DO you need more ideas on how to keep the kids entertained over the summer holidays but want to keep it cheap?
Check out this full list of every single museum in England that offers free entry – from Victorian homes that are like stepping back in time, to boarding world-famous locomotives.
North East
Grace Darling Museum, Bamburgh
Home to personal letters and family portraits of Grace Darling, who saved nine people from the wrecked SS Forfarshire in 1838.
Elsecar Heritage Centre, Barnsley
A former hotspot for joiners, carpenters, blacksmiths, and repair shops in 1850, with insight into the history and culture of the village.
Worsbrough Mill Museum, Barnsley
Learn about the milling industry in the region.
Oakwell Hall Country Park, Batley
Step back to the 1690s and discover different Elizabethan period rooms and what life was like for the Batt family.
Bolling Hall Museum, Bradford
Learn about the lives of the families that lived in Bolling Hall over different time periods.
Bradford Industrial Museum, Bradford
Home to a range of exhibits related to textile machinery, engineering innovations and motor vehicles.
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford
Witness a range of artworks from Old Masters to 20th-century British paintings.
National Science and Media Museum, Bradford
The most popular museum outside of London with seven floors of galleries and three cinemas including the UK’s first IMAX.
The Bayle Museum, Bridlington
Learn about Bridlington’s history through archaeological artefacts.
Killhope Lead Mining Museum, Cowshill
Get a unique insight into a 19th-century lead mine.
The Moors National Park Centre, Danby
Learn about the people, places, and wildlife through an interesting collection put together by a group of artists.
Cusworth Hall Museum and Park, Doncaster
A Grade I-listed building with insight into local lives from the 18th-century to the present day.
Danum Gallery Library and Museum, Doncaster
Learn about the city’s past as a Roman settlement and Doncaster’s status as an industrial powerhouse.
Durham Cathedral, Durham
Uncover the relics of St. Cuthbert, saint of the early Northumbrian church, such as his cross and coffin, manuscripts, and a colourful crucifix.
Bankfield Museum, Halifax
A diverse range of displays including the Havercake regiment and a textiles gallery.
Heugh Battery Museum, Hartlepool
Learn about British military history at this museum, home to the UK’s only First World War Battlefield.
Byland Abbey, Helmsley
One of England’s biggest monasteries, with early gothic architecture which inspired the famous York Minster rose window.
Tolson Museum, Huddersfield
See displays on natural sciences, technology, and archaeological artefacts dating back to prehistoric times.
Arctic Corsair, Hull
Dive into Hull’s deep-sea fishing industry at this museum that includes a historic deep-sea trawler built in 1960.
Ferens Art Gallery, Hull
A fine art collection with everything from Viking swords and Roman mosaics to a full-sized Wooly Mammoth.
The Hull and East Riding Museum of Archaeology, Hull
Artefacts dating back 235 million years of ancient civilisations and natural history.
Streetlife Museum of Transport, Hull
Explore this collection of horse-drawn carriages and vintage cars, or hop on Britain’s oldest tramcar.
Wilberforce House Museum, Hull
The private collection of William Wilberforce, a British politician who helped to abolish the slave trade.
Cliffe Castle Museum, Keighley
Home of Victorian millionaire and textile manufacturer, Henry Isaac Butterfield.
Royal Armouries, Leeds
Historic weaponry and armour, from Japanese samurai swords to modern warfare including Henry VIII’s armour.
Dorman Museum, Middlesbrough
Discover the town’s history with dinosaur installations and a slice of meteorite from space.
Discovery Museum, Newcastle
Collection of scientific and technical materials, including Joseph Swan’s lightbulb and the world’s first ship powered by steam turbines.
Great North Museum Hancock, Newcastle upon Tyne
Learn about natural history and archaeology with 800 objects from the Ancient Greeks, Roman Empire and Anglo-Saxons.
Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne
Home to a collection of art and sculptures including Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces.
OuseBurn Farm, Newcastle upon Tyne
Working city farm that includes a sensory trail.
Pontefract Castle and Visitors Centre, Pontefract
Medieval fortress built around 1086 where you can dress up as a lord, lady or soldier.
Zetland Lifeboat Museum and Redcar Heritage Centre, Redcar
Home to the world’s oldest surviving lifeboat with maritime history dating back to the 1800s.
Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, Sheffield
Discover steelworks dating back to the 1700s and learn what it was like to live and work onsite.
Kelham Island Museum, Sheffield
Learn about life in Victorian-era Sheffield, with artefacts including a 1760’s chocolate pot and Metrovick milk float.
Millennium Gallery, Sheffield
All things art and design in Sheffield, including one of the finest collections of metalwork in the world.
Sheffield Botanical Gardens, Sheffield
Grade II-listed botanical gardens with 18 areas, including a warm Mediterranean Climate Garden and the Asia Garden.
Weston Park Museum, Sheffield
Home to archaeological artefacts, zoological specimens and works of art.
Locomotion Museum, Shildon
Hop aboard the Flying Scotsman and experience the power of steam travel.
South Shields Museum and Art Gallery, South Shields
Discover the history of South Tyneside inside this historic building with a Victorian tea room, served by costumed staff.
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, Sunderland
Home to 108,000 objects dating back to 1810, as well as more than 2,000 plants and trees.
National Coal Mining Museum for England, Wakefield
Discover the history of the British coal mining industry with guided underground tours.
Sandal Castle, Wakefield
Wander through the grounds and learn about the Battle of Wakefield and the castle’s ties to Richard III.
RNLI Whitby Lifeboat Museum, Whitby
Custom-built double boathouse where you can learn about the lifeboat history in Whitby.
Robin Hood’s Bay Museum, Whitby
Range of displays on Whitby’s shipwrecks, the last lifeboat stationed in Bay, and its smuggling history.
National Railway Museum, York
Collection of iconic British railway vehicles, significant artefacts and historical locomotives in York.
North West
The Dock Museum, Barrow-in-Furness
Built over a 19th-century dry dock with displays on decorative and applied art, archeology, textiles, and fine art, plus a unique collection of ship models.
Birkenhead Priory and St Mary’s Tower, Birkenhead
Merseyside’s oldest building, with the remains of St Mary’s church.
Lady Lever Art Gallery, Birkenhead
30 rooms of paintings, sculptures and decorative art, from tapestries to vintage furniture and Chinese porcelain.
Wirral Transport Museum, Birkenhead
Museum delving into the history of transport in Birkenhead.
Witton Country Park and Visitor Centre, Blackburn
480 acres of mixed woodland and parkland with a collection of natural sciences and land transport.
Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum, Burnley
Former home of Towneley family for over 600 years, with collections of fine art, local history, and ancient civilisations.
Grosvenor Museum, Chester
Museum housing everything from Roman tombstones to 400 years of Chester hallmarked silver, and prehistoric urns.
Queen Victoria Monument, Liverpool
Monument to Queen Victoria built in 1906 on the former site of Liverpool Castle.
Sudley House, Liverpool
Former home of Victorian merchant George Holt.
Tate Liverpool + RIBA North, Liverpool
Currently operating at a smaller location in Liverpool due to a refurbishment, this museum has two galleries exploring contemporary art.
Victoria Gallery and Museum, Liverpool
Uncover artworks across different eras, dig into archaeological items, and spot oceanography displays.
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
National gallery of the North, with paintings and sculptures from Rembrandt, David Hockney and Rodin.
Lytham Windmill Museum, Lytham
Five floors of exhibitions on milling processes, the importance of lifeboats, and the history of Grade II-listed buildings.
Greater Manchester Police Museum, Manchester
Learn about the history of policing with photographs and records pre-dating 1974.
Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester
Browse artists and designers such as William Ratcliffe, Bernado Daddi and Coco Chanel.
Manchester Museum, Manchester
After reopening in 2023, this was named Europe’s Museum of the Year, and has 4.5 million items across four floors.
Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester
Home to 250 years of innovations across science and technology, as well as UK’s oldest surviving train station.
Ordsall Hall Museum, Manchester
Salford’s oldest building dating back to 1177, with over 10,000 artefacts.
People’s History Museum, Manchester
Learn about the history of the working class in the UK, with displays on the Peterloo Massacre and the women’s suffrage movement.
Portland Basin Museum, Manchester
A restored 19th-century warehouse showcasing local history, industry, and trade.
Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Manchester
A reconstructed Victorian street with original shop fronts and a large collection of Pilkington Ceramics.
Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester
A collection of over 60,000 artworks including works from Turner, Picasso, and Peter Blake.
Anderton Boat Lift, Northwich
One of the UK’s only two working boat lifts.
Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston
Discover art, culture, and history, with displays on printed textiles, the remains of an elk, and glassblown scent bottles.
The Whitaker, Rawtenstall
A diverse collection of history, fine art and textiles, with displays on the Haslingden Coat of Arms and prisoner of war poems.
Samlesbury Hall, Samlesbury
A stately home dating back to 1185 with cafe and shepherd huts and UK’s first wafflery.
Imperial War Museum North, Stretford
A museum offering perspective on how war and conflict changes everyday lives.
The World of Glass, St Helens
Learn about the history of the glass industry with live glass blowing demonstrations.
Warrington Museum & Art Gallery, Warrington
Grade II-listed building with an art collection dating back to 1857.
East Midlands
Buxton Museum and Art Gallery, Buxton
Marvel at archaeological and geological wonders of the Peak District.
Cromford Mills, Cromford
A UNESCO site displaying how Sir Richard Arkwright changed the modern factory system and textile industry.
Canons Ashby, Daventry
Grade I-listed Canons Ashby House, with a collection of Elizabethan and Jacobean artistry.
Derby Museum and Art Gallery, Derby
An impressive collection of works by artist Joseph Wright as well as archaeological items, ceramics, decorative art, and objects from all over the world.
Pickford’s House, Derby
Georgian townhouse and gardens showcasing domestic life from the 18th to 20th centuries.
New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, Leicester
Displays include a 15-metre Rutland Dinosaur and stories about Leicester’s achievements and obstacles.
Newarke Houses Museum, Leicester
Built in 1511, with exhibits on the Leicestershire Regiment and Tudor objects.
University of Leicester Botanic Garden, Leicester
A beautiful garden spanning 16 acres, featuring an arboretum and tropical plants.
Lincoln Museum and Usher Gallery, Lincolnshire
Displays everything from artefacts from the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages, to works by Turner, as well as forensic processes of the Anglo Saxons.
Museum of Lincolnshire Life, Lincolnshire
Home to 250,000 items dating back to 1750, including a World War I tank, as well as a museum trail and playground for kids.
Charnwood Museum, Loughborough
Collection centered around geology, archaeology and local history, including one of the world’s oldest fossils.
Green’s Mill and Science Centre, Nottingham
Former home of mathematical physicist George Green with displays related to science, technology, and social history.
Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, Northampton
Impressive collection of 15,000 pairs of shoes, alongside history and art of shoemaking.
The Harley Foundation, Worksop, Northamptonshire
Includes artworks from Van Dyke, Michelangelo and Sir Thomas Lawrence.
Wellingborough Museum, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
Diverse display from pre-historic eras to the present day, including coins, medals and costumes.
Oakham Castle, Oakham
Huge collection of horseshoes, alongside displays on Norman history and architecture.
Rufford Abbey and Country Park, Ollerton
Collection exploring architecture, decorative and applied art, and religion, as well as the Runnford Abbey Ruins.
Ayscoughfee Hall Museum, Spalding
15th-century, Grade I-listed building with five acres of public gardens and a war memorial.
Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne
Grade II-listed corn mill that tells the stories of the people who worked on Britain’s waterways.
West Midlands
National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas
British site of national remembrance with over 400 memorials and 25,000 trees.
Bewdley Museum, Bewdley
A riverside museum exploring the town’s local history.
Aston Hall, Birmingham
Grade I-listed Jacobean house with a beautiful public park, as well as collections from the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham
Collection of art and design from Pre-Raphaelite artists, including oil paintings, tapestries and ceramics.
Ikon Gallery, Birmingham
Diverse media collection with displays on sound, photography, and paintings.
Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford
Learn about the heroes of the RAF and famous aircraft dating back to 1918.
Himley Hall and Park, Himley
Explore 180 acres of landscaped parkland with three galleries.
Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum, Lichfield
Learn about the first lexicographer Samuel Johnson, who created A Dictionary of the English Language.
Brampton Museum, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Award-winning museum where you can learn about 2,000 years of the local town.
Ancient High House, Stafford
The biggest timber-framed house in England open to the public
Stafford Castle, Stafford
Step back to 1100 AD with archaeological artefacts and learn about the history of the castle.
Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent
Tour around the last working Victorian potbank in a Grade II-listed building.
Walsall Leather Museum, Walsall
Learn about Walsall’s leather trade in a renovated Victorian factory building.
Bantock House Museum, Wolverhampton
Step back into the Edwardian period and discover local history in Wolverhampton.
Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton
Home to contemporary art from the likes of David Hockney and Andy Warhol.
East of England
The Higgins Bedford, Bedford
Collection of watercolour, prints and decorative art – with displays on the works of William Burges and Edward Bawden.
Bury St Edmunds Abbey, Bury St Edmunds
The wealthiest Benedictine monastery in medieval England includes the shrine of St Edmund and the 14th-century Great Gate.
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
Huge collection of artworks and objects formerly owned by Cambridge alumni Richard Fitzwilliam, from ancient Egyptian coffins to Renaissance masterpieces.
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge
Collection of archaeology and anthropological items including Roman pottery and objects from predynastic Egypt.
The Polar Museum, Cambridge
Learn about the history and science of polar exploration, Arctic art and culture.
Sedgwick Museum of Earth Science, Cambridge
Dig deeper into a collection of rocks, minerals, and fossils dating back two million years.
Peterborough Museum, Cambridgeshire
Home to 227,000 items from the city’s history and artistic heritage, including ceramics from the Roman empire and Jurassic fossil remains.
Hollytrees Museum, Colchester
Glimpse into life for both the rich and the poor in 18th-century Colchester, and get the chance to dress up as a servant.
Henry Blogg Museum, Cromer
Discover the life of hero Henry Blogg, who helped 387 rescues at sea and created a hull shape for a new lifeboat.
Hylands House and Estate, Essex
The Neo-Classical Hylands House is surrounded by 574 acres of parkland, and the popular Go Ape attraction.
Cromwell Museum, Huntingdon
Collection of artefacts, paintings, and material relating to Oliver Cromwell’s Protectorate.
Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich
Tudor brick mansion featuring collection of items from the Tudor period including clothing, children’s toys, and musical instruments.
Stockwood Discovery Centre, Luton
Learn about Luton’s local history and see Europe’s biggest collection of horse-drawn carriages.
Bhaktivedanta Manor, Radlett
78 acres of land featuring an organic farm, monastery, and Hare Krishna temple in Hertfordshire.
Great London & Outer London
Myddelton House Gardens, Enfield
Former home and gardens of the horticulturist, Edward Bowles.
Bank of England Museum, London
Deep dive into 1,500 years of monetary history with a famous 13kg gold bar you can hold, worth £380,000.
British Museum, London
The UK’s biggest museum, with the world’s largest collection of works – eight million pieces exploring human history, art, and culture.
Geffrye Museum of the Home, London
Step back into British homelife, from 1600 to the present day, with a series of period room displays.
Grant Museum of Zoology, London
One of the oldest natural history collections, dating back to 1828, including 68,000 zoological specimens.
Guildhall Art Gallery & London’s Roman Amphitheatre, London
Home to City of London’s art collection dating back to the 1600s, as well as a famous Roman amphitheatre.
Horniman Museum and Gardens, London
Collection with over 350,000 anthropological and historical items as well as musical instruments and taxidermied animals.
Kenwood House, London
A 17th-century house in Hampstead Heath, used to film Notting Hill, Sense and Sensibility, and Mansfield Park.
Museum of London Docklands, London
A 200-year-old warehouse featuring the history of trade and how pirates transformed the capital in the 1600s.
Museum of the Order of St John, London
Learn about the history of St John Ambulance dating back 900 years.
National Army Museum, London .
Wander through warfare across the ages, from English Civil War and Seven Years War to present day.
National Gallery, London
2,600 pieces of art, from the Renaissance, Impressionism and Gothic periods.
National Portrait Gallery, London
The world’s biggest portrait collection, with artworks of some of the most important and iconic British people.
Natural History Museum, London
One of the UK’s most popular museums with 80 million items, including the famous blue whale skeleton.
Petrie Museum, London
One of the world’s biggest collections of Egyptian and Sudanese archaeology.
Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great, London
UK’s oldest church, founded in 1123, and still a place of worship.
Royal Air Force Museum, London
Discover the history of aviation and the RAF with famous aircraft including the WWII bomber, Avro Lancaster.
Royal Hospital Chelsea, London
British Army soldier retirement home exploring the history of the residents and the building.
Science Museum, London
Family-friendly museum where you can discover famous inventions from rockets and computers, to aviation and trains, across 50 exhibits and regular pop-up events.
Sir John Soane’s Museum, London
Former home of the English architect most famous for designing the Bank of England.
Tate Britain, London
Biggest collection of British art in the world, dating back to 1897.
Tate Modern, London
Britain’s national collection of contemporary and modern art, including Picasso and Matisse.
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
World’s biggest museum of arts and design, with more than 2.8 million objects.
The Wallace Collection, London
Former townhouse of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford, with collection of fine and decorative arts.
William Morris Gallery, London
Step inside the famous textile designer’s former home and learn about his influence on the design industry.
South East
Beaney House of Art & Knowledge, Canterbury
Grade II-listed building with works from David Hockney, as well as an ancient Egyptian mummified cat, and the original Bagpuss.
The Novium, Chichester
Former Roman bathhouse exploring 500,000 years of Chichester.
Dover Museum, Dover
Learn why Dover is England’s ‘Lock and Key’ having survived invasions from Julius Caesar, William the Conqueror and Napoleon.
The White Cliffs of Dover, Dover
Visit deep shelters built for soldiers in World War II.
Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne
Extensive collection of modern British and contemporary international artworks.
Royal Holloway Art Collection, Egham
Collection of paintings, drawings, and prints by artists including John Everett Millais, Edward Burne-Jones, and John Nash.
Hastings Fisherman’s Museum, Hastings
Dive into the fishing industry and maritime history of Hastings.
Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, Hastings
Collection of over 90,000 objects on everything from natural sciences and decorative arts, to world cultures and a dinosaur gallery.
Shipwreck Museum, Hastings
Learn about maritime disasters, and see shipwrecks including from the English Channel.
The New Forest Centre, Lyndhurst
An independent charity dedicated to showcasing traditions, origins, and wildlife of the New Forest.
Maidstone Museum, Maidstone
Collection of more than 600,000 artefacts and specimens, exploring fine art, human history, and textiles.
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
UK’s oldest public museum, exploring the works of artists and archaeologists dating back to 8,000 BC.
Museum of the History of Science, Oxford
Home to the world’s best collection of early scientist instruments.
Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford
Houses the Oxford University’s collection of over 500,000 archeological and anthropological objects.
Dorchester Abbey Museum, Oxfordshire
Displays dating back 6,000 years, with artefacts such as prehistoric stone tools, Roman fortified settlements, and an Iron Age village.
Hook Norton Brewer Museum, Oxfordshire
Victorian brewery with guided tours and free beer samples.
The Oxfordshire Museum, Oxfordshire
Learn the story of Oxfordshire, from the Jurassic period through to the Victorian era and modern day.
Boathouse 4, Portsmouth
Discover the history of maritime craftsmanship including the development of boatbuilding.
Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery, Portsmouth
Look into the local history and heritage of the city including special moments from Portsmouth FC.
Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson, Portsmouth
A Victorian fortress, home to the national collection of artillery and historic cannon.
Southsea Castle, Portsmouth
An important landmark built by King Henry VIII, where he watched the sinking of The Mary Rose in 1545.
The Museum of English Rural Life, Reading
Discover the traditions and daily routines of rural life dating back to 1750 in Reading.
Winchester City Mill, Winchester
View the waterwheel and machinery of an ancient water-powered corn mill.
The Lightbox, Woking
A museum housing contemporary art including the works of Elisabeth Frink, Eduardo Paolozzi, and Barbara Hepworth.
Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, Worthing
One of the UK’s biggest displays of costume and textiles.
South West
Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon, Barnstaple
Learn about North Devon’s local history across 12 galleries with annual events and a tearoom.
Avon Valley Railway, Bristol
See tracks, locomotives, and carriages from the Avon Valley Railway, dating back to 1869.
Blaise Castle House Museum, Bristol
Learn about Bristol homelife across the last 300 years with a costume collection of 10,000 items.
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Bristol
Three floors of of art, costume and textiles, ceramics, archaeology and religion.
Clifton Suspension Bridge Museum, Bristol
Discover how and why the famous bridge was built.
The Georgian House Museum, Bristol
An 18th-century townhouse that shows what life for the wealthy was like in Bristol.
M Shed, Bristol
Collection of 3,000 artefacts as well as a Banksy built into a 1950s transit shed by the docks.
The Red Lodge Museum, Bristol
Learn about 400 years of the historic house, once a party place for royals and a Victorian reform school.
Brixham Heritage Museum, Brixham
Former police station that explores the town’s history with 10,000 objects.
Castle Bude, Bude
Built into the sand, the 1830 castle is now home to a local museum, art gallery and cafe.
Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, Charmouth
Learn how to collect fossils with guided walks and rockpooling.
The Wilson, Cheltenham
A collection of arts and crafts from World War I, and Chinese ceramics.
Red House Museum and Gardens, Christchurch
A former Georgian workhouse turned into a museum displaying the local town’s history dating back to the Ice Age.
Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum, Dorchester
Find out about a group of farm workers who became martyrs for forming a trade union, influencing modern day unions.
Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, Exeter
Home to an impressive collection exploring zoology, anthropology, fine art, archeology and geology.
Gloucester Folk Museum, Gloucester
One of Gloucester’s oldest buildings with music and theatre events.
Museum of Cornish Life, Helston
One of the largest social and cultural history collections in South West Britain.
Otterton Mill Centre and Working Museum, Otterton
See a historic water mill along with a gallery of arts and crafts.
Poole Museum, Poole
Learn about Poole’s history from Ice Age to present day.
Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, St Ives
Learn about the sculptor’s life and explore her studio and gardens.
The Museum in the Park, Stroud
Unique 4,000-strong collection of items, from dinosaur bones to the world’s first lawnmower.
Durlston Castle, Swanage
Learn about the Victorian history of the folly with cafe and rooftop views
The Museum of Somerset, Taunton
Explore 400 million years of Taunton’s history.
Cockington Court, Torquay
Watch artisans, like chocolate makers, painters and glassblowers, at work with seasonal gallery shows.
Longleat House, Warminster
Explore an Elizabethan manor house with 900 acres of parkland.