Free Museums in City of London

"Housed in an industrial power station at the foot of the River Thames, the Tate Modern is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious contemporary and modern art museums. Exhibiting British and international works dating from 1900 to today, the Tate Modern displays contemporary masters like Rothko, Matisse, Picasso, and Dali, alongside modern mavericks like Yayoi Kusama, Tracey Emin, and Marina Abramovic. The cavernous and imposing Turbine Hall plays host to temporary exhibitions of considerable scale."

"The most-visited modern art gallery in the world, partly because it holds the national collection of British art from 1900 to the present day, as well as international modern and contemporary art, but mainly because the 6th floor members’ cafe has one of London’s best views. Which is like art in itself, man."

"The Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located on the south bank of the River Thames. They have a permanent free exhibition, as well as seasonal ones that you will have to pay for if you want to see them. Personally I found the permanent free exhibition more than enough to occupy a full afternoon."

"Nearly 6 million people visited the National Gallery in 2015 – and small wonder. Right in the heart of London, overlooking Trafalgar Square, room upon room contain masterworks by the likes of Cézanne, Monet, Gainsborough, Rubens, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Constable. It’s a quite extraordinary collection, and there’s so much to see, you might want to follow this guide to 30 must see paintings to guide you through."

"Home to more than 2,000 paintings from the Middle Ages through to the 20th Century, the National Gallery is another museum that’s free to enter. The gallery is open daily between 11am and 6pm, and booking is required in order to limit numbers in the building. Booking can only be done online and in advance."

"The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square is one of the most famous attractions in London. It houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dated from the mid-13th century to 1900. If you’re an art lover, it’s a must-visit."

"The oldest of the country’s network of Tate galleries, and one of two in London, the Tate Britain is the home of British Art from 1500 to present day. Its miraculous dome and grand, porticoed entranceway set the scene for what is sure to be a splendid afternoon exploring British history through art. And you’ll often find this beautiful building boasting works of art inside and out – see its most recent transformation into a beautiful winter temple!"

"This angle in Tate Britain is taken from a members lounge, but if you ask nicely they may let you up. Even if you don’t get to this exact angle this museum still has lots of other aesthetic architecture you could take photographs of. Best time for pics: DayCost: TicketedLocation: Tate Britain, Millbank, Westminster, London SW1P 4RG"

"First opened in 1897, and funded by the sugar magnate Sir Henry Tate, this stately neoclassical institution may not be as ambitious as…"

"The gallery houses pictures of the major (and not-so major) figures of the nation’s history from King Henry VIII to David Beckham. It makes a great introduction to British history for both kids and adults. Kid-friendly audio tours are available."

"Located in an adjoining building to the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery houses a collection of historic portraits of important and famous British people. Nearest tube station: Charing Cross."

"One of the best London attractions for kids is the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhoodin Bethnal Green. The museum is a part of the Victoria and Albert Museum in Knightsbridge and houses an impressive collection of toys and other childhood-related objects from the 1600s to the present day. The museum holds the largest collection of dolls in the UK with dolls representing people of different nationalities, a collection of Barbie dolls, the Kammer & Reinhardt dolls (popular life-like baby dolls) and the Tiny Tears dolls (from the USA) to name a few."

"The V&A Museum of Childhood, part of the Victoria & Albert Museum, is a London museum dedicated to housing collections by and for children. The museum's collection includes costumes, toys, and objects dedicated to celebrating childhood. In addition to its permanent collection, the V&A Museum of Childhood regularly hosts temporary exhibits."

"Out in Bethnal Green, you’ll discover the free Museum of Childhood. Operated and curated by the V&A, it’s home to toys, dolls houses, and thousands of other interesting items, but a major refurbishment is aiming to turn it into a “world-leading museum of design and creativity for children and young people”."

"Visiting the British Library is one of our favourite things to do around London. This landmark of London is next door to St Pancras station. It’s been there barely twenty years, but I can’t imagine London without it."

"The Bankside Gallery in London was opened in 1980 by Her Majesty, the Queen. The public gallery, located near the Thames, houses the Royal Watercolour Society and Royal Society of Painter Printmakers. The gallery displays rotating exhibits focused on modern watercolours and prints."

"With all there is to see at Kew Gardens, you might easily miss the attractive red brick building housing the Marianne North Gallery. But don’t hesitate to take a look inside — the exquisite interior, which incorporates different kinds of wood and stenciled floor tile, is home to more than 800 works of botanical art. Marianne North was a wealthy, single Victorian woman who traveled the world solo in pursuit of interesting plants to paint."

"Another attraction in Kew Gardens, this gallery is dedicated to the work of Marianne North, a Victorian artist who specialised in botanical paintings. The walls of the gallery are covered in her stunning and colourful designs, which show off her incredible natural talent."

"Everyone recognises the name of this groundbreaking London gallery, which is responsible for launching the careers of many young artists. The Saatchi Gallery is probably best known for its role in turning the YBAs (Young British Artists), from Hirst to Emin, into global superstars at the height of the Nineties - but it's still captivating London’s art lovers with challenging contemporary art exhibitions to this day. Duke of York's HQ, King's Road, Chelsea, SW3 4RY, saatchigallery.com"

"A refreshing newly opened modernistic gallery bursting with young artists interpretations and contemporary work. Having only just opened 9 years ago it is a must for those who like trendy, quirky, new art pieces as well as its cool location sitting in the heart of the Kings road, Chelsea. A constant array of different exhibitions have been and gone through the years at the gallery making it a definite frequent art gallery to visit to ensure you never miss a piece of artwork."

"Former adman Charles Saatchi initially opened a gallery in a disused paint factory in St John’s Wood in 1985 to show off his impressive personal art collection. However, by the early ’90s, Saatchi was championing Young British Artists (YBAs) such as Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin and knew he needed extra room. His gallery can now be found in the enormous Neoclassical Duke of York’s HQ just off the Kings Road."

"This friendly all-day Dalston café bills itself as a modern greasy spoon and has perfected the art of curing hangovers – thanks to its devotion to hash browns and all things porky. Its quirky brunch dishes (available Tuesday to Sunday) strike the perfect balance between wholesomeness and the restorative powers of fried bacon – although they also sneak in a surprising amount of veg, from kale to homemade beans. The ‘Posh Pig’ muffin is particularly good, and the vegetarian options are genuinely decent, too."

"For the ultimate ‘modern greasy spoon’ experience  What to eat?. The white chocolate and caramelised banana pancakes. Long live the great British greasy spoon!"

"‘Come hungry, leave wobbly’ is the slogan of this restaurant and bar. Starting out as a humble food truck selling burgers in South London, Meat Liquor have grown into a full chain with restaurants across London, selling not just their famous burgers, but a range of exciting cocktails, chilli dogs, buffalo wings and other American favourites. Sticking close to their roots, their King’s Cross branch is based in a repurposed tram shed, slinging burgers out of a life size replica train."

"Restaurants Burgers Marylebone. Meat and liquor (duh) are the speciality here, with graffiti on the walls and a burger menu that helped kickstart London’s dude food scene. Home of the iconic Dead Hippie burger (two french mustard fried patties smothered in trade-marked sauce), the big surprise is that it’s the buffalo chicken burger that will change your life."

"Burgers , Diner"

"You don't actually have to cross town for these, not now they've got vans, bars and stockists all over the place. You would, though, if you had to — for somewhere among the Standards, the Mini Bites and the Seasonal Specials is the doughnut of your dreams. They use sourdough for a denser, chewier doughnut at Crosstown, one thing which sets them apart from the doughnut masses."

"The Blackberry & Pear – one of our banging new seasonal (vegan) flavours available in-store and on-demand across London, direct from the Crosstown website. 🍐🍩✖️ #crosstown#vegancrosstown#crosstowndoughnuts. 📸: chefclarisseflon 🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/SV4poI3Jr6"

"Soft and dense like cake, full of banana flavour – in the dough and icing – plus a filling of chunky cherry compote all the way round, Crosstown’s new banana cake doughnut is now an unmisseable part of the range."

"Rivalling the ring shaped doughnut, Longboys are the tasty treats bringing some serious patisserie credentials to the dessert scene. The eclair-doughnut crossover is a unique idea, combining traditional techniques and creative fillings. From a zesty lemon meringue pie to a sweet and salty take on the classic peanut butter jelly, there’s a sweet treat to suit all tastes."

"A long, light, brioche-based doughnut with shavings of caramelised white chocolate on top and a luxuriously thick, salted caramel crème inside, the glossy, golden liquid just oozes out after one bite. Address: 119 Lower Stable Street Coal Drops Yard, London N1C 4DR or Boxpark, 18 Olympic Way, London HA9 0JT"

"The Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability is housed in the building that Victorian doctor Dr John Langdon Down lived and worked in. In this building, Dr Down researched and took new approaches to caring for people with learning disabilities. The museum today highlights exhibits about the work of Dr John as well as Normansfield Theatre and the Royal Earlswood Asylum."