Free things to do in London
Almost every major museum and gallery in London is free to enter, and so are the royal parks, the markets and the river walks.
19 picks that fit, best first. The order follows the live forecast and the time of day.
British Museum
Bloomsbury
Two million years of human history under one glass roof, free to enter.
Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Hampstead Heath and Parliament Hill
Hampstead
Wild heathland, swimming ponds and the classic skyline view from Parliament Hill.
Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Natural History Museum
South Kensington
Dinosaurs, the blue whale and a cathedral of a building, free to enter.
Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Sky Garden
City of London
A free indoor garden and viewing gallery at the top of the Walkie Talkie.
Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Under 2 hours
Free, but book a slot
South Bank walk
South Bank
The riverside from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge, with the skyline the whole way.
Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
Tate Modern
Bankside
Modern art in a former power station, with a free viewing level over the river.
Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Half a day
Free; special exhibitions are ticketed
Greenwich Park and the Meridian
Greenwich
A royal park with the best view in south London, the Observatory and the Cutty Sark below.
Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Park free; Observatory and Cutty Sark ticketed
National Gallery
Trafalgar Square
Van Gogh, Turner and Vermeer on Trafalgar Square, free, open late on Fridays.
Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Under 2 hours
Primrose Hill and Regent's Park
Primrose Hill
A short climb to the classic skyline view, with the rose gardens and canal below.
Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
Richmond Park
Richmond
The biggest royal park, with herds of wild deer and a protected view of St Paul’s.
Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Science Museum
South Kensington
Rockets, steam engines and hands-on galleries; the best wet-day museum for children.
Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Half a day
- Good with kids
Free; Wonderlab and IMAX ticketed
Shoreditch and Brick Lane
Shoreditch
Street art, vintage shops, curry houses and the bars that keep going until late.
Free.
- Free
- In and out
- Under 2 hours
St James's Park and Buckingham Palace
Westminster
Pelicans on the lake, the palace at one end and Horse Guards at the other.
Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
V&A
South Kensington
Art, design and fashion across seven miles of galleries, with Friday lates.
Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Half a day
Barbican Conservatory
Barbican
A tropical glasshouse hidden inside a Brutalist arts centre.
Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Under 2 hours
Free; book a slot, opening days vary
Leake Street Arches
Waterloo
A legal graffiti tunnel under Waterloo station, repainted daily and dry in any weather.
Free.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
- Fine in rain
London Museum Docklands
Canary Wharf
The story of the river and the port, in a Georgian sugar warehouse on West India Quay.
Free.
- Free
- Indoors
- Under 2 hours
- Good with kids
Columbia Road Flower Market
Bethnal Green
A Sunday-only street of flower stalls, traders shouting prices and tiny shops.
Runs on Sundays.
- Free
- Outdoors
- Under 2 hours
God's Own Junkyard
Walthamstow
A warehouse of neon signs from films and Soho clubs, with a café in the middle.
Runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Free
- Indoors
- Under 2 hours
Good to know
What are the best free things to do in London?
Almost every major museum and gallery in London is free to enter, and so are the royal parks, the markets and the river walks. There are 19 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 London 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.