London wants to show you that you can have a lot of fun for free. Enjoy the best of London without breaking the budget with our guide to free activities. We know that London is expensive because we have lived here for 20 years. In a city of this size, you can find a lot of free activities.
Since December 2001, the UK’s national museum are free to enter. This was a policy that the Labour government implemented at the time in order to increase access to culture for everyone. This policy is now a cherished feature of British culture. It’s not only museums that are free. There are also a variety of other experiences, walks and festivals.
Mark and I have finally agreed on the top 20 things that visitors and residents to London should do for free. We’re always on the lookout for new London experiences, so we’ll update this guide as new experiences appear and others disappear.
1. SHOREDITCH STREET ART
London’s street-art scene began in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s with the rise and fall of punk and mod subcultures. What started out as illegal graffiti, has evolved into some the best, but temporary, art in London.
Shoreditch became the epicenter of London street art after an influx in the 1990s of artists searching for affordable studio spaces.
Artists from around the globe are now making their mark in this cool London neighborhood. Brick Lane, Rivington street and New Inn Yard are all great areas. All this amazing art, of course, is free.
Our self-guided Shoreditch Street Art Walk takes you past some of the best works.
2. SKY GARDEN
The Sky Garden is an observation deck located on the 43rd The Walkie-Talkie Floor is the Fenchurch Building’s second floor. It features a lush tropical gardens and floor-to–ceiling glass windows with panoramic views of London.
Sky Garden is a free attraction, but you will need to purchase a ticket for ‘timed entry’. The space is limited and numbers are controlled in order to prevent overcrowding.
Sky Garden has two bars and two restaurants. The bars on the observation level are a little overpriced. We haven’t tried the restaurants. We recommend that you enjoy the views and have a drink elsewhere.
3. NOW BUILDING
The Now Building has a four-story atrium with 2,260 sqm of wraparound screens. The massive multi-media display features rotating international artists and stunning visuals in 8K.
No tickets are required to enter the atrium and watch the presentation. It’s an excellent thing to do when wandering around Soho.
4. BRITISH MUSEUM
The British Museum opened to the public in 1853. The British Museum has artifacts, relics and art representing thousands of years in human history and culture.
The Rosetta Stone and the Bust of Ramesses the Great, both from Luxor, are among the most important items. Also included is a collection of 140 Tutankhamun mummies. The Great Court in London is the largest covered square and a beautiful open space.
Note: Don’t be fooled by the fact that the entry queues direct you to what looks like a payment desk. This is a way to encourage you to donate but rest assured that the British Museum will be free to visit.
5. CAMDEN MALL
Camden Market is London’s largest and most interesting market. It’s a celebration of the counterculture and a melting pot for music, fashion, art, craft, and food.
There are four markets: Buck Street Market, Hawley Wharf Market, and the Stables Market.
The whole area is worth exploring, but we recommend the Stables Market for its cool labyrinthine of cobbled streets and alleyways and Camden Hawley Wharf with its covered food courts, modern boutiques, and trendy shops.
Both sides of Camden are worth seeing.
6. TATE MODERN
The Tate Modern is a free national gallery in the UK. The Tate Modern houses the collection of contemporary and modern art in a converted electricity station.
There are works by Matisse, Picasso, and Lichtenstein. We are most interested in the quirky installations. One of the reasons to visit the gallery is because of its unpredictable nature. You never know what surprises you will find.
Tate Modern always has two things going for it. Turbine Hall is a large art installation in the basement, which was once the home of the electricity generators.
The second is the café on Level 10. We’re not normally huge fans of art gallery cafés, but this one is worth it for the excellent views of London.
7. COVENT GARDEN & NEAL’S YARD
Covent Garden, the West End’s entertainment and dining hub, is located in London. It’s one those rare entities where tourists love it but locals also do.
Include us. We gravitate towards Covent Garden often after a night of fun in the West End. There are many cocktail bars, restaurants, and cafes. It’s a great place for a stroll, making it an excellent free thing to do when in London.
Covent Garden is a place where buskers have a long history. You can enjoy street performances of high quality every day, for free. The Apple Market in Covent Garden is the most famous market, where you can often hear free performances from musicians of the National Opera House.
The Jubilee Market in London is a great place for a stroll and to soak up the atmosphere. Look around Neils Yard. It’s one of London’s prettiest streets. There are many independent businesses that are known for their sustainable and ethical business practices.
Another great free activity to do in Covent Garden would be to find movie locations. Some of the classics filmed in Covent Garden include My Fair Lady and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Other films include Tomorrow Never Dies, Spectre, Bridget Jones’s diary, and Mary Poppins.
8. LEAKE STREET ARCHES
Leake Street Arches are some of London’s best street art. They are located beneath Waterloo Station.
The arches are a free, open museum that was made famous by Banksy in 2008 when he organised a festival. Since then, the Leake Street Arches has become a canvas for local and internationally artists who have transformed this tunnel into a colourful explosion.
Leake Street’s Arches are a great example of temporary art. There’s no guarantee when an artist paints their mark on a wall that it won’t get painted over. Artists are working 24 hours a day to create something new in the tunnels.
9. V&A MUSEUM
The Victoria & Albert Museum is a celebration of human creativity and one of the most interesting and diverse free things to do in London.
The collection spans more than 5,000 years. It includes everything from Egyptian artifacts, to modern fashions, photography and performances. You can also see the incredible Cast Courts, which are amazing replicas of famous statues.
10. SOUTH BANK
South Bank is a promenade that stretches from Lambeth Bridge up to Blackfriars Bridge, south of the River Thames.
The South Bank is home to several top attractions, including the London Eye Aquarium, Sea Life Aquarium and the National Theatre.
You’ll find a wide variety of restaurants, shops and street performances. A stroll along the promenade can be a fun and free activity in London. We have created a South Bank London Walk which includes all the main attractions as well as hidden gems along the river.
11. BOROUGH S MARKET
Borough Market in London is a must-see for any first-time visitor to the city.
The market dates back as far as the 12th Century and today offers a staggering array of local and foreign produce. Even if you’re not interested in buying anything, walking around and soaking in the atmosphere can be a great way to spend your time.
It is London’s largest market, so it can be busy. The best time to visit is either early Saturday morning or late in the afternoon on a weekday.
12. RICHMOND PARKS
Richmond Park in west London is a large park with rolling hills, woods and open grassland.
This is a wonderful place for animal enthusiasts as it is a haven of rare and endangered species. You’ll also see the deer that have roamed this park since 1637.
Isabella Plantation is a beautiful 40-acre garden with a manicured look, as are the Pembroke Lodge Gardens. Richmond Park is open to the public for free, and pedestrian gates are available 24 hours aday.
13. LONDON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
London Christmas Lights, our most festive addition to the list, is a free activity that will warm your heart. Locals go around the lights each year to see the dazzling designs. It’s a popular activity, but it still retains its charm every year.
We may be biased, but we’ve spent some time in several European cities over the Christmas season and have come to the conclusion no one does Christmas lighting like London.
You can read the best Christmas Lights, which we update each year with new pictures so you can see how each street looks. We also have a self guided Christmas Lights walking tour which takes in the best displays over a 5 kilometer (2.3 mile) walk.
14. WHITE CUBE GLOBAL GALLERY
The White Cube has locations in Hong Kong and Paris, New York, and London. It is one of the most important contemporary art galleries with a philosophy that supports artists for the past 30 years.
The gallery has a number of locations but the main one is White Cube Bermondsey, which is Europe’s most commercial gallery space. There are always interesting events and exhibitions, both large and small.
15. NOTTING HILL & PORTOBELLO MARKET
Notting Hill is one London’s most colourful neighborhoods. Notting Hill is known for its rows of pastel-hued houses and diverse cultural makeup. It’s one of our favorite areas to explore.
Visitors from the US who are looking for charming London architectural styles will find it in this neighbourhood. You can find free things to do by strolling Portobello Road on market days (the best day is Saturday), searching for the hidden Banksy, and visiting the locations of the Notting Hill film.
Our Notting Hill Guide has more information, including all the best activities, as well as details on how to get there, where you can eat, and where you can stay.
16. HARRODS
Harrods is an institution in Britain, full of rare items, luxury fashions, homewares and tech.
Even though we wouldn’t describe it as cheap, you can easily turn it into something free because admiring the Grade II-listed building is enough to reward you without spending a penny.
17. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
The fact that London’s world class national museums are free is a great thing for us. We can pop in whenever we’re near and have a quick look.
Mark and I visit the National Portrait Gallery regularly, which is probably our favourite art gallery in London.
The collection features portraits of historical figures in photographs and paintings. You’ll find everything from contemporary tributes to famous personalities to paintings of historical figures.
18. BRITISH LIBRARY
The British Library, the National Library of the United Kingdom contains over 170 millions items. You can use the Reading Room free of charge for personal study and access the collection – although you can’t borrow books like other libraries.
The Treasures Gallery is home to a wealth historical documents, including the Magna Carta and handwritten Beatles lyrics. It also contains original Florence Nightingale manuscripts, as well as Leonardo da Vinci notebooks.
Visit the Sound Gallery to see the largest collection of recorded sound in the world. A cyber-attack on the British Library in 2023 continues to cause problems with their online systems. As a result, some services are limited. The Reading Rooms and all of the Galleries are still open.
19. TAKE A WALK
A walk through London is one of the best free ways to get to know the city. We’ve compiled 15 self-guided walking tours that explore different parts of the city. These walks range from easy strolls of 2-4 miles to longer, all-day excursions of 6-9 miles.
Each walk includes a detailed description of what you will see along the route, as well as a map that allows you to track your progress.
20. BFI MEDIATHEQUE
BFI Mediatheque, for movie fans, is probably the ultimate London free activity. The National Film Archives is located in the centre. It has more than 85,000 films, TV shows and documentaries that you can view for free. The National Lottery has provided funding to the National Film Archives, which allows them to continue to grow.
There are around 10 private booths available where you can watch whatever you want. Some booths are for multiple people and others are for solo viewing. Headphones are available or you can bring them with you.
Watch classic films, TV shows from the Victorian era, and British masterpieces that have been forgotten. There is also a huge selection of animated films and kid’s movies.
Tell the attendants for how long you would like to watch (maximum of 2 hours), and they will show you a booth.
