Museums and landmarks in London
Many major London museums offer free general admission, while attractions and special exhibitions may require booking.
Practical tip: For the British Museum, distinguish collection admission from exhibition admission: a general booking does not automatically include paid events. Before arriving with luggage, read the official entry rules. Make the same check for your chosen museum rather than extending British Museum conditions to every London attraction.
Advice sources: British Museum · Visit
- British MuseumFree entryDaily 10am–5pm · Fri to 8:30pm
Free but book a slot at weekends; the Rosetta Stone is right of the entrance.
- Tower of Londonfrom £33.60 online9am–5:30pm · Sun–Mon from 10am
Head to the Crown Jewels at opening: after 11am it's a 30-minute queue.
- Westminster Abbey£29 online · free for services9:30am–3:30pm · closed Sunday to visitors
Afternoon Evensong is free and gets you into the quire.
- London Eyefrom £29 onlineDaily 11am–6pm
Last rotation at sunset: same price, far better view.
- Buckingham PalaceOutside free · State Rooms from £32 (summer)Changing the Guard 11am (alternate days)
Watch the Guard change from the Victoria Memorial — above the crowd.
- St Paul's Cathedral£26 online (dome included)8:30am–4:30pm · closed Sunday to visitors
528 steps to the Golden Gallery: the view beats the Shard.
- National GalleryFree entryDaily 10am–6pm · Fri to 9pm
Van Gogh, Turner and Caravaggio for free, on Trafalgar Square.
- Tower BridgeWalk across free · Exhibition £13.40Exhibition 9:30am–6pm
Bridge lift times are published online — a free show.
- Tate ModernFree entryDaily 10am–6pm
Free level 10 terrace: views of St Paul's and the Millennium Bridge.
- Tate BritainFree entryDaily 10am–6pm
The Turner rooms hold hundreds of works donated by the artist himself.
- Natural History MuseumFree entryDaily 10am–5:50pm
Book the free slot online — weekend walk-in queues can top an hour.
- Science MuseumFree entryDaily 10am–6pm
Special exhibitions and the IMAX are paid extras — check the calendar first.
- Victoria and Albert MuseumFree entryDaily 10am–5:45pm · Fri to 10pm
Friday late opening is far quieter than daytime visits.
- National Portrait GalleryFree entryDaily 10am–6pm · Fri–Sat to 9pm
Reopened after its 2023 renovation, with a new entrance on Ross Place.
- Imperial War MuseumFree entryDaily 10am–6pm
The Holocaust Galleries need a free timed ticket to manage visitor flow.
- Museum of London DocklandsFree entryDaily 10am–5pm
Housed in an 1802 sugar warehouse — the London, Sugar & Slavery gallery is the highlight.
- Churchill War Roomsfrom £32 onlineDaily 9:30am–6pm
The included audio guide is excellent — allow at least 90 minutes.
- Houses of Parliament & Big Benfrom £30 guided tourTours Saturdays only and during parliamentary recess
Book well ahead — Elizabeth Tower tours sell out months in advance.
- Kensington Palacefrom £22.50 onlineDaily 10am–4pm · closed Monday in low season
The Sunken Gardens around the palace are free and lovely in spring.
- Hampton Court Palacefrom £28.80 onlineDaily 10am–5pm · earlier close in winter
Save time for the famous hedge maze — getting lost is the whole point.
- Tower Bridge Exhibition£13.40 onlineDaily 9:30am–6pm
The high-level glass floor is the highlight — go on a clear day for the view below.
- The View from The Shardfrom £28 onlineDaily 10am–10pm
Sunset slots are cheapest when booked well in advance.
- Sky GardenFree entryMon–Fri 10am–6pm · weekends 9:30am–7pm (booking required)
Free but booking-only — weekend slots vanish days in advance.
- Somerset HouseFree entryDaily 10am–6pm (courtyard hours vary by event)
In winter the courtyard ice rink is one of London's most scenic.
- Courtauld Galleryfrom £13 onlineDaily 10am–6pm · closed 24–26 Dec
Small but dense — Manet's Bar at the Folies-Bergère alone is worth the visit.
- Wallace CollectionFree entryDaily 10am–5pm
Fragonard's The Swing and a huge armoury collection — free and rarely crowded.
- Sir John Soane's MuseumFree entryTue–Sun 10am–5pm · closed Monday
The architect's maze-like house-museum has limited entries — arrive early.
- Royal Observatory Greenwichfrom £18 onlineDaily 10am–5pm
The ticket includes the selfie on the Meridian Line — avoid midday for shorter queues.
- Cutty Sarkfrom £18 onlineDaily 10am–5pm
Walk beneath the copper-clad hull — a unique view under a historic clipper.
- Old Royal Naval CollegeGrounds free · Painted Hall £16Daily 10am–5pm
The Painted Hall is called 'Britain's Sistine Chapel' — well worth the ticket.
- Kew Gardensfrom £17 onlineDaily 10am–6pm (varies by season)
Don't miss the Treetop Walkway, 18 metres up among the tree canopies.
- Royal Albert Hallfrom £20 guided tourDaily tours, times vary around events
Tours cover the famous summer Proms — book online, evening events often cancel slots.
- Shakespeare's Globefrom £17 tour · shows from £25Daily tours 9:30am–5pm (suspended on matinee days)
The £5 standing 'groundling' tickets for shows are the most authentic experience.
- The Monument£6 onlineDaily 9:30am–6pm
311 narrow spiral steps — not ideal if you're claustrophobic.
- Wellington Arch£6.80 onlineSat–Sun 10am–4pm (seasonal)
Combine the ticket with Apsley House right across the road — a joint discount applies.
- Apsley House£13.90 onlineSat–Sun 10am–4pm (seasonal)
The Duke of Wellington's former home, with Spanish masterpieces seized from Napoleon after Waterloo.
- Leighton House£11 onlineWed–Mon 10am–5:30pm · closed Tuesday
The Arab Hall, lined with original Ottoman tiles, is unlike anywhere else in London.
- Design MuseumPermanent collection free · exhibitions from £16Daily 10am–6pm
The shop is one of London's best for contemporary design pieces.
- Horniman MuseumMuseum free · Aquarium £8Daily 10am–5:30pm
The overstuffed Victorian walrus is a local icon — the view from the gardens is free.
- The Postal Museumfrom £19.50 online (with Mail Rail)Wed–Sun 10am–5pm · closed Mon–Tue
The mini-train ride through the old underground mail railway is the highlight.
- Charles Dickens Museum£12.50 onlineWed–Sun 10am–5pm · closed Mon–Tue
The only surviving Dickens home in London — he wrote Oliver Twist here.
- Handel & Hendrix in London£14 onlineTue–Sun 11am–6pm · closed Monday
Handel and Jimi Hendrix lived next door to each other, two centuries apart — a quirky must.
Skip-the-line tickets for museums and landmarks
Timed-entry tickets: no ticket office, shorter queues, ticket straight on your phone.
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Frequently asked questions
What should I know about museums and landmarks in London?
Many major London museums offer free general admission, while attractions and special exhibitions may require booking.
How do I choose museums and landmarks in London?
Compare distance, hours and entry conditions, allowing time for security checks.
What should I check before going?
For the British Museum, distinguish collection admission from exhibition admission: a general booking does not automatically include paid events. Before arriving with luggage, read the official entry rules. Make the same check for your chosen museum rather than extending British Museum conditions to every London attraction.