FREE LONDON LIST - FREE THINGS TO SEE AND DO
(OR ALMOST! One or two charge a small fee, shown where applicable)
| NAME | ART GALLERIES | LOCATION & NEAREST TUBE STATION | |
| Bankside Gallery |
Bankside Gallery is the home of two historic art societies; the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers.
Since the beginning of the twentieth century the two Societies have shared premises and the Gallery’s exhibition programme seeks to reflect the activities of the Members of both Societies through a mixture of Society exhibitions, one person shows, and themed mixed exhibitions of both watercolours and prints. |
Blackfriars | |
| Kenwood House |
Set in leafy grounds beside Hampstead Heath, this outstanding house was remodelled by Robert Adam between 1764 and 1779. He transformed the original brick building into a majestic villa for the great judge, Lord Mansfield. The richly decorated library is one of Adam’s great masterpieces, a feast for the eyes.
Brewing magnate Edward Cecil Guinness, first Earl of Iveagh, bought Kenwood House and gardens in 1925. When he died in 1927, he bequeathed the house, estate and part of his collection of pictures to the nation. The Iveagh Bequest includes important paintings by many great artists, including Rembrandt, Vermeer, Turner, Reynolds and Gainsborough. Recently they have been joined by Constable’s oil sketch Hampstead Heath. The paintings beautifully complement Kenwood’s sumptuous interiors. |
Archway or Golders Green then a 210 bus | |
| The Mall Galleries |
''Welcome to the Mall Galleries
- national focal point for contemporary figurative art ...'' |
Charing Cross | |
| The National Gallery |
Houses one of the greatest collections of Western European painting in the world. These pictures belong to the public and entrance to see them is free ... |
Charing Cross or Leicester Square | |
| The National Portait Gallery |
Next door to the National Gallery and holding a massive collection of portraits of past and present famous (and sometimes infamous), people ... |
Charing Cross or Leicester Square | |
| Queen's House Greenwich |
Since 2001 the House has been reorganised to showcase the Museum's fine-art collection, with an ongoing programme of displays and temporary exhibitions, including contemporary work. It has an active events and education programme and continues in its successful role as a place for corporate and private entertainment.
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Greenwich | |
| Serpentine Gallery |
Serpentine Gallery is one of London’s best-loved galleries for modern and contemporary art. Its Exhibition, Architecture, Education and Public Programmes attract approximately 750,000 visitors a year and admission is free. |
South Kensington or Lancaster Gate | |
| Tate Britain Gallery |
Tate Britain is the world centre for the understanding and enjoyment of British art and works actively to promote interest in British art internationally. The displays call on the greatest collection of British art in the world to present an unrivalled picture of the development of art in Britain from the time of the Tudor monarchs in the sixteenth century, to the present day. |
Pimlico, Vauxhall or Westminster then 15 minute walk | |
| Tate Modern Gallery |
Created in the year 2000 from a disused power station in the heart of London, Tate Modern displays the national collection of international modern art. (This is defined as art since 1900. International painting pre-1900 is found at the National Gallery, and sculpture at the Victoria & Albert Museum). Tate Modern includes modern British art where it contributes to the story of modern art, so major modern British artists may be found at both Tate Modern and Tate Britain. |
Southwark or Blackfriars then 10 minute walk | |
| Wallace Collection |
The Wallace Collection is a national museum in an historic London town house. In 25 galleries are unsurpassed displays of French 18th century painting, furniture and porcelain with superb Old Master paintings and a world class armoury. |
Bond Street | |
| Whitechapel Gallery |
Almost doubling in size the expanded Whitechapel will include a Collections Gallery offering a chance to see important art collections from around the world, a Commissions Gallery with a brand new art work created specially for the building every year and an Archive Collection Gallery and Archive Research Room telling the story of the history of the Gallery and the local area over the last 100 years ... |
Aldgate East | |
CEREMONIAL EVENTS |
LOCATION & NEAREST TUBE STATION |
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The website for the Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace. A one stop guide to when and where to see the Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace, updated regularly and featuring other events and activities. Home to the Queen, Buckingham Palace provides a wonderful backdrop to this event held daily in summer, every two days at other times (see schedule for details) in the heart of London. |
Green Park or St James' Park
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Over 6000 people took part in the 2006 Lord Mayor's Show, last November, including 2000 servicemen and women, 180 vehicles, 66 floats, 21 marching bands, 21 carriages including the glorious State Coach and of course the giant figures of the City's guardians Gog and Magog. The procession is 3 miles long but fits into a route of only 1.7 miles: if you want to find out how that works, you'll have to come and see next year! |
St Pauls' or Monument or Tower Hill
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Horseguards Parade in June sees this impressive ceremonial by the Royal Marines. You need to apply early for tickets.
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St James Park or Charing Cross or Westminster
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The Queen takes the salute from over 1400 officers and men, together with two hundred horses; over four hundred musicians from ten bands and corps of drums who march and play as one. Some 113 words of command are given by the Officer in Command of the Parade. The parade route extends from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and back again.
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From Waterloo Station take a mainline train to Kingston-on-Thames station then it's a 3 minute walk
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Each year the Queen drives in State to Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament. This is usually in November but it may take place at other times, or even more than once a year if there is a change of government. The ceremony takes place in the House of Lords and the Commons are summoned to hear 'The Queen's Speech from the Throne', formally opening the next session of her Parliament and setting out the policies of her Government. The Queen travels from Buckingham Palace to Westminster along the Royal Route using the Irish State Coach drawn by four horses. She has her usual Escort of the Household Cavalry and street liners, who present arms as the Royal Procession passes, guard the whole route. Military bands play light music so there is plenty to see and hear. |
Charing Cross or Westminster or Green Park or St James' Park
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The Ceremony of the Keys is the traditional locking up of the Tower of London and has taken place on each and every night, without fail, in peace and war for at least 700 years. A small group of visitors are permitted to observe the ceremony. The importance of securing this fortress for the night is still very relevant because although the Monarch no longer resides at this royal palace the Crown Jewels and many other valuables still do! At least two month's written notice is required .. see website for full details of where to write, etc. |
Tower Hill
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MISCELLANEOUS |
LOCATION & NEAREST TUBE STATION |
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| Bayswater Road Artists |
Art for sale on open-air display every Sunday. The railings on the Bayswater side of Hyde Park provide an unusual, but attractive exhibition space .. |
Marble Arch / Queensway | |
At Brick Lane, Cheshire Street, & Slater Street, London, E1. Sundays from 8:00am-2:00pm. A very fashionable and vibrant market where leather jackets, jeans and cheap jewellery are up for grabs. Fruit, veg and jellied eels also sold, plus household goods, discount books, collectibles and much more.
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Aldgate East and Shoreditch, Liverpool Street |
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Borough High Street, London, SE1. This covered food market is one of the City's largest and oldest. On Saturdays it offers an amazing variety of fine organic food. Fridays from 12pm to 6pm. Saturdays from 9am to 4pm. Bridget Jones' diary was filmed here ..
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London Bridge
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City Hall, the headquarters of the Greater London Authority, is open to the public on set weekends throughout the year, (check the website for exact dates). Visitors can see and walk around some areas not normally open to the public during the week. This includes the Chamber, a purpose-built space for meetings and debates; London's Living Room, an open space on the top floor with a walkway around the perimeter offering panoramic views; and the spiral ramp/stairs, which winds its way through the building, offering glimpses of the open-plan offices and the Mayor's Conference Room and views of the Thames and the Tower of London. |
City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, SE1 2AA London Bridge or Tower Hill |
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LONDON's ROYAL PARKS Strolling .......... horse riding ................ boating ................ golfing ................. tennis ........... ball games ................. swimming ............... picnics ..................... nature walks .............. birding ................ painting .............. model boating ................... kite flying ................ all these fun things to do are available in London's magnificent parks. No City in Europe comes close to London for variety and sheer scale of public green spaces ...... see site pages for individual park details, plus special seasonal events .. |
See individual websites
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Chancery House, 53-64 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1QS. Open Monday to Friday, 9am-5:30pm, Sat 9am-1pm Hidden away behind large safe doors, the London Silver Vaults house a seemingly endless number of specialist silverware dealers. There is a massive range of goods, from candelabras and cutlery to fine jewellery. |
Chancery Lane
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You can go inside and watch a trial being held at the Old Bailey (Central Criminal Courts). Universally known as the Old Bailey, this is probably the most famous criminal court in the world, and has been London's principal criminal court for centuries. It hears cases remitted to it from all over England and Wales as well as the Greater London area. Trials commence at 10am each day. Note: You are not allowed to take bags or cameras inside. |
St Pauls |
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Antiques Market open Sat 4:00am-6:00pm, General Market at Portobello Road and Goldborne Road, London, W11. Open Mon-Wed 8:00am-6:00pm, Thur 9:00am-1:00pm and Sat 8:00am-5:00pm, Organic Market open Thur 11:00am-6:00pm, Clothes and Bric-a-brac Market open Fri 7:00am-4:00pm, Sat 8:00am-5:00pm and Sun 9:00am-4:00pm An amalgamation of several different markets specialising in antique jewellery, coins, fruit and vegetables, clothes, records, books etc..
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Ladbroke Grove or Notting Hill Gate |
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You can go inside and watch a trial being held at the Royal Courts of Justice (popularly known as 'The High Court' - a Civil Court for family, ciivil and appeals hearings. Hearings commence at 10am each day. Note: You are not allowed to take bags or cameras inside. |
Temple |
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There are at least 850 'notable' people buried at Highgate. Amongst these are 18 Royal Academicians, 6 Lord Mayors of London, 48 Fellows of the Royal Society, the founders of London businesses including Maples, Foyles, Negretti-Zambra, John Lobb, P&O, and Quaritch, and familiar names such as Faraday, Karl Marx, George Eliot, Radclyffe Hall, Carl Rosa and Sir Ralph Richardson. Entrance to the east Cemetery - which has the grave of Karl Marx - is free. To tour the West Cemetery see the website. |
Archway
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The West London and Westminster Cemetery Company, as it was known, was established in 1836, and then opened in 1840 to the design of Benjamin Baud. Regarded as one of the finest Victorian Metropolitan cemeteries in the country, it has a formal layout with a central avenue leading to a chapel based on St Peter's Basilica in Rome. Amongst its shady walks are over 35,000 monuments - many of historical importance. Buried at the cemetery are people from all walks of life, including thirteen holders of the Victorian Cross, Chelsea Pensioners and the community of West London. The cemetery provides a rare haven of peace, beauty and tranquillity. |
West Brompton
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| Westminster Cathedral | Westminster Cathedral is one of the greatest secrets of London; people heading down Victoria Street on the well-trodden route to more famous sites are astonished to come across a piazza opening up the view to an extraordinary facade of towers, balconies and domes ... |
Victoria | |
| NAME | MUSEUMS | LOCATION / NEAREST TUBE STATION | |
| Baden Powell House | The Home of the Scout Movement - with a small museum about its history, etc. |
South Kensington | |
| Bank of England Museum |
The history of the UK's national bank but also the history of money itself .. more interesting than it sounds .. |
Bank | |
| The British Library |
We hold over 13 million books, 920,000 journal and newspaper titles, 57 million patents, 3 million sound recordings, and so much more ... |
St Pancras | |
| The British Museum |
The British Museum holds in trust for the nation and the world a collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures. Housed in one of Britain's architectural landmarks, the collection is one of the finest in existence, spanning two million years of human history. Access to the collections is free. |
Tottenham Court Road / Holborn | |
| Alexander Fleming Museum (£2) |
Visitors to the Museum can follow in the footsteps of Fleming as they explore the birthplace of penicillin, a journey taking them back to the days when there were no antibiotics to fight against often lethal bacteria. After seeing the laboratory in which the discovery took place and learning how it all happened, visitors retrace through displays and a video the remarkable story of Fleming, |
Paddington then a 10 minute walk | |
| The Geffrye Museum |
The Geffrye Museum is one of London’s best-loved museums. It shows the changing style of the English domestic interior in a series of period rooms from 1600 to the present day. |
Liverpool Street | |
| The Horniman Museum |
The Horniman, through its collections and related exhibitions and events, seeks to encourage a wider appreciation of the World, its peoples and their cultures, and its environments. |
London Bridge Station to Forest Hill | |
| Kinetica Museum |
Set strikingly against the backdrop of the old Spitalfields Market in London's East End, Kinetica Museum opened in October 2006. Kinetica is the UK's first museum of kinetic art. It will actively encourage the convergence of art and technology, providing an exhibition space in central London where the most important examples of kinetic, technological and electronic art, both past and present, can be properly stored and displayed. |
Spitalfields | |
| The Museum of Childhood |
The V&A Museum of Childhood aims to encourage everyone to explore the themes of childhood past and present and develop an appreciation of creative design through our inspirational collections and programmes. The Museum is part of the V&A family of museums, and houses the national childhood collection. The galleries are designed to show the collections in a way which is accessible to adults and children of all ages. |
Bethnal Green | |
| The Museum of Garden History
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The world's first museum dedicated to gardens and gardening history .. |
Lambeth North or Westminster | |
| The Museum of London |
The Museum of London’s mission is to inspire a passion for London by communicating London’s history, archaeology and contemporary cultures to a wider world, reaching all of London’s communities through playing a role in the debate about London, facilitating and contributing to London-wide cultural and educational networks. |
St Pauls then a 5 minute walk | |
| The National Army Museum |
Visit the National Army Museum and find out how Britain’s past has helped to shape our present and our future. Discover the impact our Army has had on the story of Britain, Europe and the world, and see how the actions of a few can affect the futures of many. |
Sloane Square then 15 minutes walk | |
| The National Maritime Museum |
The National Maritime Museum's collection contains over two million objects related to seafaring, navigation, astronomy and measuring time. The Museum is committed to improving access to its collections. Over 10,000 objects are now online, with a further 500 to be made available by spring 2006 as part of our ongoing digitization strategy ... |
Greenwich | |
| The Natural History Museum |
One of the finest Natural History Museums in the World. Allow at least a couple of hours - just to scratch the surface ...! |
South Kensington | |
| The Royal Observatory |
Home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian line, and one of the most important historic scientific sites in the world. It was founded by Charles II in 1675 and is, by international decree, the official starting point for each new day, year and millennium (at the stroke of midnight GMT as measured from the Prime Meridian). |
Greenwich | |
| The Science Museum |
The Science Museum was founded in 1857 with objects shown at the Great Exhibition held in the Crystal Palace. Today the Museum is world renowned for its historic collections, awe-inspiring galleries and inspirational exhibitions. |
South Kensington | |
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MUSIC EVENTS |
LOCATION & NEAREST TUBE STATION |
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Recitals are held every Sunday in the Abbey at 5.45pm. All are welcome. They do not issue tickets for the recitals nor charge an entrance fee. See website for current programme. |
Westminster or St James' Park
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Classical music and theatre events by talented students of one of London's most prestigious performing arts schools. See their website for current events. All are free. |
Barbican, City of London
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Music events in a grand setting: the Duke's Hall of London's Royal Academy of Music. A wide variety of classical music events are performed by students of the Academy. Individual soloists, duos, quartets and chamber orchestras. Almost all are free. See their website for full listings and details. |
Baker Street / Gt. Portland Street
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A real London pub which offers good live rock and blues bands in a friendly (but smoky!) atmosphere. Their website has the current Gig List. My favourites: The Blues Patrol with Andy Roberts; The Lee Ryder Band, The Pete Harrison Band, Bob Barton and the Old School, The 60's All Stars. |
Northfields
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The Grey Horse established itself as one of London's premier jazz venues in the 50's. The jazz influence lasted twenty years or so until pop reared its head and slowly overtook in popularity. The venue now hosts all genres of music from jazz/funk to blues and rock to suit all ages in a separate air-conditioned room. |
From Waterloo Station take a mainline train to Kingston-on-Thames station then it's a 3 minute walk
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'Aint nothin but the Blues .... |
Piccadilly Circus or Oxford Circus
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A small but intimate club which showcases solo performers through to full bands with an emphasis on songwriting, with artists from all over the world. In addition to the music room the club has a cafe/restaurant open from 8am until 5pm serving snacks to full meals. |
Tottenham Court Road
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| Sir John Soane Museum |
Sir John Soane was born in 1753, the son of a bricklayer, and died after a long and distinguished architectural career, in 1837.
Soane designed this house to live in, but also as a setting for his antiquities and his works of art. After the death of his wife in 1815, he lived here alone, constantly adding to and rearranging his collections. Having been deeply disappointed by the conduct of his two sons, one of whom survived him, he determined to establish the house as a museum to which 'amateurs and students' should have access. It's a fabulous eccentric museum ... |
Holborn | |
SPECIAL DEALS |
LOCATION & NEAREST TUBE STATION |
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You'll find tkts Leicester Square in the clocktower building on the south side of the garden in Leicester Square. It's easy to find - it is the only free-standing building actually within the Square, rather than around the edge. The page linked to here gives daily details of the shows on offer .. |
Leicester Square or Piccaddilly Circus
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THEATRE AND TELEVISION |
LOCATION & NEAREST TUBE STATION |
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Masterclass was set up by the Theatre Royal Haymarket to give young people the chance to work with, learn from and be inspired by great artists. We offer a year-round programme of events with a focus on acting and performance but including directing, writing and producing. Since its launch in 1998, Masterclass has supported over 35,000 young people. Events are free of charge for ages 17-30 and mature students.
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Charing Cross or Piccadilly Circus
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Tickets: Get free Tickets for BBC TV and Radio shows |
White City and others see website
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beonscreen.com is the UK's no 1 site for enabling people to take part in their favourite tv shows, adding new shows on a daily basis and registering new TV hopefuls to the site every minute!
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Check with site as locations vary
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See the website for details of free tickets to a range of Granada TV shows including Tarrant on TV, .. |
Check with site as locations vary
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Welcome to TVrecordings.com. To book tickets to see some of your favourite Television shows recorded live in and around London, you must first register or logon. See website for currently available shows or shows coming soon ... |
Check with site as locations vary
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See the website for details of free tickets to a range of Granada TV shows including Tarrant on TV, .. |
Check with site as locations vary
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| Victoria & Albert Museum |
South Kensington | ||
Know any other interesting free (or nearly free) things to see in London? Help me tell others about them! |
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