Free Galleries in London
We Brits are truly blessed with a fantastic legacy of artworks that have been collected over the years. London’s got the worlds largest modern art gallery in the inspiring Tate Modern and its all FREE. Even if you are from out of town you could combine it with discount tickets on megabus or megatrain to keep the cost right down and enjoy a day out.
Pick of London’s free galleries include:-
The Wallace
Fine collection of pre 1900 pieces located just off of Oxford St.
http://www.wallacecollection.org/newsite/public
Somerset House
Housed in the impressively renovated Somerset House is a collection that includes impressionists and medieval art
http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy was formed to rival the Society of Artists after an unseemly leadership dispute between two leading architects, Sir William Chambers and James Paine. Paine won, but Chambers vowed revenge and used his strong connections with King George III to create a new artistic body, the Royal Academy, in 1768.
http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/
National Portrait Gallery
Portraits of Kings, Queens and important people throughout the ages. Also don’t miss the Tudor room.
http://www.npg.org.uk/
Tate Britain
The gallery housed and displayed both British and Modern collections, but was renamed “Tate Britain” in March 2000, before the launch of Tate Modern, since which time it has been dedicated to the display of historical and contemporary British art only.
http://www.tate.org.uk/
Tate Modern
Housed in the former Bankside Power Station, which was originally designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect of Battersea Power Station its worth a visit just to stand in the turbine hall alone. Combine it with a walk over the wobbly bridge and stroll around St Pauls Cathedral and you’ve got a great day out.
http://www.tate.org.uk/
National Gallery
Huge gallery on Trafalgar Square with an impressive collection of Western European art from the middle ages to the early 20th century. Takes more than a single day to get round!
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/
