Visiting London
Central London offers a range of Museums and cultural activities. Many museums and galleries are free of charge, but you may have to pay a ticket for temporary exhibitions.
Museums and galleries
- The British Museum : less than 10 minutes walk from the venue. Free entry to the permanent collection, but you will need to purchase a ticket for temporary exhibitions. Please allow enough time for the security checks at the entrance.
- London Mithraeum : Free entry, but please book your visit here in advance.
- London’s Roman Amphitheatre
- The Petrie Museum : Free entry. Please note it’s only open Tuesday-Saturday 1-3 pm. A small but extremely interesting museum on Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology.
- Museum of London : Free entry to the permanent collection. The Museum documents life in the capital from prehistoric to modern times.
- The National Gallery : Free entry to the permanent collection, but you will need to pay a ticket for temporary exhibitions. Booking online for temporary exhibitions will help you avoid the queues.
- The National Portrait Gallery : Free entry to the permanent collection and some of the temporary exhibitions. Please check the website on whether or not you will need a ticket for your exhibition of choice.
- Tate Modern : Free entry to the permanent collection. Booking online for temporary exhibitions is advisable to save time.
- Tate Britain : Free entry to the permanent collection. Booking online for temporary exhibitions is advisable to save time.
- Royal Academy of Arts : Free entry to some art and architecture displays. Major exhibitions can be very popular and we recommend booking tickets online well in advance to avoid disappointment.
- Somerset House : Temporary exhibitions and events all year round. You may need to buy tickets for some of them (please check the website). The building also houses restaurants and cafes. The Courtauld Gallery is unfortunately closed temporarily for a major redevelopment project.
- Hayward Gallery : Contemporary art exhibitions and events.
- Saatchi Gallery : Contemporary art exhibitions and events.
- Serpentine Galleries in Hyde Park
- Sir John Soane’s Museum : Free entry. Full of curiosities and artefacts, the house has been left untouched since his death 180 years ago.
- The Victoria and Albert Museum : Free entry to the permanent collection. It houses, among other many other exhibits, a most impressive collection of Art and Design.
- Natural History Museum : Free entry to the permanent collection.
- Science Museum : Free entry to the permanent collection.
Theatre and Concerts
Plays and concerts take place in London all year round. Day tickets are released for certain performances, but for some venues and popular events (like The Royal Opera House or the Royal Albert Hall) we recommend booking tickets well in advance. Please check individual websites for booking information.
- National Theatre
- Shakespeare’s Globe
- Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
- Royal Opera House (Home of the Royal Ballet)
- London Coliseum (Home of the English National Opera)
- Queen Elizabeth Hall
- Royal Albert Hall
- Barbican : Performing arts centre. The centre hosts theatre and dance performances, concerts, art exhibitions, and film screenings. Please book early to avoid disappointment as some performances are extremely popular.
- tkts Booth in Leicester Square for discount and last-minute tickets for West End shows