2006 has been the most successful year ever for free admission, with 6.5 million additional visits to former charging museums in the year up to December.
Free entry for everyone to England's national museums is a cornerstone of our cultural policy. English museums are among the best in the world and the country’s most important collections are available to visitors from all backgrounds.
We introduced free access to the permanent collections of many museums and galleries which previously charged in three stages: for children in April 1999; for over-60s in April 2000; and for everyone in December 2001.
In the five years since then, there have been 29 million extra visits to our sponsored museums and galleries which previously charged for admission – a rise of 83%.
In London, visits to former charging museums have risen by 86%:
Around the country, visits to museums have increased by 75%:
Visits to museums that have always been free – such as the British Museum, the National Gallery and Tate – have risen by 8% over the same period.
Some charge may still be made for special exhibitions. Find out if a museum or gallery is free to visit at the 24 Hour Museum, the UK's official guide to over 3,000 museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage attractions.
English Heritage also offers free visits for schools and educational groups to encourage learning about our history and heritage.
