Museums and Galleries in Great Britain

 Many museums and galleries in Britain, from the National Gallery, Tate Gallery and the British Museum onwards are free, continuing an enlightened British policy of providing education and interest to everyone. Some Museums may make a charge however and special exhibitions in free museums are often charged for, so it is wise to check before setting out. Opening hours will vary but most will be open between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. It is rare for them to be open in the evenings except for special events. Unlike Italy where most major Museums are closed on a Monday there is no official closing day in Britian.

Many areas of the country will be rich in one particular type of museum. It may be a particular art form or a specific industry but you will find a wealth of museums in Britain as nowhere else in the world, from large local authority funded buildings to small endeavors run by enthusiasts.

The best place on the Web to find opening hours and details of collections in British museums and galleries is at the 24 Hour Museum.

The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council is government’s agency for museums, galleries, libraries and archives, delivering strategic leadership in England and in each of its regions.

Links to some important Museums:

British Museum

National Gallery

National Portrait Gallery

Tate Galleries

National Maritime Museum

Victoria and Albert Museum

Imperial War Museum

The Wallace Collection

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

Florence Nightingale Museum

The National Railway Museum, York

National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dumfries

Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow

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