The world’s best museums you can visit for free
22 June 2016
The finest of the free
Being a tourist can be pretty expensive, especially if you want to soak up every ounce of culture. But in pretty much every city you can rely on free museums to keep you entertained for no cost at all. We round up some of the best museums in the world that you won’t need your wallet for.
Smithsonian Museums, Washington DC, USA
America’s capital is full of free museums for cheap days out. But the Smithsonian in Washington is actually the world’s largest museum complex, with 19 different museums and galleries.
Smithsonian Museums, Washington DC, USA
The most notable free museums within the complex are the Air and Space Museum, the American History Museum and the Natural History Museum.
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand
New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa, is home to a range of collections, showcasing – the literal translation of its name – ‘the place of treasures of this land’. The museum is split into two parts, one of which focuses on the past and one that focuses on the future, both of which place a strong emphasis on culture.
National Museum of China, Beijing, China
Unsurprisingly, the National Museum of China receives anywhere up to five million visitors a year. It sits opposite the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, both of which are considered to be among the ten best constructions in the world. Much like other national museums, the National Museum of China focuses on Chinese history and culture and ranks among the largest modern museums in the world. And it’s all free!
Coventry Transport Museum, Coventry, UK
This British hub for car lovers hosts a collection of almost 250 British cars (there are also motorcycles and bicycles for fans of the two-wheeled variety) that archives almost 150 year years of the UK car industry.
Coventry Transport Museum, Coventry, UK
Inside, you'll find the Bloodhound Project - the supersonic car currently being designed to race at speeds of over 1,000mph, travelling a mile in just 3.6 seconds. Entry into the museum is completely free, aside from parking your car – but we’re sure the car parks nearby host a pretty impressive selection of cars to drool over too.
Getty Center, Los Angeles, USA
The views from LA’s Getty Center make it worth the free visit alone. The center is home to great architecture, beautiful gardens and, of course, art.
Getty Center, Los Angeles, USA
On display is everything from 19th-century European paintings tp sculpture and photography, so there is bound to be something to pique your interest.
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Nice, France
Entrance to the MAMAC has been free since 2008. It’s well known for its collections of Yves Klein and Andy Warhol and has an incredible rooftop that’s certainly worth dropping by during your visit.
McCord Museum of Canadian History, Montreal, Canada
This museum holds over 1.5 million artefacts and photos of Canadian history, such as aboriginal tools, 18th century costumes and almost 70,000 paintings. But if you want to get in for free you need to plan to arrive on Wednesdays between 5pm-9pm and every first Saturday of the month from 10am-5pm.
National Gallery, London, UK
Towering over London’s famous Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery houses almost 2,500 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to the beginning of the 20th century.
National Gallery, London, UK
Around five million people swing by the museum every year, both tourists and locals alike, to admire the likes of Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ and Cézanne’s ‘Bathers’.
The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City, USA
Fashionistas will feel right at home in the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), with three exhibition galleries and rotating permanent collections. It’s totally free to visit the gallery, as well as enjoying free lectures, panel discussions and tours.
National Football Museum, Manchester, UK
This is undoubtedly a must-go museum for anybody who loves soccer, but the fact it is completely free to enter is a pretty good way to entice Manchester visitors too. It was originally in Lancashire, but moved to Manchester in 2012, where it now holds a vast collection of football memorabilia such as trophies, kits and historic photographs.
Nicholson Museum, Sydney, Australia
The Nicholson Museum is Sydney’s oldest museum, meaning it drips with history and holds the largest collection of antiquities in the Southern Hemisphere. The museum has grown immensely in size since its first days in 1860 and now comprises of around 30,000 artefacts for archaeology lovers.
National Museum of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
The flagship museum of Korean history and art, the NMK welcomes almost four million visitors a year and doesn’t cost anything to explore.
National Museum of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
As well as being the largest museum in South Korea, it is also one of the largest museums in Asia, so there are plenty of exhibitions to keep you busy.
Science Museum, London, UK
The Science Museum is another of London's most popular museums and holds a collection of over 300,000 scientific artefacts, such as the first jet engine, some of the earliest steam engines and a documentation of the first typewriter.
Science Museum, London, UK
Like other publicly funded museums in London, it doesn't charge visitors for admission, but you might have to pay to see some temporary collections.
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, UK
Although there are plenty of free activities to keep you busy in Edinburgh, the National Museum is a great source of factoids about Scotland and its history. Some of its notable objects on display include a gigantic whale skull and a life-sized case of a T-rex skeleton.
British Museum, London, UK
If there is one thing London does well, it’s free museums. The British Museum is just one of many available to the public with no admission charge. This particular museum is doused in history, as it opened in 1759 and was the first national museum to be open to the public anywhere in the world.
British Museum, London, UK
The museum holds collections dedicated to human history, art and culture, with one of the largest permanent collections in the world that documents the story of human culture over existence. It is now one of the most visited museums on the planet with around six million people walking through its doors each year.
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain
Madrid’s Museo Nacional del Prado is the main Spanish art museum, home to a large collection of European art dating back to the 12th century.
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain
It’s recognised as the best collection of Spanish art, and holds around 7,600 paintings, 1,000 sculptures, 4,800 prints and thousands of prints and historic documents. So, for a couple of spare hours and no extra money, it's definitely worth popping by.
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Canada
The permanent collection at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is always free. Here you’ll find fluorescent colors, rhinestones, sculptures of starved monkeys and a pitch-black room that you will be told to walk around in 3D glasses – certainly plenty to keep you entertained for a few hours of priceless fun.
Daimler Contemporary, Berlin, Germany
Berlin’s Daimer Collection holds almost 2,000 pieces of art and design from artists all over the world. It’s located in central Berlin inside the famous Haus Huth on Potsdamer Platz, which is one of the only buildings in the area to have survived WWII virtually untouched. Its contents include art, fashion, photography and furniture, so there’s plenty to keep you busy.
Natural History Museum, London, UK
Established over 130 years ago, the Natural History Museum is the third most popular museum in the world, with over five million people stopping by each year. It's one of three major museums in London's South Kensington, which also include the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Natural History Museum, London, UK
The museum focuses on a range of life and earth science specimens throughout human history, and is particularly famous for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons (as well as its incredible architecture).
Natural History Museum, London, UK
It's basically like visiting Jurrasic Park hundreds of years later, minus the risk of getting killed.
ADMT Advertising Museum Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
This museum is completely devoted to Japanese advertising. Although there aren’t many English explanations the images generally speak for themselves. As you’d expect in Japan it’s high-tech stuff, with touchscreen browsing of historic ads and viewing of old commercials, so it’s a pretty interactive experience too.
Museu Afro Brasil, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Examining the influence of African culture in Brazil, this museum has over 6,000 pieces of photography, art and artefacts that relate to the cultural lives of black people in Brazil. It is free on Thursdays and Saturdays only.
Tate Modern, London, UK
Part of the Tate Group, the Tate Modern is the UK’s national gallery of modern art from across the world.
Tate Modern, London, UK
Anywhere between five and six million people visit the gallery each year and it has recently been extended to cater for more international art, with a particular focus on more pieces by women.
Tate Modern, London, UK
Much like the Getty Center, if you aren't particularly fussed about the art at the Tate Modern, it's worth calling in just to see this beautiful view of St Paul's Cathedral. The balcony at the top of the museum is easy to get to and looks out onto the stretch of the Thames, so it's a great spot for taking some snaps.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA
Finally, in the heart of Manhattan sits ‘the Met’ – the largest art museum in the United States. It’s also one of the most visited museums in the world with almost six million people dropping in each year.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA
Its permanent collection consists of art ranging from ancient Egypt to American and modern art, but it's also home to numerous temporary collections from some of the most famous artists in the world.
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