Tips
Free Museum Days and Free Sights by City
Weekday free entry in Warsaw, free museums in London, and always-free temples, parks and viewpoints: examples by city from this app's city guides.
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How to use free entry
Some museums and sights are free only on set days or at set times, and some are always free. Planning your days around free entry can save a fair amount on admission.
This post collects examples by city from this app's city guides; it is not a complete list. Free days, free hours and opening hours can change, so always check the official site before you go.
Below you will find free entry on set days, free hours and conditional free entry, always-free museums, free temples and churches, and free parks and viewpoints.
Free on set days or dates
Free entry on a fixed day or date is the easiest to plan around. Free days can be crowded, and some places limit the number of tickets.
Several Korean cities have heritage sites that are free on 'Culture Day', the last Wednesday of each month. In Warsaw, Wilanów Palace is closed on 1 November 2026 and from 21 December 2026 to 31 January 2027.
- Warsaw: the Royal Castle is free on Wednesdays; Wilanów Palace's palace and gardens are free on Thursdays (palace tickets limited); the Warsaw Rising Museum and the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews are free on Thursdays; the Łazienki Park buildings are free on Fridays (individual visits only)
- Venice: the Accademia Galleries are free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month (also on 1 and 4 November 2026), and under-18s are free
- Jeonju: Gyeonggijeon is free on the last Wednesday of each month, for ages 6 and under, and for ages 65 and over
- Suwon: Hwaseong Haenggung is free on 'Culture Day', the last Wednesday of each month (not for the night opening)
- Tongyeong: Sebyeonggwan Hall · Samdo Sugun Tongjeyeong is free on the last Wednesday of each month ('Culture Day')
Free at certain hours or under certain conditions
Some places are free only for part of the day, or free if you meet a condition such as age or dress. Lines build up during free hours, so leave yourself time.
- Madrid: the Prado Museum is free for roughly the last two hours before closing (lines can be long); the Reina Sofía Museum is free during some evening hours (usually closed Tuesdays)
- Barcelona: at the Picasso Museum, free-entry times are very crowded, so check booking on the official site
- Seoul: Gyeongbokgung Palace is free if you wear hanbok (closed Tuesdays)
- Amsterdam: the Rijksmuseum is free for ages 18 and under, and the garden is free for everyone (booking a start time is required)
- Guilin: Elephant Trunk Hill (Xiangbi Shan) has been free since January 31, 2022, but a real-name booking is required (one ticket per ID)
Always-free museums, galleries and memorials
Some places keep their permanent displays free all the time. Special exhibitions or some galleries may cost extra, and some need a booking.
- London: the British Museum's permanent collection is free, and the National Gallery shows masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet and more for free
- Gyeongju: Gyeongju National Museum is free except paid special exhibitions; closed on 1 January, Seollal and Chuseok days, and the first Monday of March and November
- Xi'an: the Shaanxi History Museum's main museum is free but needs a real-name booking through its official channel (passports accepted); the Tang Dynasty Mural gallery needs a separate ticket. Over 95% of Xi'an's 163 museums are free
- Munich: the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site (day trip) is officially free and open daily (closed 24 December); it is a place of remembrance, so visit quietly
Temples, churches and shrines you can enter for free
Many places of worship are free to enter. They are places of prayer, so follow dress rules and visit quietly. Some charge only for parts such as viewing platforms or towers.
- Tokyo: Senso-ji (Asakusa) and Meiji Jingu are free
- Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Taisha is free (go early in the morning for fewer people)
- Taipei: Longshan Temple and the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall are free
- Hong Kong: Man Mo Temple (Sheung Wan) is free to enter
- Delhi: Swaminarayan Akshardham temple entry is free (closed Mondays); the Lotus Temple is free to enter according to Delhi Tourism (closed Mondays); at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, volunteers serve free meals to everyone in the langar hall
- Gyeongju: Korea Tourism Organization lists Bulguksa Temple admission as free
- Paris: Notre-Dame Cathedral has free entry, and the Sacré-Cœur basilica is free
- Rome: St. Peter's Basilica has free entry (shoulders and knees must be covered; the dome climb is paid)
- Munich: the Frauenkirche interior is free (the south tower viewing platform is paid)
Free parks, viewpoints and walks
Parks, viewpoints and walks such as fortress walls and hanok villages are often free to enjoy. Where only some facilities are paid, they are noted in brackets.
- New York City: Central Park and the High Line are free, and the Staten Island Ferry is free with views of the Statue of Liberty and the skyline
- Sydney: the Sydney Harbour Bridge walkway is free, and so are the Royal Botanic Garden & Mrs Macquarie's Chair
- Singapore: the outdoor gardens and Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay are free (the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest are paid); Singapore Botanic Gardens is free to enter (except the paid National Orchid Garden)
- Hong Kong: Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade is free, with the Symphony of Lights show nightly around 8 pm
- Taipei: Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) is a free viewpoint at the top of a 20-30 minute stair climb
- London: Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens are free
- Madrid: Retiro Park is free
- Rome: Piazza Navona & the Spanish Steps are free (sitting or eating on the Spanish Steps is prohibited)
- Suwon: the Hwaseong Fortress walls are free and open every day
- Jeonju: entry to Jeonju Hanok Village is free and it is open all year
- Guilin: Rong Lake and Shan Lake are both free to visit
- Amsterdam: the Begijnhof is free (the garden door is open only during the day, and people live here, so be quiet)
- Warsaw: the gardens of Royal Łazienki Park are free and open daily
Tips for using free entry well
Free days and free hours are often the busiest times. Arrive early and check in advance whether you need to book.
Bring your passport where a real-name booking is required, and check closing days as well. Free days and hours can change, so look at the official site once more just before you go.
- Check the free days and hours of each place on its official site
- Make sure your visit does not fall on a closing day
- Have your passport ready if booking or ID checks are required
- Arrive early for free hours, allowing for lines
- Pack clothes that cover shoulders and knees for temples and churches
FAQ
Can anyone get in on a free day?
It depends on the place. Some, like the Accademia Galleries in Venice on the first Sunday of each month, are free for everyone, while Wilanów Palace limits tickets and Elephant Trunk Hill needs a real-name booking. Check the conditions on the official site.
Are free hours crowded?
They can be. Lines can be long during the Prado Museum's free hours, and the Picasso Museum's free-entry times are described as very crowded. Go early or check the booking method in advance.
Is everything free at an always-free museum?
Not always. Gyeongju National Museum is free except paid special exhibitions, and at the Shaanxi History Museum only the main museum is free, while the Tang Dynasty Mural gallery needs a separate ticket.
Is this a complete list?
No. These are examples from this app's city guides, and free days and hours can change. Check the official site before you go.
Related reading
ⓘ Photo credits
- Houses of Parliament & Big Ben · Colin / CC BY-SA 4.0
- ATM · 4028mdk09 / CC BY-SA 3.0