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The 20 most-visited attractions in England that are completely free to enter

The 20 most-visited attractions in England that are completely free to enter

The Irish Sun30-06-2025
AROUND England there's so much to see, but these are the top attractions that you can visit for absolutely nothing.
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These are the most visited free attractions around the UK
Credit: Alamy
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Brighton Pier made the top 10 list - but has since introduced a fee for tourists
Credit: Alamy
At the very top of the most visited free attractions in England was the
Found in Russell Square, the museum has the famous Rosetta Stone as well as Greek sculptures and holds exhibitions that change throughout the year.
The British Museum is absolutely free, but visitors are encouraged to book a time slot through their website to guarantee entry (although you can still walk-in on the day).
One of the most impressive museums came in second - the
Read More on UK Attractions
This one came second on the list and had just under six million visitors in 2024 - which is a four per cent increase from 2023.
I recently visited in March for the very first time and there was a winding line around the outside just to get in.
Luckily, I booked a time slot ahead and was guaranteed immediate entry and walked inside to see the enormous Blue Whale skeleton on display.
There's so much to see, I spent hours looking around the various sections from the fossil collections to precious treasures in The Vault.
Most read in News Travel
The third most popular free attraction was the Tate Modern, the gallery in Southwark is renowned for its enormous tower.
The gallery is full of modern and contemporary art and inside are works by
Pablo Picasso
,
Jackson Pollock
,
Andy Warhol
as well as as Jenny Holzer and
Anish Kapoor.
One of the UK's most popular attractions reveals new £50million redesign - it's biggest in 200 years
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The Blue Whale is in the entry hall to the Natural History Museum
Credit: Alamy
However since the survey, Brighton Pier has introduced a £2 entry charge for tourists between March and September - the costs go towards maintaining the pier.
In Northern England, top free attractions included the
In Yorkshire, Cannon Hall Museum Park and Gardens had over a million visitors last year and topped the list.
In the
And in the East Midlands, Wollaton Hall and Park - a huge Elizabethan mansion turned natural history museum received the most visitors.
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The Tate Modern was the third most visited free attraction of 2024
Credit: Alamy
The Top 20 Most Visited Free Attractions in England in 2024
British Museum
National History Museum, South Kensington
Tate Modern
Brighton Pier
V&A
National Gallery
Somerset House
Science Museum, London
Royal Museums Greenwich
National Portrait Gallery
Manchester Central Library
Abbey Gardens
British Library
Tate Britain
Cannon Hall Museum, Park and Gardens
The Lowry
Ashmolean Museum
Bodleian Libraries
Horniman Museum and Gardens
Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Another popular spot in the East of England was Abbey Gardens in Bury St Edmunds, and in the South East, Brighton Pier was at the top followed by
The South West saw
Meanwhile, the top most visited paid attractions in England last year was the
Tickets for adults between 18 and 34 cost £35.80 with tickets for children between five and 15 at £17.90.
Check out this historic attraction named best in the UK by
Plus, this UK train line was bizarrely named among top places to visit in world this year - and here are
Top 20 Most Most Visited Paid Attractions in England in 2024
Tower of London
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Chester Zoo
Westminster Abbey
St Paul's Cathedral
Stonehenge
Windsor Castle
Windermere Lake Cruises
ZSL London Zoo
RHS Garden Wisley
Roman Batha
Tower Bridge
Blenheim Palace
Adventure Island Southend
Yorkshire Wildlife Park
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
The Trentham Estate
Old Royal Navy College
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The Natural History Museum was the most visited of attraction in the UK
Credit: Alamy
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Farrell's Lions won in a tour that showed interest is as big as ever
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Farrell's Lions won in a tour that showed interest is as big as ever

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