London is not only cool, but it’s packed with culture, heritage and history. The good news is, despite it being an expensive city to visit, the vast majority of its top attractions are absolutely free:
Museums:
London can’t be beaten on world class museums and art galleries. The good news is all of the big hitters are free:
The British Museum – quite possibly the best museum in the world. It has a vast collection covering 2 million years of history including – Egyptian mummies, Greek temples, Roman gold and Anglo Saxon hoards.
The V&A – the world’s leading museum of art and design with 2.3 million objects from over 5,000 years of history. Our favourite must sees are – the Raphael Cartoons, the Alexander McQueen evening dresses, the Chinese collection and the atmospheric Cast Court.
The Natural History Museum – housed in an iconic building, the Natural History Museum has 80 million natural specimens including their world famous dinosaur collection. Our favourite exhibits are the colossal squid – in a 8 metre fish tank; the earthquake simulator and the gemstone collection on the the top floor. Tip – the queue at the side door is much shorter.
The Science Museum – home to a range of magnificent objects including a working 1903 Mill Engine, the Black Arrow space launch vessel, Helen Sharman’s space suit and Amy Johnson’s Gypsy Moth.
Depending on your interests, other free world class museums include: the Imperial War Museum, the Royal Airforce Museum, the National Army Museum, The British Library, the Museum of London and our favourite – Sir John Soane’s Museum. All are worth a visit if you’ve time.
Art Galleries:
The National Gallery – this phenomenal art gallery has a massive collection featuring masterpieces from all over the world: Michelangelo, Cezanne, Da Vinci, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet…the list goes on.
The Tate Modern – this epic building on the South Bank houses a phenomenal collection of modern art featuring: Warhol, Rothko, Dali, Magritte, Miro, Mondrian, Mattisse and Pollock. The building itself is well worth a visit with spectacular views of the Thames and London’s skyline from both the cafes and the tower.
The Tate Britain– covers British art from 1545 to the present day featuring: Hogarth, Moore, Bacon, Turner, Millais and Lowry and Hockney.
Other must visit free art galleries include: the National Portrait Gallery, the Saatchi Gallery and The Wallace Collection.
Sights:
The Sky Garden – one of the best views of the city is free, pre-book for a stunning view of London and the capital’s highest garden.
The Changing the Guard – this massive tourist attraction is free. It happens throughout the year outside Buckingham Palace check their website for times.
The South Bank walking along this iconic river promenade from Westminster to Tower Bridge takes in many cultural sights, attractions and galleries. It’s non stop photo opportunities (the London Eye, The Globe Theatre, St Pauls and The Shard) with a selection of free attractions from Borough Market and Leake St Tunnels to the Tate Modern.