Free Things to Do in London
London has a reputation for being expensive — and it can be. But it also has more genuinely free, world-class things to do than almost any other major city, built on a tradition of publicly funded institutions that believe culture should be accessible to everyone.
Free World-Class Museums
The British Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Modern, National Gallery, Tate Britain, National Portrait Gallery, Museum of London, Design Museum (permanent collection) and many more are all free to enter. This isn't a minor-league collection of local curiosities — several of these are among the greatest museums on earth, and they cost nothing to walk into.
Free Parks & Green Spaces
The eight Royal Parks — Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park, St James's Park, Green Park, Primrose Hill, Greenwich Park and Richmond Park — are all free to enter and cover enormous areas of the city. Richmond Park is home to over 600 red and fallow deer roaming freely, and is genuinely unlike anything else in a capital city.
Free Architecture & Streets
Walking London is free and one of the best ways to see it — the South Bank walk from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge, the City of London's medieval lanes, Notting Hill's pastel streets and Greenwich's UNESCO-listed maritime quarter are all open to anyone. Many of the city's most interesting things exist on streets and in public squares rather than behind ticket desks.
Tips
- London's major museums are free every day — no queuing for a free ticket, no booking required for permanent collections.
- Friday evenings at the National Gallery, Tate Modern and V&A are free and often the calmest visiting time.
- Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is free to watch — arrive 30–45 minutes early for a good view.
- Richmond Park's deer are free to visit and genuinely extraordinary — a 45-minute train from Waterloo.