If you fancy a good free day out, consider an art gallery. There are over 200 art galleries in England that charge absolutely nothing to visit. They may not all house very important works of art, but actually some do, and others help to support local artists, which we think is all the nicer! You can find a list here. Some art galleries that are surprisingly free include:
- British Museum (London) opened in 1759 and includes Buddhist paintings by Leonardo da Vinci and works by Michelangelo, who painted Rome’s Sistine Chapel.
- The National Gallery (London) opened in 1838 and still is in the beautiful neoclassical building, with paintings by Michelangelo and Rembrandt.
- Victoria & Albert Museum (London) has over 200 items from history including drawings and photos, furniture and medieval objects, along with customers and ironwork. One for archaeology buffs!
- Bath Abbey houses fine art, costumes and textiles in this beautiful city.
- Merseyside Maritime Museum helps you learn all about the importance of ship-building and transport in this former mecca near Albert Dock.
- Tate Gallery is not just in London, there are also museums in Liverpool and St Ives (Cornwall).
Invest in a National Art Pass
If you like visiting art galleries and museums, buy a National Art Pass. For around £60 (plus special deals for families and couples), this gives access to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic houses in the UK, plus 50% discount on major exhibitions. Student Art Pass works the same, but costs just £10. The catch is that the pass is only available for limited time each year.
