Fridays and Saturdays. For a second ancient-art capital a train ride away, see art in Paris.
When should you go?
Any season works, because the visits are indoors. Weekday mornings at opening time are the calmest; weekends and school holidays are the busiest. Most of these museums close on 24-26 December.
London in brief
British Museum
- Ticket
- Free
- Booking
- Free timed ticket recommended
- Hours
- Daily 10:00-17:00, Friday until 20:30; closed 24-26 December
- Time
- 2 hours for one route
National Gallery
- Ticket
- Free; some exhibitions paid
- Booking
- Free ticket for fast-track entry; walk-up entry also available
- Hours
- Daily 10:00-18:00, Friday until 21:00; closed 24-26 December and 1 January
- Time
- 2-3 hours
- Note
- Some rooms closed for building work: check painting locations online
V&A South Kensington
- Ticket
- Free; some exhibitions paid
- Hours
- Daily 10:00-17:45, Friday until 22:00 (some galleries close after 17:45); closed 24-26 December
- Time
- 2 hours
Tate Modern
- Ticket
- Free; exhibitions paid
- Hours
- Sunday-Thursday 10:00-18:00, Friday-Saturday 10:00-21:00
- Time
- 2 hours
Tate Britain
- Ticket
- Free; exhibitions paid
- Booking
- Not needed for the collection
- Hours
- Daily 10:00-18:00
- Time
- 1.5-2 hours
Wallace Collection
- Ticket
- Free for the permanent collection
- Hours
- Daily 10:00-17:00; closed 24-26 December
- Time
- 1 hour
Sir John Soane’s Museum
- Ticket
- Free
- Booking
- Not needed; walk in, but expect to wait at busy times
- Hours
- Wednesday-Sunday 10:00-17:00, last admission usually 16:30; closed Monday and Tuesday, open on bank holidays
- Time
- 1 hour
- Verified
- October 2026, on the official sites. Prices and hours change: check before you go.
Questions
Are London’s museums really free?
The permanent collections of the British Museum, the National Gallery, the V&A, the two Tates, the Wallace Collection and the Soane are free. Temporary exhibitions are usually paid.
Which London museum is best for ancient art?
The British Museum, by far. Add Sir John Soane’s Museum for the sarcophagus of Seti I.
Do you need to book the National Gallery?
No. A free ticket gives fast-track entry, but you can also walk in.
Sources
- British Museum, National Gallery, V&A, Tate, Wallace Collection and Sir John Soane’s Museum: official visiting pages (October 2026).
- Sir John Soane’s Museum, collection pages on the sarcophagus of Seti I.
