Let’s go on an adventure for some Summer fun,
Galleries, Museums… the list has just begun!
There is so much to do and see,
The best part is, all these attractions are completely free!
London
Greenwich+Docklands International Festival 2021
Experience one of London’s largest free outdoor arts festivals, with open-air theatre, dance, art installations and music for all ages in Royal Greenwich and East London! Find out more here!
The London Mela powered by Let’s Go Southall
Celebrate the Asian community with a weekend filled with South Asian music from local talent, cultural art and traditional food at the annual London Mela festival at Southall Park. Find out more here!
British Museum
Founded in 1753, the British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history. Enjoy a unique comparison of the treasures of world cultures under one roof, centered around the magnificent Great Court. Find out more here!
Museum of London
Step inside the Museum of London for an unforgettable journey through the capital’s turbulent past. Discover prehistoric London, see how the city changed under Romans and Saxons, wonder at medieval London, and examine the tumultuous years when London was ravaged by civil wars, plague, and fire. Find out more here!
National Maritime Museum Greenwich
The Museum has 14 different galleries to explore. Find out what made J. M. W. Turner’s largest painting so controversial. Get up close to the actual uniform Admiral Nelson was wearing when he was fatally wounded at the Battle of Trafalgar. Find out more here!
Grant Museum of Zoology
One of the UK’s oldest natural history museums, the Grant Museum of Zoology in Bloomsbury is home to 68,000 weird and wonderful animals. Find out more here!
Crystal Palace Park
Crystal Palace Park is a large park in South London with full-size dinosaurs, an outdoor concert stage, a children’s farm and playground, a national sports centre and plenty of green space. Find out more here!
Greenwich Park
Greenwich is the oldest enclosed Royal Park, 74 hectares (183 acres) in area, and is home to a small herd of deer. On top of a hill, visitors enjoy sweeping views across the River Thames and Central London. Find out more here!
Hyde Park
Hyde Park is one of the greatest city parks in the world. Covering 142 hectares (350 acres) with over 4,000 trees, a large lake, a meadow and ornamental flower gardens. Find out more here!
Leadenhall Market
Leadenhall Market is a beautiful covered market in the City of London. Under the elegant Victorian roof, there are stalls selling flowers, cheese, meat and other fresh food. The market is open Monday to Friday between 11 am and 4 pm. There are also shops, pubs and restaurants in the market building. Diagon Alley scenes in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone were filmed in Leadenhall Market. Find out more here!
Vauxhall City Farm
Come and meet the animals at Vauxhall City Farm! The farm is home to pigs, sheep, rabbits, ducks and more. There are also three alpacas called Ben, Jerry and Tom. Find out more here!
Birmingham
Aston Hall Gardens
Lady Holte’s Garden, situated on the south side of the house, is a haven of peace and tranquillity, full of colour and fragrance. This walled garden, with its symmetrical borders, was designed to be beautiful and peaceful as well as to impress guests who visited Aston Hall in the past. Even the rooms in Aston Hall that overlook Lady Holte’s Garden are those intended for VIPs! Find out more here!
BBC Birmingham Visitor Centre.
Discover the latest collection of outfits and memorabilia from all your favourite BBC TV Shows, have your photo taken with Doctor Who’s Tardis or pose behind the Strictly Come Dancing desk. Find out more here!
Birmingham Cathedrals.
Once amongst fields, Birmingham Cathedral was originally St Philip’s parish church. At the centre of the growing town of Birmingham, it was designed by Warwickshire architect Thomas Archer in the new English Baroque style and consecrated in 1715. Find out more here!
Ikon Gallery
The gallery programme features artists from around the world. A variety of media is represented, including sound, film, mixed media, photography, painting, sculpture and installation. Find out more here!
Manchester
Museum of Science and Industry
The Museum of Science and Industry is a family-friendly museum with 250 years worth of innovations that changed the world. It aims to inspire its visitors by bringing science to life. You can learn about the Industrial Revolution, the first computers, historical buildings, and see the oldest surviving passenger railway station – there is something for everyone. You must book your free tickets online. Find out more here!
The Whitworth Art Gallery
The Whitworth Art Gallery is incredible, containing 60,000 items that are part of the University of Manchester. To escape the hustle and bustle of the city, you should visit this museum. It is a calming environment, where you can see a range of exhibitions with historical art pieces and textiles. It is one of the best free museums in Manchester. Find out more here!
Mediatheque at Central Library, Manchester
Watch free films at the BFI Mediatheque in the beautifully-refurbished Central Library which is now home to the British Film Institute’s Mediatheque. Choose from more than 2,000 British films and TV shows from its archives to watch in its cool viewing pods. It’s free to log on and watch everything from movies to documentaries and kids’ TV, many titles have rarely been seen since their original release or broadcast – if at all. Visit bfi.org.uk for more information. Or more information can be found here too!
Manchester Cathedral
With a history stretching back to the Middle Ages, the grade I-listed Cathedral Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George is one of Manchester’s oldest and most beautiful buildings. It is notable for its spectacular wooden furnishings and stained glass displays, much of which was restored in 1952 after the Blitz. Free guided tours are available most days from Monday to Saturday. There’s no need to book, just ask a volunteer on arrival – although it’s worth ringing ahead on 0161 833 2220 to check there are no big events or services that may restrict access. Find out more here!
Scotland
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
Explore the diversity of the natural world, world cultures, science and technology, art, design and fashion, and Scottish history, all under one roof. A range of new safety measures has been put in place along with timed entry to ensure that we can manage numbers and maintain physical distancing. Please book a timed entry ticket online at www.nms.ac.uk/scotland in advance of your visit. This includes National Museums Scotland members. Find out more here!
The Falkirk Wheel, Falkirk
The Falkirk Wheel is the world’s first and only rotating boat lift, designed and built to connect the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Union Canal which allows coast to coast navigation across central Scotland. The visitor centre is open to the public at no cost, and you can join us in our café to enjoy a delicious hot drink and maybe a scone while you watch the Wheel turn. Find out more here!
Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee
Visit an exhibition, see a film, take a print course and enjoy great food at Dundee’s international centre for contemporary arts. Located in the centre of the city, Dundee Contemporary Arts is a vibrant building with five floors hosting unique exhibitions, world cinema, a café-bar, and a print studio. Enjoy a coffee in the Jute Café Bar, which turns into one of Dundee’s most popular bars in the evening and browse the centre’s shop for a unique selection of jewellery and crafts. Find out more here!
Glasgow Cathedral
This medieval cathedral is thought to have been built on the site of St Kentigern’s tomb and marks the birthplace of the city of Glasgow. Find out more here!
Riverside Museum Glasgow
Riverside Museum is Glasgow’s award-winning transport museum. With over 3,000 objects on display, there’s everything from skateboards to locomotives, paintings to prams and cars to a Stormtrooper. There are over 90 large touch screens panels full of images, memories and films that tell the fascinating stories behind the objects. Find out more here!
Wales
National Museum Cardiff
National Museum Cardiff is a museum and art gallery in Cardiff, Wales. The museum is part of the wider network of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales. Entry is kept free by a grant from the Welsh Government; however, they do ask for donations throughout the museum. Find out more here!
Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay
The Norwegian Church Arts Centre is a point of cultural and historical interest located in Cardiff Bay, Wales. It was a Lutheran Church, consecrated in 1868. Find out more here!
Bute Park, Cardiff
Bute Park or its full name Bute Park and Arboretum is a major park in the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It comprises 130 acres of landscaped gardens and parkland that once formed the grounds of Cardiff Castle. The park is named after the 3rd Marquess of Bute, whose family owned the castle. Find out more here!
Gnoll Estate, Neath
Undoubtedly the most beautiful place in Neath, the Gnoll is the perfect place for a tranquil day out. You could visit the ruins, walk in the peaceful woodland, take your children to one of the two-place areas available, get a few holes in at the pitch and put, or just sit by the pond and feed the ducks. You can then finish the day by grabbing some ice cream, or a hot and cold drink at the on-site cafe, which is the only thing in the entire park that’ll require your wallet. Find out more here!
Neath Abbey Ruins, Neath
Want to spend a couple of hours taking in some sights of local history? Well, you can if you take a visit to the ruins of Neath Abbey Monastery. Located at the end of the secluded monastery road, the abbey sits next to a calm and peaceful canal, and the area is a definite thing of beauty on a bright and sunny day. Find out more here!
National Waterfront Museum, Swansea
If history is your thing, then you are covered this summer, with this, as all Welsh museums are completely for free. This year, there are two specific exhibitions, Chile and Swansea – A Journey of Copper, exploring the circulation of copper in the 19th century, and Visions of Industry, which explores a wide range of industries once active in Wales. Both exhibits are only around for a limited time, so get down to Oystermouth road before you miss your chance. Find out more here!
What have you been up to? We’d really love to know! Someone else might love it, and really want to go! If you’ve got ideas, suggestions or reviews, you can shout all about it on whatever channel you choose!
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