The museums you visit in the UK, from contemporary art galleries to local history exhibitions

Whether it is a day out with the family, immersing yourself in a long-held interest or broadening your knowledge of the past, museums have become a favourite pastime of the public.

While also being capitals of knowledge and history for academics and inquisitive minds, in recent years, museums have become a lot more accessible, interactive and family-friendly, making them a staple in any city break or day trip.

While London boasts some of the most famous museums and art galleries in the world, the rest of the UK is blessed with so many other hubs of history, such as hyperlocal exhibitions, specialised museums focusing on motors, maritime or modern art, and world-renowned collections – and the best part is that many of them are free.

Museums come in all shapes and sizes, from very small with one-room exhibitions, National Trust and English Heritage sites, the remains of ships, multifaceted national collections, open-air museums, to places focusing on the life and work of one prominent person.

With over 1,800 accredited museums in the UK, there is a museum for everyone to visit to further their understanding and learn from the past or celebrate world culture in the present.

Here are some of our top picks to get you started.

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The Victoria and Albert Museum, known as the V&A, in South Kensington has a collection of 1.25 million objects, ranging from early European art, neoclassical furniture to the largest and most comprehensive collection of fashion in the world. Their exhibitions focus on art, design and performance spanning over 5,000 years of creativity. Notable objects include dresses designed by Alexander McQueen and a museum favourite, the Tippoo’s Tiger, which was stolen from Tipu Sultan, ruler of Mysore in South India, after attacks by the British East India Company army. The museum also has an extravagant cafe designed by James Gamble, William Morris and Edward Poynter.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly? Digital family trails and treasure hunts around the museum; you can also check out the Young V&A in Hackney for a child-focused experience

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This museum has frequently faced criticism over its collection, many of which had been looted during the height of the British Empire. The British Museum itself has a list of “contested objects” that countries have asked to be returned to and also notes that parts of its collection are in the museum today due to “conflict and colonial activity”. Nevertheless, many hail the museum’s collection as a must-see for an insight into histories across the globe. Displays spanning two million years of history across six continents sit in the museum from the Rosetta Stone, ancient Egyptian objects, collections on African history and Anglo-Saxon artefacts.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly? Kids can take on the ‘Museum Mission’ challenge or the ‘Museum Explorer Trail’

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This museum allows you to be transported to the height of the Second World War in the secret underground headquarters where British war strategy was determined. The museum recommends at least two hours to visit the cabinet war rooms, where Winston Churchill and other officials worked, ate and even spent the night amid the war. Among the rooms is a transatlantic communication space disguised as a toilet, Churchill’s underground suite, the BBC broadcasting and switchboard room and the nucleus of the effort, the map room where some of the most important decisions were made. An accompanying museum also sheds further light into the history of this period, while a cafe found in a room used by switchboard operators will offer a pit-stop during your visit.

Price: £33; under 5s go free

Kid-friendly? Self-guided visits suitable for ages seven and above

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Swiss contemporary and modern art group Hauser & Wirth was founded in Zurich in the 1990s but has since expanded across the globe representing artists and their estates at other destinations. At its London location, the gallery has two exhibition spaces with rotating displays, such as the works of Mike Kelley and Verena Loewensberg, alongside artists' talks, film screenings and workshops. Down in Somerset, Hauser & Wirth’s gallery and arts centre hosts exhibitions that connect with the local community and the surrounding landscape, and outdoor sculptures and also has a unique bar and restaurant on site designed by artists and architects.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly? Families are welcome in both galleries but ask that no one touches or climbs the artworks. Families are also welcome at the gallery garden at Somerset, but children must be supervised at all times due to the two ponds on the property; no food or drink is permitted at the London location

Dedicated to contemporary design, the Kensington-based museum attracts many to its curated temporary exhibitions, such as The World of Tim Burton to a Barbie display, yet its permanent collection is just as enticing. ‘Designer, Maker, User’ is a free permanent exhibition which takes visitors on a journey through the development of a modern design through these three roles. Almost 1,000 items from the 20th and 21st centuries, from road signs, the tube map, Vespas, and Xbox controllers to plastic garden chairs and Ikea bags are on display, with each object representing how design has shaped our current society.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly? An audio feature available through an app presents objects through the lens of a group of Year 1 children aged 5 and 6; design days and camps also planned throughout the year

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Home to the UK’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition spanning seven centuries, the National Gallery can be found in one of London’s most famous plazas, Trafalgar Square. The gallery holds some of the world’s most famous paintings, such as Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein and the Wilton Diptych. Don’t forget to visit its sister gallery nearby, the National Portrait Gallery, for a curated look at portraits from past kings and queens to contemporary celebrities like Harry Styles and Marcus Rashford.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly? Two spaces for self-guided activities and eating a ‘Canvas Quest’ is also suitable for those aged seven and older, which takes children on a hide-and-seek game throughout the gallery

Reopening again on 5 April, the William Morris Gallery is celebrating its 75th year. To mark the occasion, it is opening two major exhibitions: ‘Morris in Mania’, which will look at how his legacy has penetrated the modern day on shower curtains to phone cases, and women’s roles in print and design. The gallery’s main collection holds the world’s largest collection of Morris’ works as well as a history of his political activism, poems and a space inspired by Morris & Co. workshops. For Morris devotees, a separate museum at the William Morris Society in Hammersmith may also be of interest at Kelmscott House where Morris once lived that holds his original Albion printing press. Entry is £3.50 for the society museum.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly? Hands-on and interactive exhibits, ‘Mini Morris’ craft and play sessions and ‘Morris Explorer satchels’, including a sensory map and a story for during the visit

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Sitting on the banks of the Thames in the Tate Modern, a contemporary and modern art gallery making use of the former Bankside Power Station. Loved by children and adults alike, the ongoing exhibition features artists’ responses to mass media and technology such as the monumental Babel by Cildo Meireles, a towering cylinder of radios each tuned into a different station. Other artworks touch on engagement with society, surrealist paintings, and the use of the body in art. The gallery also features works from world-renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Yayoi Kusama, Roy Lichtenstein and Henri Matisse to name a few, while downstairs it has extensive space for live performances and events. Tate has several other locations across the UK: Tate Britain elsewhere in London, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives in Cornwall.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly? Tate Draw, family-friendly events

For any railway enthusiasts or locomotive fans, a visit to the National Railway Museum is a must. From older Art Deco machines and the fastest steam locomotives to a Japanese bullet train, the museum hosts a whole collection of influential and historical trains. Alongside its famous trains, exhibitions tell stories from railway history, and rooms display retired rail items, such as nameplates and station signs. Meanwhile, activities such as the Flying Scotsman VR experience, a signalling demonstration and an immersive engineering challenge for families are also available.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly? Play area, road train ride, Treasure Hunters app to explore the museum while scoring points by taking photos

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Unearth 180 years of mining history at the National Coal Mining Museum in West Yorkshire based at the site of Caphouse Colliery. The museum is dedicated to telling the stories of the people and communities at the centre of the mining industry and how it shaped their lives, as well as learning about how coal was mined. Collections focus on strikes, accidents and recovery, life in mining communities, and mining in art and culture. An immersive ‘Time Tunnel’ experience led by a former miner leads you through 200 years of mining history while you are kitted out in a hard hat. In April 2025, the museum’s underground tours will resume, allowing visitors to descend 140m underground to discover the harsh conditions of coal mining over the years.

Price: Adults £6.50, children £5.50; children under 3 go free

Kid-friendly? Range of events aimed at children

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Set at a real coal mine, visitors can learn about and experience life as a miner in the Welsh coal industry. Its exhibitions include an audio-visual experience around modern mining equipment like a huge chainsaw cutting coal. The pithead baths building, once used for miners to clean themselves after a day’s work, now tells the story of mining communities, industry disasters and the role of trade unions. On the site historic buildings, such as the fan house ventilation system and the blacksmith’s yard can also be explored. One of Big Pit’s main attractions is the underground tour, where visitors wearing mining equipment are lowered 300 feet down a mineshaft, and then led on a walking tour by a former coal miner around the coal faces.

Price: Free, Underground Tour from £5

Kid-friendly? Sensory packs for children, children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult; children must be at least 1m tall for the underground tour

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Located at the very place where the famous ill-fated ship was launched for its sea trials before the disastrous 1912 sinking, Titanic Belfast now serves as a space to learn all about the ship, from conception to the catastrophe. At the museum, a self-guided tour allows you to discover via sight, sounds, smells and stories of the ship and the city that made her. Another tour takes visitors through a journey of what happened during the Titanic’s final hours, as well as why and how the ship was built.

Price: £24.95 for an adult, £11 for children aged 5 to 15; under 5s go free

Kid-friendly? Children 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult

“The closest thing to time travel” is what Butser Ancient Farm, an open-air archaeology museum, promises to deliver to its visitors. Travel back in time through 10,000 years of human history as you journey around a Roman villa, a Celtic village, a Stone Age farm and Saxon halls, all reconstructed with the aid of archaeological research. On select days, you can catch a live-action battle, listen to ancient music, watch copper smelting or even try your hand at Roman archery or test other skills and crafts such as rope-making.

Price: £13.50 for adults, £8.50 for children under 16

Kid-friendly: Events, Easter holiday camps and school trips are available

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Standing on an excavation site studied by the York Archaeological Trust that uncovered houses and workshops of the Viking-age city of Jorvick, the site now holds an immersive ride that allows visitors to experience everyday life and learn a little more about Viking society in the area. Aside from the ride, a gallery also displays objects and artefacts from the remains of the Viking age, such as pottery pieces, animal bones and even ice skates. This museum is great for a quick day out, as the centre says a visit typically lasts around an hour.

Price: Adults £17.50, children 5 to 16 £12; under 5s go free

Kid-friendly: All children up to and including age 16 visiting the centre need to be accompanied by an adult

Standing on the grounds of St Fagans Castle, learn of stories and experience life first-hand through re-erected original buildings, from a farm, a school a Post House to a workmen’s institute. Much of the museum also works to keep traditional crafts alive as craftsmen work on the site demonstrating their skills and selling their products, while farmers who look after the site’s animals and livestock also invite people to witness farming tasks. From the Neanderthals to the votes on Welsh Devolution, galleries at the site also host exhibitions delving into what it means to be Welsh, the ages the lands have seen over the centuries and the celebration of Welsh tradition.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly: Workshops such as lambing activities and Victorian school lessons are available for young kids. Sensory packs and activity booklets are available while exploring the museum. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Prams and pushchairs can only be taken into Oakdale Institute, St Teilo’s Church and Gwalia Stores

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One of the most adored open-air museums in the UK, Beamish tells the tale of North East life over 130 years. Visitors can be transported from a 1900s town, pit village and colliery, to a 1940s farm to an 1820s manor. Each section of this remarkable time warped town featuring functioning bakeries, shops, pubs, tea rooms, and even a cinema. Schools, chapels, houses, an Edwardian train station and a tramway also complete this truly immersive step back in time. Having just undergone a huge multi-million-pound development, including adding new attractions such as a toy shop and a tavern to rebuilding an entire farm for its 1950s section, there is so much to discover and learn in this hands-on taste of living history.

Price: Adults £27.95, children £17.25 – pay once and visit free for a year

Kid-friendly: An all-round beloved family day out with plenty to do

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Hailed as the UK’s most popular attraction outside of London, the National Museum of Scotland found in its capital has a large collection spanning all themes from the natural world to art and fashion. One of the most extraordinary displays is the cast replica of the Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton that greets visitors at the entrance, followed by exhibitions of animal evolution, natural phenomenons and geological processes. Alongside this, Scottish history, science and technology and textiles from Vivienne Westwood and May Morris fill up other rooms. At its centre is the grand gallery, a three-storey atrium that is filled with light from its high windows, meanwhile its museum kitchen serves Scottish produce and the cafe upstairs delivers striking views of the gallery.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly: Family-focused and interactive galleries and museum tours and trails available for kids; sensory bags and a quiet space are also available.

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The International Slavery Museum is currently closed for essential maintenance works ahead of a major redevelopment project and is slated to open again in 2028. However, the one-of-a-kind museum is well worth keeping on your bucket list for its eventual reopening. Located in Liverpool’s Albert Dock, the museum is located only yards away from the dry docks where 18th-century slave trading ships were repaired and fitted, leading to the carrying of around 1.5 million enslaved Africans on approximately 5,000 voyages on Liverpool ships. The museum holds objects linked to transatlantic slavery and Liverpool’s role in it, racist memorabilia, exhibitions on the African diaspora, as well as a modern slavery exhibit. The museum intends to increase the understanding of enslavement in history to the present as well as the legacy and impact of slavery today.

Price: N/A

Kid-friendly: Interactive displays and take-home activities for kids.

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Stratford-upon-Avon has somewhat become a pilgrimage for superfans of the bard, being the place where one of the most famous playwrights and poets in the English language was born and later settled with his family for 19 years until his death. While not technically a one-site museum, the three properties around the town show a glimpse into the life of William Shakespeare. The restored house where it is believed Shakespeare was born is still standing today because of a public campaign in 1847, supported by other writing great Charles Dickens, and has remained in the care of the trust ever since. In the trust’s care also is the family home of Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway and the site where his family home once stood.

Price: For all three houses, adults from £24.30, children £13.50; under 3s go free

Kid-friendly? Family events and educational workshops

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This unique museum in Nottingham explores the dark history surrounding crime, punishment and social justice, highlighting how different punishing someone for breaking the law is from today. Set over five floors in a Grade II-listed building, the museum showcases a Victorian courtroom, a Georgian gaol and centuries-old cells, while free-of-charge exhibition spaces explore themes of social justice inspired by items from its collection, such as original artefacts from the Great Train Robbery and how forensic science has completely changed the course of justice. Daily performances enhance the experience, with mock trials carried out in the courtroom led by cast members, while out in the Exercise Yard, visitors can witness a Georgian execution.

Price: Adults from £12.05, children £8.75; under 5s go free

Kid-friendly? School workshops and family events

Despite being located in Manchester, don’t have to be a United or City fan to enjoy this football day out. The National Football Museum is home to the world’s largest public collection of football objects and archives, with fans of the beautiful game able to gaze at the likes of the oldest surviving FA Cup trophy, the original ‘laws of the game’ and shirts worn by football legends like Wayne Rooney and Ian Wright. In one gallery footie lovers can join in on penalty shootouts, passing and shot-stopping, while other areas of the museum are dedicated to celebrating and learning about women’s football.

Price: Season tickets for adults from £14, children from £8; under 5s and City of Manchester residents go free

Kid-friendly: The discovery zone in the Play Gallery is a space for under-fives to be introduced to the world of football, interactive exhibitions, free trails and family workshops

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Tucked away within Belfast’s botanical gardens is the Ulster Museum, which hosts a collection of art, natural science and history items. Among the study of global histories, this museum also focuses on Ancient Ireland and more contemporary history such as the Troubles and the future of Northern Ireland. Within its art galleries hang wildlife paintings of Ireland by painter Julian Friers, climate change commentary pieces and artworks spanning from the Renaissance to Romanticism. Along with an exhibition of the Troubles, other Irish history is featured in the history section such as the teachings of Saint Patrick to Mesolithic Ireland. Over in the natural history gallery, displays of marine life, plants, animals and Ireland’s only dinosaur bones are on display.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly? Discovery centres for learning and school workshops

Wales’ national museum can be found in its capital, Cardiff, holding the country’s national art, geology and national history collections, with the museum boasting one of Europe’s best collections of Impressionist art. Aside from the art offerings, its ‘Evolution of Wales’ galleries take visitors on a journey from the Big Bang, the age of the dinosaurs in Wales to how natural elements have shaped the land - its the museum’s largest exhibition covering a thousand square metres of floor space.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly? Family trails and activity sheets, family events, kids' parties

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After a four-year renovation project, Birmingham’s museum has finally opened its doors again, with new displays and exhibitions in tow. One of these includes the ‘Made in Birmingham’ display exploring stereotypes, complicated relationships with the city and nostalgic memories, as well as some of the things made in Birmingham such as HP Sauce, Cadbury’s chocolate to industrial metalwork. Among other additions is a new digital gallery and activity space that also hosts digital work in the Pixel Studio and a small display celebrating the life of Birmingham-born poet Benjamin Zephaniah. While this section of the museum is yet to reopen, the Birmingham Museum also holds the Staffordshire Hoard, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver ever discovered.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly? The Wild City area is dedicated to children and families, telling stories about nature in the city

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A favourite among Glaswegians and visitors alike, Kelvingrove’s 22 Galleries display everything from Scotland’s first people to wildlife, local Glasgow history to Dutch Art. Among its most prized objects are the Christ of Saint John of the Cross painting by Salvador Dali, the works of Glasgow-born artist and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh to a large male elephant nicknamed Sir Roger. Also not to be missed is the daily organ recital at the museum performed by organists, many of whom are from the local area and churches around Scotland.

Price: Free

Kid-friendly: ‘Mini Museum Explorers’ for under 5s

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In the small village of Beaulieu in Hampshire, sits a world-famous collection of cars, motorcycles and motoring memorabilia at the National Motor Museum. Among its 280 motors, the museum holds cars that have appeared on our screens such as the flying Ford Anglia from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to the Jaguar XKR in the Bond film Die Another Day.

Visitors will also discover a room full of Grand Prix racing cars, rally cars and memorabilia collected from such events, while those who prefer a two-wheeled motor will discover how the motorcycle situated itself as a symbol of British ‘Mods and Rockers’ youth counter-culture. Whether is the beginnings of motoring, the role they played in the Second World War, Land Speed Record machines to 1980s supercars, there’s a motor for every time petrol head at this museum.

Price: Adults from £25.50, children from £14.25; under 5s go free

Kid-friendly? School trip opportunities

The Horniman Museum and Gardens was named after Frederick Horniman, an MP for the Liberal Party and social reformer, who built the museum to “bring the world to Forest Hill”, providing people with the opportunity to glimpse into other walks of life through artefacts and objects The large collection, however, was built off the back of the colonial wealth produced by the tea merchant Horniman Family, a history and context that the museum continues to work to shed light on.

The collection today still aims to fulfil Horniman’s legacy of allowing visitors to learn more about the world, from ancient objects to natural history. Among its thousands of items are musical instruments, textiles, religious and cultural objects insect specimens, and fossils all collected from around the globe are on display, while live animals such as rabbits and alpacas can be found outside. Its extensive gardens also feature a pavilion, a prehistoric garden and a meadow field among others.

Price: Free; the Aquarium, Butterfly House and Robot Zoo have a fee

Kid-friendly? Family craft Saturdays, school workshops, an all-round family-friendly day out

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Once one of Henry VIII’s favourite ships, the Mary Rose served in several battles and wars against the likes of France and Scotland, until one fatal battle saw her demise and she sunk, leaving her to lie at the bottom of the Solent for 437 years. After being raised out of the depths in 1982, the remains of the ship have now found a new life displayed at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, along with the largest collection of Tudor objects in the world. Along with various guided tours of the collection, and even an exclusive £300 tour taking you up close to the ship, interactive displays, a 4D experience and object exhibitions give visitors further insight into the history of the ship and day-to-day life in Tudor England.

Price: Adults £36, children £26

Kid-friendly: Family events, ‘Hatch’s History Detectives’ trail around the museum, interactive displays

For a more in-depth study of how The Troubles in Ireland impacted working-class families and communities, the Museum of Free Derry’s exhibitions tell the story of the civil rights movement and the creation of Free Derry – a self-declared autonomous area of Derry created in response to years of oppression – in the 1960s and 1970s. The museum takes visitors on a journey through significant events such as the civil rights movement, the Battle of the Bogside, Internment, Bloody Sunday, and Operation Motorman through items and archives from the era. Guided walking tours of Derry are also offered by the museum led by local experts who lived through the conflict.

Price: Adults £8, children tickets bought within a family group pass

Kid-friendly: Children and teens 17 and under need to buy tickets with adults

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If a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit Shakespeare’s hometown does not quench your thirst for bard birthplaces, then an excursion to Alloway, Ayr is a must-do when visiting Scotland. In this coastal town, visitors will find the quaint cottage where Scotland’s national poet and celebrated lyricist Robert Burns was born and grew up. Whether you are a Burns fan or interested in Scottish music and folk tradition, a separate museum holds a collection of manuscripts, the poet’s writing desk and even a lock of his own hair explores the literary history of Scotland and its impact on the rest of the world.

Price: Adults £12, children £7

Kid-friendly: Museum hunts, children's events

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