Top 5 free things to do in London
London is definitely one of the most culturally vibrant cities you could wish to visit. While it is renowned for being an expensive city, it is also one of the best places to have quality experiences that don’t cost a thing, yes, that’s right not a penny! Visitors can get their teeth stuck into some cultural and historical gems such as world famous museums and art galleries, and even enjoy free musical performances!
Museums
London is home to some of the finest museums on the planet. Take your pick from a number of fine institutions, exploring everything from science and history to ancient artefacts. The British Museum boasts a collection of over 8 million works illustrating the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present day. Over at the Natural History Museum, you can expect to find up to 80 million life and earth science specimens across five collections, and a superb selection of dinosaur skeletons. Other free museums worth checking out include the Imperial War Museum, The Victoria & Albert and The British Museum.
Wilton’s Music Hall
Make sure you take the time to head down to Wilton’s Music Hall in Whitechapel, the world's oldest surviving Grand Music Hall. Over 300 years old, it has served as everything from a Victorian sailors' pub and a music hall to the performance space it is today. Visitors are welcome to take frequent tours of the beautiful venue that harks back to an era long gone and to learn more about the story of the last surviving building of its kind. If you are able to go on a Monday it’s the perfect opportunity to kick back in the cosy bar while enjoying musicians playing old fashioned tunes for free.
Great Walks
It is often said that London aims to be the most walkable city in the world and it is easy to see why. It is home to centuries old buildings, a history as compelling as it is abundant and a number of sprawling parks. Self-guided walking tours promise the best way to discover the city. Famous tours include the Royal London Walk, the City of London Walk, the London Canals and various urban street art tours around east London.
Art Galleries
Nearly all of London's major public galleries are completely free. Lots offer free talks and tours, so check out the websites a week or so before you plan to go. Exhibiting everything from cutting edge contemporary works to centuries old portraits, galleries worth checking out include the Saatchi Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate Modern and the Tate Britain.
Speakers Corner
Any day of the week, there's free entertainment to be enjoyed in the north-east corner of London’s Hyde Park. Speakers' Corner has existed since late Victorian times, and welcomes people to speak on subjects that cover political, social or religious subjects amongst other things. Anyone can turn up and speak on a subject, those who have gone before you include Vladimir Lenin and George Orwell!
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