Free things to do in Bristol
M Shed, Bristol Museum, Arnolfini, the suspension bridge, Ashton Court and the street art are all free, which makes Bristol a cheap city to enjoy.
14 picks that fit, best first. The order follows the live forecast and the time of day.
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
Clifton
Dinosaurs, Egyptian mummies, a Banksy and a gypsy caravan, free, at the top of Park Street.
Indoors, so the rain doesn't matter. Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
M Shed
Harbourside
The story of Bristol in a dockside transit shed, with working cranes outside, free.
Indoors, so the rain doesn't matter. Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
Arnolfini
Harbourside
Contemporary art in a harbourside warehouse, free, with a bookshop and a bar.
Indoors, so the rain doesn't matter. Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Under 2 hours
Bristol Cathedral
College Green
A medieval hall church with a rare Norman chapter house, free, on College Green.
Indoors, so the rain doesn't matter. Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Under 2 hours
St Mary Redcliffe
Redcliffe
The church Elizabeth I called the fairest in England, with a whalebone and a Gothic porch.
Indoors, so the rain doesn't matter. Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Under 2 hours
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Clifton
Brunel’s bridge across the Avon Gorge, free to walk and best at sunset.
Wet right now, so save this for a dry spell.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
Harbourside and the ferries
Harbourside
A loop of the floating harbour on foot or by little yellow ferry.
Wet right now, so save this for a dry spell.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
Walk free; ferry a few pounds
Underfall Yard
Harbourside
The Victorian machinery that keeps the harbour afloat, with a free visitor centre and a café.
Mostly under cover. Free.
- Free
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
- Fine in rain
- Good with kids
Clifton Village
Clifton
Georgian terraces, arcades and independent shops on the hill above the gorge.
Free.
- Free
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
Ashton Court Estate
Long Ashton
Eight hundred acres of parkland and deer just over the suspension bridge, free.
Wet right now, so save this for a dry spell.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Banksy and the street art trail
City centre to Stokes Croft
From the Well Hung Lover to the murals of Stokes Croft, Bristol’s open-air gallery.
Wet right now, so save this for a dry spell.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
Blaise Castle Estate
Henbury
A folly castle, a gorge, a giant playground and a free museum in a country house.
Wet right now, so save this for a dry spell.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Cabot Tower and Brandon Hill
Brandon Hill
A free tower on the oldest park in Bristol, with the harbour and the hills laid out below.
Wet right now, so save this for a dry spell.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
Leigh Woods and the gorge walk
Leigh Woods
Ancient woodland on the far side of the gorge, with the best views back to the bridge.
Wet right now, so save this for a dry spell.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Good to know
What are the best free things to do in Bristol?
M Shed, Bristol Museum, Arnolfini, the suspension bridge, Ashton Court and the street art are all free, which makes Bristol a cheap city to enjoy. There are 14 free picks here, and the order changes with the weather: on a wet day the free museums and galleries come first, on a fine day the parks and viewpoints do.
Do free attractions in Bristol need booking?
Some do, at busy times. Where a place is free but asks you to book a slot, the card says so, and the official site link takes you to the booking page.