Museums & Galleries

Free for All -- Nearly all of London's major museums and galleries offer free admission, although they do usually request that you make a "voluntary" donation of a few pounds. Of course, if you're a bit short, no one on the front desk will stop you from coming in; they'll just look disappointed. But it's worth paying what you can so as to protect this tremendous free resource, and to prevent the reintroduction of the high compulsory entrance fees that were in effect at many places -- including the three South Kensington collections -- until a decade ago.

As an added act of generosity, most museums and galleries also offer a range of extra freebies, including guided tours, children's events, and activity trails, which help offset the beating you're going to be taking on hotel and transport costs.