Free art galleries in London
Where to see great art in London without paying, and what each gallery shows.
Many of London's best art galleries are free. The National Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain and the Wallace Collection all let you walk in without a ticket, and so do the capital's contemporary spaces and commercial galleries.
Free art galleries in central London
| Gallery | Location | Type of art |
|---|---|---|
| National Gallery | Trafalgar Square | European painting from the 13th to the early 20th century |
| National Portrait Gallery | St Martin's Place | Portraits of British people, from the Tudors to today |
| Tate Britain | Millbank (Millbank entrance closed until 2027) | British art from 1500 to today |
| Tate Modern | Bankside | Modern and contemporary art from around the world |
| Wallace Collection | Manchester Square | Old Masters, French 18th-century painting, furniture and armour |
| Sir John Soane's Museum | Lincoln's Inn Fields | Hogarth, Canaletto and Turner in the architect's own house |
| Guildhall Art Gallery | Guildhall Yard | Victorian painting and views of London |
| V&A | Cromwell Road | Design, sculpture, painting and photography |
| The Curve, Barbican | Silk Street | Contemporary commissions |
Free art galleries across London
| Gallery | Location | Type of art |
|---|---|---|
| Whitechapel Gallery | Whitechapel High Street | Contemporary, with free displays and one ticketed exhibition each season |
| Serpentine | Kensington Gardens | Contemporary |
| South London Gallery | Peckham Road | Contemporary |
| Camden Art Centre | Arkwright Road | Contemporary |
| William Morris Gallery | Lloyd Park, Walthamstow | William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement |
| Newport Street Gallery | Vauxhall | Contemporary |
Free commercial galleries
Commercial galleries do not normally charge for entry, and nobody expects you to buy. Our list of Mayfair art galleries has more than 40 of them, street by street. White Cube is in Bermondsey Street and Mason's Yard.
What is free, and what is not
At the big national galleries the permanent collection is free and the headline exhibitions are ticketed, so John Constable's The Hay Wain and J. M. W. Turner's The Fighting Temeraire cost nothing to see. Our guide to art galleries to visit in London this winter lists the free shows with their closing dates.
Quick answers
Which art galleries in London are free? The National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Wallace Collection and Serpentine are all free to enter, and so are London's commercial galleries.
Is the National Gallery free? Yes. The permanent collection is free, and temporary exhibitions are ticketed separately.
Is Tate Modern free? Yes. Admission and the collection displays are free, and major exhibitions are ticketed.
Do I need to book at a free gallery? Usually not for the free collections, but check the gallery's website before you go, especially at busy times.
Can a free gallery tell me what my painting is worth? Public galleries do not normally value works for the public. We give free valuations from photographs, with no obligation to sell.
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