Free Attractions In London

Bank of England Museum - It’s not all about money in this museum, they also have a lot of interesting pictures showing how London looked in the past

British Library - There’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 Museum - One 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 Palace - Every 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 Guards - If you don’t fancy the big crowds at Buckingham Palace then try the Changing the Guard ceremony at Horse Guards instead

Common Council at the Guildhall - A monthly meeting of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. It’s worth a visiting this event simply to see inside the medieval Guildhall

Covent Garden street entertainers - Covent Garden is a great place to do some people watching, sitting in one of the cafes enjoying some street entertainment

Dismounting Ceremony (4 O'Clock Parade) - This short ceremony is a great alternative to Changing the Guard if your kids can’t handle the crowds at the palace

Downing Street - After 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 Hill - If 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 Gallery - This art gallery has something surprising in the basement: the remains of Londinium’s Roman amphitheatre where the gladiators fought

Horse Guards - A 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 Commons public gallery - 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 Museum - You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to free museums, and the Imperial War Museum is popular with military enthusiasts

Leadenhall Market - It’s just an under­cover shopping street really, but the beautifully ornate decorations make Leadenhall Market a great place to stop for lunch

London Mithraeum - Explore the 2,000-year-old Temple of Mithras in the basement of the Bloomberg building, atmospherically lit with hologram-like effects

Museum of London - Another 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

Museum of London Docklands - An interesting museum that explores the history of the River Thames and the area around Canary Wharf and Docklands

Museum of the Home - This interesting museum is housed inside an old almshouse, and shows how British living rooms and furnishings have changed over the centuries

National Army Museum - The 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 Gallery - This 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 Museum - This museum is worth a visit just to see the bullet-pierced jacket that Admiral Nelson wore at the Battle of Trafalgar

National Portrait Gallery - The National Portrait Gallery is round the corner from the National Gallery and is filled with famous faces from history

Natural History Museum - Combine the Natural History Museum with the Science Museum next-door for a great day out that won’t cost a penny

Old Royal Naval College - The Old Royal Naval College is one of Wren’s best pieces of architecture. Don’t miss the chapel and spectacular Painted Hall

One New Change - This 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 Hill - You’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 Questions (PMQs) - UK citizens can write to their local MP and request a ticket to see the Prime Minister’s Questions at the House of Commons

Primrose Hill - If 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 Museum - This museum has more planes and helicopters than an airport. It is especially strong on World War II planes like the Spitfire and Lancaster

Roman Bath - This 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 Justice - How 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

Royal Hospital - Wren’s Royal Hospital is home to the Chelsea Pensioners. You can walk around the grounds and see the chapel, Great Hall and museum

Saatchi Gallery - If 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 Gate - A 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 Evensong - If you want to visit St. Paul’s for free then try attending the Evensong service because that includes beautiful music

Science Museum - A 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 Museum - Sir John Soane’s old house is one of the best museums in London and the decorations have to be seen to be believed

Sky Garden - Imagine 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’ Corner - If you’re stuck for something to do at Sunday lunchtime then why not listen to some lively debate and heckling at Speakers’ Corner?

Tate Britain - Tate Britain is one of London’s most popular art galleries, with British art by the likes of Constable, Gainsborough, JMW Turner and Blake

Tate Modern - Tate 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 Museum - Don’t miss the Cast Room and artworks by Raphael. It’s also strong on Indian, Asian and Middle Eastern art

Wallace Collection - An eclectic collection of arms, French furnishings, pieces of porcelain, jewellery, and paintings by the likes of Rembrandt, Rubens and Titian

Westminster Abbey Evensong - A great way to see inside Westminster Abbey for free is to attend their Evensong service and enjoy the beautiful music