It's well known: the English like to queue and access to the permanent collections of major London museums is free.
Knowing that in London these places fill up quickly, we recommend that you visit them outside of school holidays, when the weather is nice, and by following these tips.
Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)
A jewel of neo-Gothic architecture, the V&A is home to the world's first museum café, decorated, among others, by William Morris.
Victoria and Albert Museum
London's most diverse museum is home to extravagant Alexander McQueen robes, a golden Maharaja's throne and the world's oldest carpet.
Founded in 1852 by Prince Albert – renamed in 1899 in his honor and that of his cousin and wife, Queen Victoria – it is the largest art and design museum on the planet.
This gives it a good distribution of the public, especially since its neighbors, the science and natural history museums, are popular with young visitors.
You do not know where to start ?
Opt for a self-guided tour or a free themed tour, like
Highlights of the V&A
, bringing together the museum's key objects.
Access to the permanent collections is free, but the exhibitions (from €16) require a ticket to be reserved early.
Our advice:
are the popular galleries (jewelry, fashion) crowded?
Discover the painting collections, including works by Constable.
For more peace and quiet, prefer weekday afternoons and evenings on the last Friday of the month.
V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL.
Daily 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m.
Tate Modern Museum
Turbine Hall is the beating heart of the museum, linking the original Natalie Bell Building to the newer Blavatnik Building.
Massimo Virgilio - Unsplash
Overlooking the Thames, this art museum is a work in itself with its distinctive architecture.
In this former power station, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and other giants of modern art meet their contemporary successors (Ólafur Elíasson, Yayoi Kusama...) " Blockbuster
" exhibitions
are dedicated to them, to be reserved well in advance of your visit (€22.50).
Access to the permanent collections and the nocturnal collections is free, and a passage through the impressive Turbine Hall – hosting monumental installations – is essential.
Likewise, the view from the platform on the tenth floor is worth the detour.
Our advice:
it is possible to see the permanent exhibitions and collections without the crowds during the Friday nights and their DJ sets, workshops and conferences.
Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG.
Daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Natural History Museum
This animated T-rex, larger than life, is one of the stars of the National History Museum.
The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London
With 4.65 million visitors, the Natural History Museum was London's most visited attraction in 2022 (closely followed by the British Museum and Tate Modern).
Its skeletons of dinosaurs and other giant mammals, and its animatronic T-rex attract a large audience, as well as its earthquake simulator, its fossils, and one of the largest gold nuggets in the world.
In addition to ancient specimens, dating back to the opening of the museum in 1881, there are modern projects such as a huge living garden/laboratory illustrating the impact of environmental changes on fauna and flora.
Our advice:
booking your free entry online is essential.
Prefer access via Exhibition Road and arrive a little before opening/closing.
Otherwise, take advantage of exhibitions, tours and special events (from €16) to dodge the queues or sleep with the dinosaurs!
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD.
Daily 10 a.m.-5:50 p.m.
National Gallery
The neoclassical domed National Gallery building dates from 1838. Stefanos Nt - Unsplash
Imagine, if the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay merged into a Parthenon-like building dominating Trafalgar Square, to be visited for free... This would give rise to the National Gallery, or one of the largest painting museums in the world.
His collection started with 38 paintings, purchased in 1824 from a banker.
Today it has 2,300, covering a period from the 13th to the 20th century.
All masterpieces, by European masters such as Da Vinci, Velásquez, Rubens, Turner or Van Gogh (the
Sunflowers
are there!).
The impressionist galleries also attract many visitors.
Some exhibitions require a fee (€22.50) and the free permanent collections require a ticket, to be reserved in advance to avoid queuing in the museum.
Our advice:
to explore the museum in complete peace and quiet, avoid weekends and especially lunch hours and early afternoon.
On the other hand, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are particularly quiet and you benefit from numerous events and free tours during the week at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Otherwise, be there when it opens or on Friday evening when it closes at 9 p.m.
National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN.
Daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m., except Friday 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
British Museum
The British Museum's Elizabeth II Great Court was covered in 2000 with a spectacular glass roof.
Erin Doering - Unsplash
It may be called the British Museum, but its 80,000 objects on display retrace millennia of history from all continents.
Opened in 1753, the world's first national museum is famous for its Egyptian collection, including mummies and the Rosetta Stone, the key to deciphering hieroglyphics.
Its treasures also include a 2.42 meter Easter Island moai and the Parthenon sculptures to which Greece claims ownership.
Escape the crowds in the galleries on the upper levels and those dedicated to drawings and prints which feature works by masters.
To explore a particular subject, discover the museum's temporary exhibitions (from €18) and the free Eye Opener tours.
Our advice:
it is better to book, even for the permanent collections, choose entry on Montague Place, and come during the week or during Friday nights.
British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG.
Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Friday 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.