Good news for anyone budgeting a trip to London: the UK government has dropped the idea of charging overseas visitors for entry to England's national museums. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy confirmed the policy at Tate Liverpool on 28 September 2026, saying the museums "must be free, forever, for everyone" — a promise that applies whether you hold a British passport or an Australian one.
The proposal had been floating around since earlier in the year, when ministers said they would explore a two-tier system: free for UK residents, paid for everyone else. It never got far. Critics pointed out the awkward practicalities (how would a museum verify residency at the door?) and the ethical wrinkle of asking people to pay to see artefacts taken from their own countries. The government also worried a charge might discourage domestic visitors and that the costs would land unevenly across institutions.
Free general admission to the national museums dates back to 2001, and the anniversary arrives with the institutions busier than ever. The Natural History Museum pulled in 7.1 million visitors in 2025 and the British Museum 6.4 million, while the national museum sector is said to add more than £1 billion a year to the economy. To keep things that way, the government is channelling £760 million through its Arts Everywhere Fund, plus £600 million for infrastructure at national institutions and £160 million for local and regional museums.
The contrast with Paris is stark. The Louvre now lists a €32 ticket for non-EEA visitors on top of its €22 standard adult price. In London, by comparison, you can walk into the British Museum, the Tate galleries or the Natural History Museum and pay nothing at the door — a saving that adds up quickly on a multi-day city break.
One caveat: "free" applies to permanent collections. Special exhibitions and some events still require tickets, and donation boxes are common (worth using if you can). If you're set on a particular blockbuster show, book ahead and check pricing online before you go.
For travellers, this is one of the best value propositions in European city breaks. Few cities anywhere can match London's density of world-class art, history and science collections that cost nothing to enter — from the Rosetta Stone to Turner paintings to a blue whale skeleton. That now looks safe for the foreseeable future, so you can plan a culture-heavy trip without factoring admission into the budget. Source: Travel Tomorrow.
