Recommendations

See art for free with your National Art Pass

Visitors at National Football Museum

Here’s our pick of the inspirational museums, galleries and historic houses you can visit for free with your National Art Pass.

From cutting-edge contemporary galleries to an Art Deco mansion, these fantastic museums, galleries and historic houses are totally free to visit with your National Art Pass.

Each of these places tells a fascinating story. Discover painting on the Cornish coast at Penlee House, the legacy of a great literary dynasty at the Brontë Parsonage Museum and the history of the beautiful game at the National Football Museum, among many more unique highlights.

Whether you fancy a day out in London, Yorkshire or Scotland, we’ve got plenty of suggestions to kickstart your museum habit.

And did you know? If you purchase a trial National Art Pass for only £20, just visit two places on this list and you will have made your money back.* And if you visit them all? You'll have saved over £200.

*This estimate is based on a full-price adult ticket for every venue listed. We admit, there is one combination of museums that, if you visit both, will save you £16 – but we still think that's a pretty solid saving.

See art for free with your National Art Pass

01
A visitor in the gallery at Penlee House Gallery and Museum

Penlee House Gallery and Museum

This Penzance art gallery is set within gorgeous sub-tropical gardens for the perfect combination of art and nature. The gallery celebrates art from the west Cornish coast, from painting and fashion to ceramics and archaeology, with a particular focus on late 19th and early 20th-century painting. Some highlights on display include paintings by artists Elizabeth Forbes and Norman Garstin – both members of the Newlyn School of plein air (open air) artists.

02
Family in the garden of Shakespeare's Birthplace

Shakespeare's Birthplace

Shakespeare’s Birthplace comprises five properties in and around Stratford-upon-Avon which map the playwright's journey through life. Every house has its own distinctive character, from Anne Hathaway’s Cottage to the lavish Hall's Croft, where Shakespeare's daughter Susanna lived with her wealthy physician husband, John Hall. Each location charts the incredible legacy of a writer whose work will live on for generations to come.

03
Visitors by the lake at Lyme Park, Cheshire.

Lyme

Escape the city for a few hours at this beautiful mansion. It boasts the Sarum Missal – the only surviving book of its kind that documents the changing religious views of England over five centuries. There's also hundreds of acres of parkland and gardens to roam about in. And, make sure to look out for a herd of majestic red deer who also call the park home.

04
Visitors at the Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft

Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft

Near Brighton? We'd recommend hopping on a train for 10 minutes to Hassocks and footing, biking or cabbing it to Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft. The village of Ditchling became a hub for some of the most groundbreaking craftspeople of the 20th century, and the museum continues to foster this creative spirit while displaying stunning works in the place they were made. There is a rolling programme of contemporary exhibitions exploring everything from illustration to iconic craftspeople.

05
Blackwell: The Arts and Crafts House, The White Drawing Room

Blackwell: The Arts and Crafts House

Nestled in the hillside of the Lake District lies Blackwell, a rare architectural gem and Grade I listed building in the Arts and Crafts style, built in 1898-1900. Step inside this historic house to encounter its original decorative features and furniture, almost all of which are still intact, from stained glass windows to intricate carved plasterwork.

06
Dyrham Park, The East Front

Dyrham Park

Immerse yourself in art and history at Dyrham Park near Bath, a magnificent 17th-century Baroque country house nestled in 270 acres of ancient parkland where a herd of fallow deer roam free. Step inside the stunning building and you'll encounter one of the finest surviving example of Baroque interiors in the country, with characteristic walnut panelling, a significant painting collection, and iconic blue and white Dutch Delftware ceramics.

07
Eltham Palace's Art Deco entrance hall

Eltham Palace and Gardens

Original medieval features combine with striking 1930s design in this fascinating Art Deco mansion in Greenwich. There are 19 acres of gardens to explore, furniture and an intriguing mix of historical features on display.

08
The Royal Pavilion, Brighton, interior

The Royal Pavilion

Imagine living like a king or queen at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, a seaside pleasure palace built for King George IV. Drawing inspiration from India and China, the striking architecture and opulent interiors reveal a monarch obsessed with luxury. Marvel at glittering chandeliers and gilded ceilings before taking a stroll in the Regency Garden.

09
Brontë Parsonage Museum interior

Brontë Parsonage Museum

The former home of Britain’s greatest literary family is a perfectly preserved time capsule of the lives of the famous sisters who called it home. Displaying original furnishings, manuscripts and personal relics, this is the place where the Brontë sisters wrote their most celebrated novels. Get some literary inspiration at this gorgeous Georgian home.

10
Visitors enjoying a game of Subbuteo at the National Football Museum

National Football Museum

Dive into sporting history at the National Football Museum in Manchester, where football crazy fans and inquisitive visitors alike can learn all about the beautiful game and its cultural impact. And even if you haven't a scooby about the sport, an outing here promises fun for everyone with its interactive activities and games, including Penalty Shootout and Shot Stopper.

11
Thinktank Science Museum, Birmingham

Thinktank

Thinktank in Birmingham is a family-friendly, interactive museum with four floors to explore. Displays include science, natural history and technology. Got kids to entertain? They can explore MiniBrum, a child-sized city for them to play in and learn. And don't miss the immersive Planetarium, where you can go on an out-of-this-world adventure to space.

12
Dorset Museum interior

Dorset Museum & Art Gallery

Unearth 250 million years of history at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery which holds over 4 million artefacts in its collection. From fossils discovered along the Jurassic Coast to important works of art created by artists connected to the area, including Thomas Gainsborough and Elisabeth Frink – a trip to this museum promises an inspiring and enriching visit to learn more about Dorset's history and cultural heritage.

13
HMS Caroline, Belfast, Museum of the Year 2019 Finalist. Photo: © Marc Atkins / Art Fund 2019. MOTY 2019. CP0061
HMS Caroline, Belfast

HMS Caroline

Climb aboard a piece of history at HMS Caroline, a First World War battleship that was decommissioned in 2011. Now sitting in Belfast's Titanic Quarter, the ship has been transformed into a floating museum maritime heritage, offering an immersive experience to tell the stories of the people who served on its decks.

14
The Silver Swan Automaton, c.1773.

The Bowes Museum

Explore a treasure trove of art, history and design at the Bowes Museum of Barnard Castle in County Durham. The museum building is a distinctive French style chateau and holds significant collections of Old Master paintings and silverware. A highlight of the collection is the Silver Swan, an 18th-century automaton.

15
Surgeons' Hall Museums, History of Surgery Museum

Surgeons' Hall Museums

Let your curiosity overcome queasiness at one of Scotland's oldest museums. Originally a medical teaching museum stuffed full of weird and wonderful artefacts, it contains the largest and most historic collection of surgical pathology in the world, from works of art to bone and tissue specimens.