British Museum, London
Free museum visits are one of the pleasures of budget travel. To be sure, many of the world's greatest museums charge relatively little in relation to the experiences they provide to visitors. But the following institutions (in no particular order) provide both outstanding opportunities and the luxury of no admission charge.
One of the finest examples is the British Museum in London. This cultural treasure opened in 1753 and has never charged an admission fee.
There are fees for some special events, and it's a good idea to make a donation to the museum if you can afford to do so.
Supporting the work here means helping the world see such wonders as the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin Marbles. But you should plan your day(s) carefully here, because with about 7 million objects on display, it is easy to become overwhelmed.
London visitors find the museum on Great Russell Street, and the nearest Tube (subway) stops are Tottenham Court Road and Russell Square.
Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. but until 8:30 p.m. on Friday.
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
The Smithsonian Institution is actually 19 separate museums and the National Zoo, all of which are free to visitors. You will pay extra for movie presentations in places like the National Air and Space Museum, but you'll enjoy seeing the "Spirit of St. Louis" trans-Atlantic plane and Apollo spacecraft nearly side-by-side at no charge.
Map out your visits carefully, because the 16 museums in Washington are spread out.
There is a Smithsonian stop on the Washington Metro, but be careful--your desired museum might be quite a walk from the station.
Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; hours vary by season at the National Zoo.
Getty Center, Los Angeles
Although you will pay for parking, admissions to both the J. Paul Getty Museum and Getty Villa are free of charge. At large museums, it is always a good idea to seek out an orientation video at the outset of your visit. Here, you can watch the presentation and then decide where you would like to focus your time.
One other benefit that's absolutely free: the sunset views of Los Angeles that are possible from the Getty.
It's located in West Los Angeles near the intersection of the San Diego and Santa Monica freeways. Take the Getty Center Drive exit from the San Diego Freeway and follow the signs. Although admission is free, parking will cost $15. If you want to skip that fee, take Metro Bus 761, which stops at the center's main gate on Sepulveda Blvd.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with the exception of Saturday, when the museum remains open until 9 p.m.
Musée Carnavalet, Paris
This is not among the first museums that might come to mind in a discussion of Paris, but visiting Musée Carnavalet is a pleasure for history buffs who also love free attractions.
Permanent collections and themed exhibitions are free, but there are charges levied for lectures, workshops and general visits involving the entire facility.
The history of Paris is displayed in 100 rooms of two renaissance mansions.
There are temporary displays here for which small admission fees are charged, but the small cost usually represents a great value.
As with most of Paris' attractions, it is accessible by Metro. Take the subway to either Saint-Paul (line one) or Chemin Vert (line eight).
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The ticket office closes at 5:15 p.m.
Sony Wonder Technology Lab, New York
This might seem like an odd New York choice, but this four-level attraction is in effect a museum that will take you through the major technological advances of our time. The hands-on approach to learning is quite popular with children. That popularity leads to one catch: although a free attraction, reservations are a must or it's possible you'll be denied admission (a very limited number of walk-up, same-day admissions are available on most days).
Call the reservation line listed on the Sony Wonder Technology Lab Web site seven days to three months prior to your visit. You'll be given a time for admission on the day you choose. The Lab is in midtown Manhattan at 56th and Madison. The E/M Fifth Ave. subway station has an entrance at Madison and 53rd, and there is another station close by at 59th St. and Lexington Ave.
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the last museum entrance at 5:00 p.m. each day. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
If you're visiting New York and prefer a more conventional museum on a discount, it pays to consider the many Free/Pay-What-You-Wish-Days at NYC Museums.
St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, Mo.
St. Louis Art Museum actually sits amid some outstanding free attractions that include the St. Louis Zoo and extensive Forest Park to the west of downtown.
The museum is subsidized, but it's not a bad idea to make a small contribution if you are able to do so. Parking near the museum is free, but it will cost $11 at the nearby zoo. Because of that, some people park near the museum and walk to the zoo, which means the parking lots can fill up quickly on a busy day.
The collections here are wide-ranging and extensive, featuring African, American and Asian art, as well as European art, photography and pre-Columbian and American Indian displays.
The nearest MetroLink stops are Skinker and Forest Park, but both require a bit of a walk.
Hours of operation are Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Friday, when the museum stays open until 9 p.m.
More Reading: Tips for visiting St. Louis on a budget
A free museum visit is possible at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, largely because of a county park fund and the philanthropy of corporate sponsors as well as individual patrons.
The location is along Metro Transit route 11, and there is free parking outside the museum.
Inside, you'll find an extensive Asian collection on the second floor and a children's section on the first floor. The European collections cover much of the third floor, and the Institute is also known for its contemporary exhibits.
Be sure to check out the calendar of events on the website to see if special exhibitions will be underway during your visit. Keep in mind that there could be fees for viewing those displays.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, with hours extended to 9 p.m. on Thursday.
Great Britain offers its publicly funded museums to visitors free of charge, and like the British Museum, the Greenwich Maritime Museum can be the focus of an entire day at minimal cost. There are sometimes exhibits here that will require a fee, and transportation from Central London requires a few pounds.
Few museums in the world are better at telling the story of seafaring than this one. Greenwich became so important to mariners that longitude was established at zero degrees at the next-door Royal Observatory.
Ships of all descriptions passed by Greenwich from the London docks to the open sea for centuries. The need for deeper ports to host huge container ships changed all of that in the 1960s.
About 2.3 million visitors come here each year to see portraits and displays that chronicle maritime enterprises through the years.
Take the Docklands Light Railway from Central London to the Cutty Sark station. There are small take-away food operations on the walk from station to museum, but Greenwich for the most part is not a place with a wide selection of budget meals. The museum itself has a small coffee shop serving sandwiches and desserts.
Hours: Monday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last admission of the day at 4:30.
More Step-by-Step Budget Travel Tips
Free museum visits are one of the pleasures of budget travel. To be sure, many of the world's greatest museums charge relatively little in relation to the experiences they provide to visitors. But the following institutions (in no particular order) provide both outstanding opportunities and the luxury of no admission charge.
One of the finest examples is the British Museum in London. This cultural treasure opened in 1753 and has never charged an admission fee.
There are fees for some special events, and it's a good idea to make a donation to the museum if you can afford to do so.
Supporting the work here means helping the world see such wonders as the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin Marbles. But you should plan your day(s) carefully here, because with about 7 million objects on display, it is easy to become overwhelmed.
London visitors find the museum on Great Russell Street, and the nearest Tube (subway) stops are Tottenham Court Road and Russell Square.
Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. but until 8:30 p.m. on Friday.
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
The Smithsonian Institution is actually 19 separate museums and the National Zoo, all of which are free to visitors. You will pay extra for movie presentations in places like the National Air and Space Museum, but you'll enjoy seeing the "Spirit of St. Louis" trans-Atlantic plane and Apollo spacecraft nearly side-by-side at no charge.
Map out your visits carefully, because the 16 museums in Washington are spread out.
There is a Smithsonian stop on the Washington Metro, but be careful--your desired museum might be quite a walk from the station.
Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; hours vary by season at the National Zoo.
Getty Center, Los Angeles
Although you will pay for parking, admissions to both the J. Paul Getty Museum and Getty Villa are free of charge. At large museums, it is always a good idea to seek out an orientation video at the outset of your visit. Here, you can watch the presentation and then decide where you would like to focus your time.
One other benefit that's absolutely free: the sunset views of Los Angeles that are possible from the Getty.
It's located in West Los Angeles near the intersection of the San Diego and Santa Monica freeways. Take the Getty Center Drive exit from the San Diego Freeway and follow the signs. Although admission is free, parking will cost $15. If you want to skip that fee, take Metro Bus 761, which stops at the center's main gate on Sepulveda Blvd.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with the exception of Saturday, when the museum remains open until 9 p.m.
Musée Carnavalet, Paris
This is not among the first museums that might come to mind in a discussion of Paris, but visiting Musée Carnavalet is a pleasure for history buffs who also love free attractions.
Permanent collections and themed exhibitions are free, but there are charges levied for lectures, workshops and general visits involving the entire facility.
The history of Paris is displayed in 100 rooms of two renaissance mansions.
There are temporary displays here for which small admission fees are charged, but the small cost usually represents a great value.
As with most of Paris' attractions, it is accessible by Metro. Take the subway to either Saint-Paul (line one) or Chemin Vert (line eight).
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The ticket office closes at 5:15 p.m.
Sony Wonder Technology Lab, New York
This might seem like an odd New York choice, but this four-level attraction is in effect a museum that will take you through the major technological advances of our time. The hands-on approach to learning is quite popular with children. That popularity leads to one catch: although a free attraction, reservations are a must or it's possible you'll be denied admission (a very limited number of walk-up, same-day admissions are available on most days).
Call the reservation line listed on the Sony Wonder Technology Lab Web site seven days to three months prior to your visit. You'll be given a time for admission on the day you choose. The Lab is in midtown Manhattan at 56th and Madison. The E/M Fifth Ave. subway station has an entrance at Madison and 53rd, and there is another station close by at 59th St. and Lexington Ave.
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the last museum entrance at 5:00 p.m. each day. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
If you're visiting New York and prefer a more conventional museum on a discount, it pays to consider the many Free/Pay-What-You-Wish-Days at NYC Museums.
St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, Mo.
St. Louis Art Museum actually sits amid some outstanding free attractions that include the St. Louis Zoo and extensive Forest Park to the west of downtown.
The museum is subsidized, but it's not a bad idea to make a small contribution if you are able to do so. Parking near the museum is free, but it will cost $11 at the nearby zoo. Because of that, some people park near the museum and walk to the zoo, which means the parking lots can fill up quickly on a busy day.
The collections here are wide-ranging and extensive, featuring African, American and Asian art, as well as European art, photography and pre-Columbian and American Indian displays.
The nearest MetroLink stops are Skinker and Forest Park, but both require a bit of a walk.
Hours of operation are Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Friday, when the museum stays open until 9 p.m.
More Reading: Tips for visiting St. Louis on a budget
A free museum visit is possible at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, largely because of a county park fund and the philanthropy of corporate sponsors as well as individual patrons.
The location is along Metro Transit route 11, and there is free parking outside the museum.
Inside, you'll find an extensive Asian collection on the second floor and a children's section on the first floor. The European collections cover much of the third floor, and the Institute is also known for its contemporary exhibits.
Be sure to check out the calendar of events on the website to see if special exhibitions will be underway during your visit. Keep in mind that there could be fees for viewing those displays.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, with hours extended to 9 p.m. on Thursday.
Great Britain offers its publicly funded museums to visitors free of charge, and like the British Museum, the Greenwich Maritime Museum can be the focus of an entire day at minimal cost. There are sometimes exhibits here that will require a fee, and transportation from Central London requires a few pounds.
Few museums in the world are better at telling the story of seafaring than this one. Greenwich became so important to mariners that longitude was established at zero degrees at the next-door Royal Observatory.
Ships of all descriptions passed by Greenwich from the London docks to the open sea for centuries. The need for deeper ports to host huge container ships changed all of that in the 1960s.
About 2.3 million visitors come here each year to see portraits and displays that chronicle maritime enterprises through the years.
Take the Docklands Light Railway from Central London to the Cutty Sark station. There are small take-away food operations on the walk from station to museum, but Greenwich for the most part is not a place with a wide selection of budget meals. The museum itself has a small coffee shop serving sandwiches and desserts.
Hours: Monday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last admission of the day at 4:30.
More Step-by-Step Budget Travel Tips
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