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#2 in Best Places to Visit in London
Best free museumWATTB96/100

British Museum

Visit if

Free entry

Skip it if

Overwhelming if you try to see everything

Plan your visit

British Museum

WATTB Score

96/ 100

Our research-based editorial assessment.

How we score →

Free

Indicative price at the time of review.

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links — it never affects our rankings or WATTB Scores. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The British Museum is the single best free thing to do in London and one of the great museums on earth. You cannot see it all; pick two or three galleries — Egypt, Greece, the Enlightenment room — and go deep rather than wide. The glass-roofed Great Court alone is worth the walk in.

The good & the bad

Pros

  • Free entry
  • Genuinely world-class collection
  • Central, rain-proof day out

Cons

  • Overwhelming if you try to see everything
  • Busy at weekends and school holidays

How it compares

PickWATTB ScorePriceBest for
1.Tower of London96/100From £34.80history
2.British MuseumThis pick96/100Freefree museum
3.Westminster Abbey94/100From £29.00historic church
4.Greenwich94/100Mostly freehalf-day trip
5.Hyde Park94/100Freegreen space
6.Tower Bridge92/100From £13.40landmark
7.Borough Market92/100Free entryfood
8.St Paul's Cathedral92/100From £25.00city views
9.Covent Garden90/100Free entryatmosphere
10.Camden Market88/100Free entryalternative neighbourhood
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Good to know

4.4 ★Google · 1,785 reviews
Address
Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG
Nearest station
Tottenham Court Road
Phone
+44 20 7323 8000
Time to allow
2–3 hours
Accessibility
Step-free access throughout; free wheelchair loan.
Price
Free
Entry
Free (donations welcome)
Highlight
Rosetta Stone, Egypt galleries

Opening hours

Monday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Address, hours & rating verified via Google · Aug 2026

Insider tip · Enter via the quieter Montague Place north entrance to skip the main-gate crowds.

Researched by WATTB

Published
14 January 2026
Updated
30 August 2026
Sources
4 sources

We research and rank options from public data, official information and published reviews. How we research →

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