Many visitors can’t believe it, but most of the major museums and art galleries in the United Kingdom are free of charge.
With some of the world’s finest collections on display, the UK policy is in stark contrast to that of other countries who administer an admission charge. The Louvre in Paris for example charges adults 17 euros although children are free.
Possibly because of this policy, numbers in Britain can be high, particularly for the more popular attractions such as at the British Museum and the Natural History Museum. If you want to see the Rosetta Stone or the Elgin Marbles there may be a bit of a crowd. Many also charge for specific collections.
The policy was introduced in 2001 when it was decided that museums should be financed by the state to make culture available to all.
An excellent list of free UK museums and art galleries can be found at moneysavingexpert.com and the size of the collection is quite astounding.
The top 10 UK visitor attractions 2023
1. British Museum – 5,820,860
2. Natural History Museum – 5,688,786
3. Windsor Great Park – 5,487,856
4. Tate Modern – 4,742,038
5. Southbank Centre – 3,193,966
6. V&A South Kensington – 3,110,000
7. The National Gallery – 3,096,508
8. Science Museum – 2,956,886
9. Tower of London – 2,790,280
10. Somerset House – 2,727,677
