Looking for free things to do in London? Here are 45 free attractions that I’ve visited myself, from the British Museum, National Gallery and Evensong at St. Paul’s, to Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace. I’ve personally reviewed every place listed and given them an honest rating: ★ is okay, ★★ is good and ★★★ is great. For my shortlist of favourites see my Top 10 free things to do in London. To find out what’s happening now, browse free events in London.
Bank of England MuseumFreeIt’s not all about money in this museum, they also have a lot of interesting pictures showing how London looked in the past
British LibraryFreeThere’s a free exhibition of old manuscripts by the likes of Galileo, Shakespeare and Henry VIII, plus some beautiful old Bibles and maps as well
British MuseumFreeOne of the world’s great museums with a huge range of Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Asian artefacts. If you only see one museum, make it this one
Changing the Guard at Buckingham PalaceFreeEvery tourist who visits London has this parade at the top of their itinerary. It’s totally free – but it’s also incredibly crowded!
Changing the Guard at Horse GuardsFreeIf you don’t fancy the big crowds at Buckingham Palace then try the Changing the Guard ceremony at Horse Guards instead
Common Council at GuildhallFreeA monthly meeting of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. It’s worth a visiting this event simply to see inside the medieval Guildhall
Covent Garden entertainersFreeCovent Garden is a great place to do some people watching, sitting in one of the cafes enjoying some street entertainment
Dismounting CeremonyFreeThis short ceremony is a great alternative to Changing the Guard if your kids can’t handle the crowds at the palace
Downing StreetFreeAfter you’ve looked at Parliament and Big Ben have a walk down Whitehall and peer through the black gate to see where the Prime Minister lives
Greenwich HillFreeIf you’re looking for a cheap way to fill up an hour then how about climbing up Greenwich Hill to see its fantastic view of the London skyline?
Guildhall Art GalleryFreeThis art gallery has something surprising in the basement: the remains of Londinium’s Roman amphitheatre where the gladiators fought
Horse GuardsFreeA popular photo-spot for tourists as they stand by the mounted soldiers at the sentry boxes and snap a photo next to one of their giant military horses
House of CommonsFreeThis is one of the best free events in London. You can sit in the public gallery and listen to the MPs debating all afternoon
Imperial War MuseumFreeYou’re spoilt for choice when it comes to free museums, and the Imperial War Museum is popular with military enthusiasts
Leadenhall MarketFreeIt’s just an undercover shopping street really, but the beautifully ornate decorations make Leadenhall Market a great place to stop for lunch
London MithraeumFreeExplore the 2,000-year-old Temple of Mithras in the basement of the Bloomberg building, atmospherically lit with hologram-like effects
London MuseumFreeAnother of London’s free museums which tells the story of the city from pre-history all the way through medieval and Tudor times up to the present day
London Museum DocklandsFreeAn interesting museum that explores the history of the River Thames and the area around Canary Wharf and Docklands
Museum of the HomeFreeThis interesting museum is housed inside an old almshouse, and shows how British living rooms and furnishings have changed over the centuries
National Army MuseumFreeThe National Army Museum tells the story of the British military from the days of Henry V and Agincourt all the way up to World War II and beyond
National GalleryFreeThis is the best free gallery in London, where you’ll find masterpieces by the world’s greatest artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Vincent Van Gogh
National Maritime MuseumFreeThis museum is worth a visit just to see the bullet-pierced jacket that Admiral Nelson wore at the Battle of Trafalgar
National Portrait GalleryFreeThe National Portrait Gallery is round the corner from the National Gallery and is filled with famous faces from history
Natural History MuseumFreeCombine the Natural History Museum with the Science Museum next-door for a great day out that won’t cost a penny
Old Royal Naval CollegeFreeThe Old Royal Naval College is one of Wren’s best pieces of architecture. Don’t miss the chapel and spectacular Painted Hall
One New ChangeFreeThis is one of two views of the skyline that won’t cost you any money. Ride the lift to the roof terrace for a fantastic view of St Paul’s Cathedral
Parliament HillFreeYou’ll have to trek over Hampstead Heath to find it, but when you climb up Parliament Hill you’ll be rewarded with a great view of London’s skyline
Prime Minister’s QuestionsFreeUK citizens can write to their local MP and request a ticket to see the Prime Minister’s Questions at the House of Commons
Primrose HillFreeIf you fancy a bit of exercise then take a stroll up Primrose Hill and see how many London landmarks you can see without looking at the plaque
RAF MuseumFreeThis museum has more planes and helicopters than an airport. It is especially strong on World War II planes like the Spitfire and Lancaster
Roman BathFreeThis is actually a fake Roman bath but there are still a couple of interesting things to see on this little walk that I’ve put together on the way
Royal Courts of JusticeFreeHow about watching a case at the Royal Courts of Justice? The case might be dull, but it’s still worth a look simply to see the cathedral-like interior
Saatchi GalleryFreeIf you’re a fan of contemporary art then check out the Saatchi Gallery. It’s full of up-and-coming artists that you’ve probably never heard of
St John’s GateFreeA castle-like gatehouse that used to part of the medieval Clerkenwell Priory, with a museum about the Crusades and St John’s Ambulance
St Paul’s Cathedral EvensongFreeIf you want to visit St Paul’s Cathedral for free then try attending the Evensong service because that includes beautiful music
Science MuseumFreeA good museum for families, especially if your kid is into space, with lots of early inventions like computers, planes and rockets
Sir John Soane’s MuseumFreeSir John Soane’s old house is one of the best museums in London and the decorations have to be seen to be believed
Sky GardenFreeImagine if they put the glass Palm House from Kew Gardens on top of a skyscraper. That’s exactly what they’ve done at the Sky Garden
Speakers’ CornerFreeIf you’re stuck for something to do at Sunday lunchtime then why not listen to some lively debate and heckling at Speakers’ Corner?
Tate BritainFreeTate Britain is one of London’s most popular art galleries, with British art by the likes of Constable, Gainsborough, JMW Turner and Blake
Tate ModernFreeTate Modern is housed inside an old power station and contains some of the biggest names in modern art like Warhol, Dali and Picasso
Victoria & Albert MuseumFreeThe V&A has a great collection of Indian, Asian and Middle Eastern art. And don’t miss the Cast Room and artworks by Raphael
Wallace CollectionFreeAn eclectic collection of arms, French furnishings, pieces of porcelain, jewellery, and paintings by the likes of Rembrandt, Rubens and Titian
Westminster Abbey EvensongFreeA great way to see inside Westminster Abbey for free is to attend their Evensong service and enjoy the beautiful music
More ideas to help you plan your free day out
Free day out in LondonI’ve put together two carefully-timed itineraries that will give you a whole day’s worth of attractions that won’t cost you a penny
Top 10 free things to do in LondonCheck out my quick and easy guide to my ten favourite things to do in London, from galleries and museums to the best daily parades
Upcoming free events in London
Choral Evensong service at St. Paul’s Cathedral Attend a choral Evensong at St. Paul's Cathedral and see part of the Cathedral for free
Dismounting Ceremony (4 O’Clock Parade) at Horse Guards A daily ceremony of Foot Guards and cavalry that takes place in the courtyard at Horse Guards
Choral Matin at the Tower of London’s Chapel Royal Attend a Sunday service at the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London
Speakers’ Corner - Sunday speeches in Hyde Park Visit Speakers' Corner at Sunday lunchtime and hear the public giving political speeches on a soapbox
Choral service in Hampton Court Palace’s Chapel Royal Enjoy a choral Sunday service in Henry VIII's Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace
Watch Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons Watch the British PM getting grilled by MPs in Parliament at PMQs