LONDON is one of the most expensive cities in the world, so it’s not surprising that a day out there can burn a hole in your pocket, especially with kids in tow.
Yet it IS possible to see the best of London, totally free. From world-class galleries to singing lifts, gardens in the sky, street art and even rock pools, we reveal the capitals’ best days out – that won’t cost you a penny.
Ahead of the May half term, as part of our new Best of British travel series, we reveal ultimate list of free London attractions for all ages – from 3 to 73.
Meet ferrets, bunnies, alpacas and more traditional farm animals at Vauxhall City Farm in Vauxhall and Mudchute Farm and Park in Docklands.
Check out the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum in Kensington, or one of the many other animal exhibits that are popular with people of all ages.
‘Hope’ the blue whale skeleton is on show in the main hall and you can even find out more about her life, like where she swam and what she ate. Get your free ticket online.
The Young V&A in East London’s Bethnal Green. A newly opened museum aimed at kids up to age 14, using artifacts from the main V&A’s collection.
Current Young V&A exhibitions also include Japan: Myths to Manga, which will cost £10 to enter.
Horniman Museum and Gardens near Dulwich in South East London, a a family-friendly museum and gardens in South London.
After browsing the galleries of natural history artifacts, visitors can get up close and personal with goats, sheep, guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens and alpacas on the Animal Walk.
Visit the Museum of London Docklands to find out how the docks transformed London and made it what it is today.
It also has a fantastic Mudlarks gallery soft play area aimed at kids up to eight years old – but entry to that will cost you £3.
See the world’s oldest dinosaur sculptures at Crystal Palace Park in South East London, which were unveiled by natural history artist Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins in 1854.
Ride the singing lift at Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank – the glass-fronted lift carries visitors up and down six floors and will sing you all the way up… and back down again.
Be awed by the creations at the Lego store in Leicester Square, have fun making your own model too with the free blocks available. Just be prepared to queue to get inside.
Splash in rock pools and balance on wobbly bridges at Tumbling Bay playground – nestled within the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford.
Curious minds will love a visit to the Science Museum in Kensington, where you can learn about everything from sound to outer space.
There is also a great immersive play exhibit for young children in the basement. You do have to pay £12 for the hugely popular Wonderlab exhibit, but kids (and adults) love it. Book your free admission ticket to the main museum on their website.
The British Museum near Russell Square is the world’s oldest national museum dedicated to human history, art and culture and primary school-aged kids will find plenty of exhibits relating to what they have learnt in lessons.
Discover everything from the Elgin Marbles to Samurai Armour. Book your visit time on the museum’s website.
Watch the pelicans being fed every day at 2.30pm at St James’s Park. Feeding time happens next to Duck Island Cottage. But the birds tend to stick around the lake for most of the day, preening each other and eating fish.
Watch street performers in Covent Garden – from magicians to acrobats, performances there date back to the 1660s.
Get lost in Crystal Palace Park Maze in South East London. The maze is one of the largest in the country, standing 160 ft in diameter, and its twisting hedges were originally planted in the 1860s.
Discover everything you need to know about the British Army at The National Army Museum in Chelsea. There are one million items, spanning a 600-year period to see, as well as’ Play Base’ for kids, which includes a soft play assault course.
Check out the capital’s incredible skyline and iconic landmarks at Horizon 22 in Bishopsgate – a free viewing platform 254 metres above street level that’s even higher than The Shard. Book your free ticket well in advance, as it’s very popular.
The Royal Air Force Museum on the former Hendon Aerodrome in North London Barnet explores the first 100 years of the RAF, with amazing aircraft such as a Supermarine Spitfire on display. Book your free ticket in advance.
The Imperial War Museum near Elephant And Castle in South London was founded during World War I. The museum gives voice to the extraordinary experiences of ordinary people who lived their lives during wartime.
Marvel at the hundreds of reclaimed neon signs and old movie props at God’s Own Junkyard in Walthamstow, East London, part of late neon artist Chris Bracey’s personal collection.
Walk along picture-pretty South Bank and you’ll always find something to entertain you. There are some great vintage comics and secondhand books for sale at Southbank Centre Book Market under Waterloo Bridge, or watch skateboarders of all ages practicing their tricks under the Southbank Centre.
Push a trolley into Harry Potter’s magical world at the wall marked Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station.
Watch the Changing the Guard ceremony outside Buckingham Palace. It takes place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 10:45am and lasts around 45 minutes. The actual handover takes place at 11am.
Get some epic screentime at the Outernet in Tottenham Court Road, an immersive venue with floor-to-ceiling wrap-around screens – the most advanced of their kind in the world.
The Butterfly Trail, a family friendly adventure exploring AR butterflies in the mysterious cloud forests of Peru, is currently being shown on the screens, or space fans can regularly check out content from NASA’s social feeds.
Find 360 degree views of London from The Sky Garden, located on the 43rd floor of the Walkie Talkie building near Monument. Book your free ticket online.
Also in the City of London is The Garden at 120, with excellent views of The Gherkin, The Shard and the Walkie Talkie. No ticket or booking is required unless you are a group of 12 or more.
Arty teens will love the Tate Modern on the South Bank – with its collection of modern and contemporary paintings, sculptures and large-scale installations from artists around the world, including Picasso and Matisse.
For the more traditional art lover, there’s the Tate Britain near Pimlico. It contains everything from Pre-Raphaelite paintings to artwork by David Hockney. And it has the largest collection of artworks by Turner.
Take a walk through Tower Hill to see the London Wall – visible remnants of the Roman wall that was built by the Romans in AD 200 around the port of Londinium. While not much of it is left now, this wall shaped what people thought of as London for around 1,000 years.
The Wallace Collection in Marylebone’s Manchester Square is an eye opener both for its stunning paintings, sculptures, ceramics, furniture and armour, as well the grand house they’re housed in – once the London home of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford.
Chose from more than 95,000 British films and television shows to watch for free at The BFI Southbank’s Mediatheque. Choose something to watch and a booth to sit in, and plug yourself in.
Track down the best places to see street art in London, including works by Banksy and the colourful Leake Street Arches. Depending on where you’re based there are a number of self-guided street art maps available online, and a number of free guided tours too.
Check out some of the world’s most famous works of art at the National Gallery, in Trafalgar Square. It’s home to more than 2,300 works of art by artists including Da Vinci, Botticelli, Rembrandt and Van Gogh. Booking is recommended. They also hold free daily guided tours from 3pm to 4pm.
Combine art with one of London’s best parks at the Serpentine Galleries – two contemporary galleries five minutes apart in Kensington Gardens, on either side of the Serpentine Bridge. It has collections of contemporary art and architecture on display. A limited number of tickets are available to book online for guaranteed timed entry.
Pay a visit to Queer Britain in Kings Cross, the country’s first museum dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community. With voices, objects and images covering over 100 years of queer life.
Climb to the top of the hill in Greenwich Park for an impressive view of the city skyline, then head to the Royal Observatory and stand on the world-famous Prime Meridian Line.
Stroll among the 35,000 monuments in Brompton Cemetery in Chelsea, including one of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst.
Venture up the yellow spiral staircase on the South Bank and find Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden, where you can enjoy views of the river and drinks among wildflowers.
Enjoy free entry to blues bar Ain’t Nothing But... in Soho, from Sunday to Thursday nights.
Pay a visit (without paying!) to the V&A museum in Kensington, with exhibitions on art, design and performance. The V&A has archives on everything from Glastonbury and underwear to wallpaper and wedding dresses.
Check out the art at the Whitechapel Gallery in East London – the gallery’s mission is to make contemporary art and ideas accessible to the widest possible audiences.
There’s something for everyone at the Design Museum in Kensington, which is devoted to contemporary design in every form. There’s currently an exhibit on skateboards and one on Barbie launching on July 5.
Chill out in the Barbican Conservatory among tropical plants, trees and fish. Open on select days throughout the year.
Drop in to the Tiwani Contemporary in Mayfair – international contemporary artists are on exhibit here with a focus on Africa and its diaspora.
Enjoy strolling around Hampstead Heath’s woodland and meadows, then take a picnic to the top of Parliament Hill, for great views of the city.
Follow the towpath through tranquil Little Venice in North London, which is lined with an abundance of waterfront cafes and pubs.
Tap your feet to live jazz every Sunday and occasionally Mondays at The Troubadour in Chelsea.
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Stay in a selection of London hotels from £50 per night
Travelodge rooms available in in London from £60 a night
Premier Inn rooms in London from £42 per room
Save money on attractions with Merlin’s Magical London Pass – from £73 per child, £88 per adult
London Theatre Break with £25 meal voucher and hotel stay from £67pp
Drop into the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and find out what made J.M.W. Turner’s largest painting so controversial, or get up close to the actual uniform Admiral Nelson was wearing when he was fatally wounded at the Battle of Trafalgar. Book your free visit on its website.
Pay a visit to the Welcome Collection near Euston Square- a museum and library that explores health and human experience. There’s an impressive selection of books and contemporary journals covering topics ranging from modern medicine to witchcraft.
Sir John Sloane’s Museum, next to Lincoln’s Inn Fields in Holborn, is the former home of the architect and collector, It’s filled to the brim with antiques, sculptures and paintings.
At the Guildhall Art Gallery and Roman Amphitheatre, in the Moorgate area of the City of London, you can find one of Britain’s largest oil paintings inside – The Defeat of the Floating Batteries of Gibraltar.
You can also step into the ruins of London’s Roman amphitheatre, where crowds once gathered to watch wild animal fights, public executions and gladiatorial combats.
At the Bank of England Museum, located within the Bank Of England in the City Of London, you can learn how the bank started and its history up until the present day.
Go down seven metres below modern street level at London Miratheum, to explore an ancient temple – discovered just 70 years ago in the City Of London during building work – through an immersive experience. Visitors are encouraged to book a free ticket in advance.
Join a free London walking tour – there are a number of companies you can book with online. You can learn about anything from royal London to bankside brothels and Jack the Ripper.
Not far from the hustle and bustle of High Street Kensington is Holland Park’s Kyoto Gardens, with tranquil waterfalls, a pond full of koi carp. Sometimes you can spot peacocks relaxing in the trees.
Enjoy some free music at the Royal Opera House’s Live at Lunch concerts. Between March 8 and July 19, 2024 there are free performances featuring Royal Opera House and guest artists. Check dates on the website.
