In a city like London, it can sometimes feel like you’re being charged money as soon as you get off the train or step out of your front door. And you’d be forgiven for thinking the city has nothing affordable to do, let alone any free activities. But with this list of free things to do in London, you can explore the capital without parting with (almost) any of your hard-earned money.
Give the credit card a break, leave the wallet at home, and dive into this roundup of the best free things to do in London:
Free museums and galleries in London
There’s an incredible wealth of museums and galleries in London for you to get your cultural fix. And many of them are free to visit! You’ll have to pay to to see explore some of the limited-time exhibitions, but there’s plenty to see in their free-to-view permanent collections.
1. The British Museum – explore two million years’ worth of human history and culture.
2. The Victoria & Albert (aka the V&A) – ever-evolving collection with amazing outfits, glittering jewellery, intricate mosaics and ancient sculptures. (Also home to the oldest museum café in the world.)
3. The V&A East Storehouse – a dizzying collection of items in a ‘storehouse’ format, with guests able to request to view certain items.
4. The V&A East – one of London’s newest museums, with exhibitions and artwork dedicated to creativity’s power to bring change.
5. The Science Museum – a free museum dedicated to the miracle of technological progress.
6. The Design Museum – a celebration of all things in contemporary design (the name gives it away, right?)
7. The Natural History Museum – learn about dinosaurs, wildlife, venomous insects, earthquakes and more.
8. The Wellcome Collection – a museum-cum-library that connects the worlds of science, medicine, life, and art.
9. Horniman Museum & Gardens – an impressive collection of weird and wacky objects from across the globe, courtesy of Frederick John Horniman, as well as an impressive garden and a nature trail.
10. Sir John Soane’s Museum – a preserved, historic Holborn townhouse, absolutely packed to the brim with artwork and rare and random artefacts.
11. Queer Britain – the UK’s first and only museum dedicated to LGBTQ+ history.
12. The Vagina Museum – “the world’s first bricks and mortar museum dedicated to vaginas, vulvas and the gynaecological anatomy.”
13. Queen’s House – a stunning building in the heart of Greenwich that is full of art, and often hosts special events and tours for free.
14. Tate Britain – home to a vast a permanent collection of historic British art.
15. Tate Modern – one of the most popular modern art galleries in the world, housed with an immense, striking building.
16. The Serpentine Galleries – a duo of galleries in leafy park locations, accompanied by the Serpentine Pavilion – an annual architectural artwork.
17. The National Gallery – one of London’s most iconic gallery buildings, featuring centuries of jaw-dropping artworks.
18. National Portrait Gallery – over 220,000 portraits, from the 8th century to the present day.
19. White Cube Gallery – a duo of galleries showcasing stunning and often mind-bending contemporary art.
20. The Wallace Collection – a hidden gem of a museum with “unsurpassed masterpieces of painting, sculpture, furniture, arms and armour, and porcelain.”
21. Whitechapel Gallery – a ‘locally embedded’ gallery that showcases artwork from around the globe, “to make contemporary art accessible and exciting to the widest possible audiences”.
22. Somerset House – home to a “multidisciplinary cultural programme” that spans art exhibitions, cultural pop-ups, immersive experiences, and more.
23. Saatchi Gallery – one of the city’s most exciting contemporary art galleries, with a particular focus on emerging artists.
24. William Morris Gallery – “Home to the world’s most significant collection of William Morris’s work.” (temporarily closed for renovation)
25. Dulwich Picture Gallery – “the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery…. [with] a collection of over 600 European masterpieces”
26. BFI National Archive – not quite a museum or a gallery, but worth mentioning for its impressive collection of film and television, with over 95,000 titles.
27. The National Poetry Library – home to the largest public collection of modern poetry in the world.
28. Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology – home to one of the largest collections of Egyptian artefacts in the world.
29. British Library – it’s a bit of a push to call a library a museum, but it is one of the largest libraries in the world. It’s home to the Magna Carta and handwritten Beatles lyrics among countless other works on some 400 miles of shelves.
Free gigs and performances in London
While London plays host to some world-class gigs and show-stopping West End performances in stunning venues, some of those tickets can cost a pretty penny. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities for free performances in London.
30. The Old Blue Last – catch regular free gigs, ranging from jazz to indie rock, doo-wop, and experimental noise, at this Shoreditch boozer.
31. The Royal Academy of Music – there are regular classical performances here throughout the year, with plenty of free options.
32. Top Secret Comedy Club – with past, and potential, acts ranging across Jack Whitehall, Joanne McNally, Omid Djalili, and Simon Amstell, the £1 booking fee for an otherwise free comedy gig is well worth it.
33. The Blues Kitchen – self-styled as “London’s very own home of Blues and Rock’n’Roll music,” you can catch free live gigs at The Blues Kitchen almost every night.
Free markets in London
Now, admittedly, they’re only free if you don’t buy anything. But there are usually plenty of free samples to be had. Meander around these gorgeous spots for the perfect weekend day out!
34. Borough Market – officially the best food market in the world.
35. Broadway Market
36. Camden Market
37. Walthamstow Market – the longest outdoor street market in Europe.
39. Columbia Road Flower Market
41. Greenwich Market
42. Portobello Road Market
43. Old Spitalfields Market
Free views over London
It’s time to get high for free (not like that). See stunning, panoramic views of London from high-level platforms or by climbing really big hills, and you’ll find a new appreciation for this beautiful city.
44. The Sky Garden
46. Horizon 22 – the highest free public viewing platform in all of Europe.
47. The Garden at 120 – a rooftop garden with stunning views
48. Primrose Hill
49. Parliament Hill
50. Greenwich Park
51. Alexandra Palace
Free attractions in London
We’ll level with you: most of the big tourist draws around town charge for entry, but we’ve found some sneaky ways around that (it is our job, after all). You wanted attractions to visit for free in London? You got ’em, kid.
52. St. Paul’s Cathedral – marvel at it from outside, or you can take a peek inside for free by attending a church service, or the evening Choral Evensong.
53. Trafalgar Square – what are they going to do? Demand a ticket for hanging out on a public plaza? Not a chance! Explore one of London’s most iconic sights and spot the famous lion statues.
54. South Bank – go for a wander along the Thames and enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds of London.
55. Wellington Arch – one of London’s most iconic monuments, but you’ll be charged if you want to go inside and climb to the top.
56. Houses of Parliament – UK residents can visit for free by arranging it through your local MP or a member of the House of Lords.
57. Changing of the Guard – head to Buckingham Palace and you’ll get to see this legendary occurrence, completely for free.
58. Westminster Cathedral – “a Catholic Cathedral like no other [and] a supreme achievement of art,” and free to visit!
59. Tower Bridge – wander across one of the world’s most famous bridges, or marvel at it from the shore or another bridge (such as London Bridge).
60. Tower of London – you’ll need a ticket to enter, but you can certainly visit the site and take a look at the impressive building and moat from the outside.
61. Chinatown – even if you’re not tempted to stop in at one of the many eateries and restaurants, Chinatown is well worth a wander around.
62. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – a 520-acre spot that’s well worth a wander around.
63. Greenwich Peninsula Art Trail – a free art trail that is home to statues by Damien Hirst.
64. Sightseeing Walking Tour Of London – don’t care about seeing inside the attractions? We’ve found the most efficient sightseeing walking tour of London.
65. Secret London Walking Tours – explore more of London with our walking tours and guides to various parts of the city.
66. Barbican Estate – a truly awe-inspiring Brutalist estate in London, with plenty to see as you wander around.
67. Highgate Cemetery – the resting place of 170,000 people, including Karl Marx and George Eliot.
68. Abbey Road – your chance to recreate that iconic album artwork by The Beatles at the zebra crossing.
69. Battersea Power Station – the disused Power Station has transformed into one of London’s hottest shopping, dining and leisure destinations, with plenty of sights to check out.
70. Platform 9 and 3/4 – magic up a photo op at King’s Cross station.
71. The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk – celebrate the life of the ‘People’s Princess’ along this 7-mile memorial walk around central London.
72. St. Dunstan In The East – a ruined church that has been overtaken by nature; now a serene hideaway from bustling London, in the heart of the City.
Free parks and gardens in London
Park yourself at one of these spots for a fabulously free afternoon, or wander beneath the trees and reconnect with nature. This is far from an exhaustive list. You’ll find many more options in our article dedicated entirely to parks and gardens!
73. Hyde Park – perhaps London’s most famous park; a Grade I-listed spot with an impressive lake, gardens, galleries, statues, a hidden waterfall, and more.
74. Walthamstow Wetlands – over 13 miles of paths across an untamed, wildlife-friendly site.
75. Victoria Park
76. Kyoto Garden – a unique, Japanese-style landscape; an oasis of calm in the heart of Kensington’s Holland Park.
77. Postman’s Park – home to a truly affecting memorial, commemorating ‘ordinary’ people who died while acting heroically.
78. Regent’s Park – home to a secret garden with special areas designed for meditation and stunning statues scattered throughout.
79. Kew Gardens
81. Hampstead Hill Gardens and Pergola
82. Crossrail Place Roof Garden
83. Battersea Park
84. Richmond Park – home to grazing deer and the The Isabella Plantation, which turns pink when the azaleas bloom.
85. St James’s Park
86. Dalston Eastern Curve Garden a charming plant-filled oasis in Dalston.
87. Queen Elizabeth Rooftop Garden – a hidden garden atop the Queen Elizabeth Hall… with over 200 wild native plants, a luscious lawn, views across London and the Roof Garden Bar & Kitchen.
Weird and wonderful free things to do in London
88. Leake Street – add your own artworks or marvel at the graffiti masters at one of London’s only legal graffiti spots .
89. Buddhapadipa Temple – the UK’s first Buddhist temple, featuring 4 acres of gorgeous gardens, an 18th-century lake, and a cafe serving up delicious Thai breakfasts
90. Eel Pie Island – a private island full of artists and history, accessible to the public on a handful of days a year.
91. The Totteridge Yew – the oldest tree in London, with an estimated age between 1,000 and 2,000 years old.
92. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir – a traditional Hindu temple, standing some 70 feet high and carved entirely out of stone.
93. Cross Bones Graveyard – tranquil shrine to paupers and prostitutes, which honours the city’s ‘outcast dead’.
94. London Mithraeum – a painstaking restoration of an ancient Roman temple, once a site of worship for a cult dedicated to the god Mithras. Find it beneath the headquarters of media giant Bloomberg.
95. The Seven Noses of Soho – a trail of nose sculptures hidden around Soho, as a satirical nod towards the surge in surveillance as CCTV was installed around the area in 1997.
96. Britain’s Smallest Police Station – tucked away in a corner of Trafalgar Square is a teeny tiny, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it police station with a fascinating history.
97. Gods Own Junkyard – a neon wonderland full of glimmering neon artworks and signs.
98. The Sherling Backstage Walkway – take a peek behind the scenes and watch sets and props being made at the National Theatre from high above.
99. Crossrail Place Roof Garden – a rooftop garden in Canary Wharf.
100. 25 Cannon Street aka the upside down St Paul’s park – a charming little pocket-sized park with an oval reflection pool that perfectly frames an upside-down view of the dome of St Paul’s.
